Adult Neurology
The Department of Neurology offers a fully accredited, categorical four-year residency program in Adult Neurology. We select eleven adult neurology residents per year. Graduates are eligible for board certification in Neurology. Our residents are an exceptional and diverse group, bringing a wealth of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences that enrich our learning environment and nurture a strong sense of community. Our track record speaks volumes, with over 90% of our graduates (since 2017) pursuing a range of prestigious fellowships. Some choose to continue their journey right here at UT Southwestern, while others embark on careers at other renowned institutions worldwide. Within our program, we offer a comprehensive array of neurological specialties and electives, allowing you to tailor your training to your unique interests.
Welcome to the UT Southwestern Neurology Residency Program! The next four years are for you to identify, develop, and pursue your passions. Our distinguished, internationally renowned faculty is dedicated to educating the future generation of neurologists.”
Program Structure
- Postgraduate Year 1: Integrated Internship
While interns spend their first year as integrated members of the UT Southwestern Internal Medicine Residency Program, they are part of the neurology team from Day One.
Early Exposure to Neurology
- “Neurology Clinic weeks” every 5 weeks
- 4 weeks of ambulatory or inpatient Neurology elective time
- The final month of the year is dedicated to “Neurology Bootcamp,” a structured introduction to Neurology without clinical responsibilities. Learn the basics of Neurology via shadowing, simulations, and lecture-based teaching.
Celebrating New Beginnings
Join us at our annual Welcome Party and mingle with our newly matched incoming residents and fellows.
- Postgraduate Year 2: Introduction to Neurology
PGY-2 focuses on direct care of inpatients with neurologic disease, with outpatient neurology experiences interspersed throughout the year. Rotations are scheduled in an X+Y format; X weeks of inpatient service followed by Y weeks of outpatient clinics.
A typical PGY-2 schedule includes inpatient blocks on the following services:
- Parkland Stroke, General Neurology, EMU, Neurocritical Care, ED, and Night Float
- CUH General Neurology, EMU, and ED
- VA Medical Center Neurology Consults
During these rotations, junior residents develop diagnostic skills and become familiar with management of acute neurologic issues under the supervision of senior residents and attending faculty.
Timeline over the year:
- 5 weeks of night float
- 6-10 weeks of elective time
- Every 5th weekcontinuity clinics
- 4 weeks of vacation
Supervised Autonomy and Communication:
During Night Float rotations at Parkland, the on-call junior resident is the first to evaluate neurology patients in the emergency room and makes decisions about patient disposition, including admission to neurology services.
The in-house senior resident manages cross-cover issues for admitted patients and supports the junior resident. This is a valuable mentoring opportunity for both juniors and seniors, and it exemplifies one of our main program objectives: "supervised autonomy."
- Postgraduate Year 3: Mastering Your Skills
PGY3 focuses on subspecialty and outpatient neurology experiences.
Residents rotate in a wide variety of subspecialty clinical and research electives based on career goals and interests.A typical PGY-3 schedule also includes inpatient blocks on the following services:
- VA Medical Center Neurology Consults
- CUH General Neurology, ED, and Night Float
Timeline over the year:
- 6 weeks of night float
- 1 month of Psychiatry
- 3 months of Child Neurology
- Regularly scheduled continuity clinics
- 4 weeks of vacation
Independent Decision Making and Communication
During PGY3 Night Float rotations at CUH, our residents are provided the opportunity to master their skills as independent decision-makers. A moonlighter overlaps with the first few hours of Night Float, which provides support during the busy time of shift change. The Night Float resident is on call for the ED, Code Strokes, urgent consults, and provides cross-cover for the primary neurology services on the floor. This immersive experience marks the evolution of triage skills and showcases autonomy as a senior resident.
- Postgraduate Year 4: Becoming a Neurologist
The senior resident fills a major teaching and supervisory role and is essential to the education of medical students, rotating interns, and junior neurology residents. Trainees triage and initiate treatment decisions for acutely ill patients. By the end of the year, the resident has become a fully competent neurologist who is well-versed in a variety of disciplines.
A typical PGY-4 schedule includes inpatient blocks on the following services:
- Parkland Stroke, General Neurology, ED, and Night Float
- CUH General Neurology and ED
- VA Medical Center Neurology Consults
Timeline over the year:
- 5 weeks of night float
- 12-14 weeks of elective time to continue rotations in subspecialty clinics.
- Every 5th week continuity clinics
- 4 weeks of vacation
Leadership and Communication
Our residents grow as leaders throughout training. PGY4s lead our primary ward services by taking on a “junior attending” role. The Parkland Night Float experience is an opportunity for seasoned PGY4s to provide support to junior residents as they begin their training, and to provide space and guidance as juniors gain knowledge and confidence. This again exemplifies our program objective of “supervised autonomy” and is the final step of “see one, do one, teach one.”
