12.04.2013

Child neurology residency: ins and outs ~ part ii

Part one here

Neurology years
3rd year
~ Adult inpatient and outpt year
This is the toughest mentally. I just missed the kids so much. I started my continuity clinic in the Peds neurology outpatient office.

4th year
~child Neuro outpatient months
~child Neuro wards and consults
~EMG and EEG (neurophysiology)
~2 months of neuroanatomy, not all programs have neuroanatomy months.
~physical medicine and rehab month
~neuroradiology month
~electives.

5th year
~child neurology outpt months
~child neurology wards and consults
~electives

For my 4 months of electives, I chose:
Metabolism and genetics clinics and hospital consults
A month at the video EEG unit, mixed with reading routine EEGs
Physical medicine and rehab: focusing on spasticity and Botox injections.
Research/elective time with my mentor in multiple sclerosis and demyelinating disorders

Double-boarded
After completing a 5 year program, I'm eligible to take the Peds boards and the Neuro boards. I know some residents who took the 6-year pathway. After 3 years of Peds residency, they were eligible and allowed to take the Peds boards. Some of them did take it. Since I took the truncated 2-years of Peds, I still have to wait till my 5 years is done to take the Peds boards. That's when I'll be board eligible.

What my day looks like:
I like outpatient medicine which means seeing patients in clinic. I see children with developmental delay, seizures, spells, headaches, migraines, brain malformation, genetic problems and syndromes, stroke, numbness and tingling, muscle problems, movement disorders, spasticity, cerebral palsy and tons more.

I enjoy general child neurology and reading EEGs. I'm also getting extra training to do Botox in spasticity. Some perform Botox in migraine patients. I don't think I'm gonna do that. But who knows in the future. Maybe when it's FDA approved for migraines in the pediatric population.

My other interest is the field of demyelinating disorders. These neurological problems include: pediatric multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, optic neuritis, just to mention a few.

I also enjoy teaching. Specially the med students. I had (still have) amazing mentors who helped me when I was a student doctor. I want to give back.

I'm using this to recruit for pediatric neurology. There is a shortage of us! And look at all the opportunities and open doors for learning and helping others. The opportunities are endless!

I've typed all this for medical students interested in Peds and/or Peds Neuro. I think it's time to share it here at the w-cube.



^^I NEED to post a photo on my posts... It's a compulsion^^
Prego again... Third time in my 5 years of residency.

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1 comment:

  1. Very cool! I have a good friend that went into neurology and loves it. I am definitely leaning towards pediatrics but I'm not sure if I'll specialize. Props to you for the great work you do. Also, enjoyed the pics from the latest post on haircuts, cute cute!

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