Our Chief Residents work with the Program Director to create the didactic schedule, influence daily teaching sessions, organize clinic schedules, manage inpatient logistics across all hospital sites, and more. As leaders of their cohort, they are an integral part of the Clinical Education Integration (CEI) team. This opportunity to continually balance education and patient care needs by directly engaging with department leadership, is unique to our program.
- Teaching Conferences
Daily
- Teaching Rounds: Daily neurology teaching rounds are conducted on the inpatient and consult services at all rotation sites.
Weekly
- Case Presentations: PGY2s present cases every Monday during the afternoon report.
- EEG and EMG conferences: Fellows and faculty lead EEG and EMG conferences every Tuesday. Additionally, PGY3s each present a clinical-pathological case conference on select Tuesdays throughout the year.
- Grand Rounds: Departmental Grand Rounds are held every Wednesday.
- Residency Didactics: Fully protected neurology residency didactics are held every Thursday. Didactics cover a broad range of neurology topics including RITE reviews, a Research series, a Global Health series, and an Art of Neurology series.
Monthly
- Quality & Safety Conference: Resident-led departmental Quality & Safety conference occurs on the last Friday of each month. In addition, each subspecialty division and fellowship program hosts a variety of weekly conferences that residents attend during their subspecialty rotations.
- Core Rotations and Electives
We aim to maximize elective time and flexibility throughout residency training, as we know that every individual has unique interests and career goals.
Core inpatient rotations, such as General Neurology, Stroke, Neurocritical Care, and EMU are built into every resident's rotation schedule. Additional inpatient electives include the following:
- Interventional Neuroradiology
- Palliative Care
- Neurosurgery
Core outpatient subspecialty rotations, such as Neuromuscular Medicine, Movement Disorders, Headache Medicine, Neuroimmunology, and EEG are built into every resident's rotation schedule. Additional outpatient electives include the following:
- Epilepsy
- Vascular Neurology
- Neuro-Oncology
- Neuro-Ophthalmology
- Behavioral Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Autonomic Disorders
- Neuropalliative Care
- Sports Neurology
- Neurorehabilitation
- Procedure rotation
- Neuroradiology
- Neurosonology (carotid and transcranial Doppler)
- Neuromuscular ultrasound
Residents may also select additional experience in core inpatient and subspecialty outpatient rotations.
Research Electives
These typically consecutive weeks are devoted to a clinical or basic research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. If you wish to pursue a career as a clinician-scientist, take a look at our different funding mechanisms for protected research time.
- Special Opportunities
Women In Neurology (WIN): These quarterly meetings, supported by the department, are a unique way for women faculty, fellows, and residents to gather outside of work to engage casually and develop mentorship opportunities. Each meeting involves a theme and guest speaker, followed by a group discussion. These are heavily attended and eagerly anticipated.
Art of Neurology: This monthly resident didactic series, led by Alex Frolov, M.D., explores the interpersonal dynamics among the physician, patient, family, and the community. This series provides an intellectual framework for discussing complex issues and addressing "intuitive" or "intangible" aspects of the clinical encounter.
Global Health & Disparities: We integrate monthly lectures that illuminate the intersections of epidemiology and social determinants of health within each topic block. These lectures feature both internal and external guest speakers renowned for their expertise in these fields. Furthermore, we offer a remarkable opportunity for interested residents: month-long clinical neurology rotations in Zambia and Ethiopia. Led by Mehari Gebreyohanns, M.D., these rotations provide invaluable exposure to diverse healthcare systems and the unique disorders prevalent in these regions, enriching our residents' understanding of global health dynamics.
Resident Scholarly Activity
We provide extensive funding opportunities to support your pursuits in all facets of scholarly work. Whether you are looking to do clinical or basic science research, quality improvement research, or medical education projects, our faculty has federal and institutional funds to help you flourish. You will develop projects under the guidance of mentors and seasoned investigators. Our faculty runs a series of intensive workshops throughout the year covering hypothesis generation, research design, and statistical methods. All senior Neurology Residents present the culmination of their scholarly work at the annual Neurology Research Day. We invite all faculty and trainees in the department to attend this two-day symposium. Our R25 track residents enroll in a program that complements clinical training with intensive, focused research, with a goal of applying for NIH funding at the conclusion of the program, the beginnings of a pathway towards independent research.
We offer tracks designed to sculpt your educational journey and will curate your rotations according to the track that resonates most with your needs.
Research Track Clinical Educator Track
What Our Residents Say
Contact Us
neurologyresidency@utsouthwestern.edu us if you have any questions.