Neurology
Associate Professor
Residency Program Director
Department of Neurology
lauren.phillips@utsouthwestern.edu (preferred method of contact)
Please contact Brenda Thomas via brenda.thomas@utsouthwestern.edu to schedule an appointment
Secondary Adviser
Kyle Blackburn, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
kyle.blackburn@utsouthwestern.edu
MSTP Student interested in Physician-Scientist Career
Evan Noch, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Director of Physician-Scientist Development
evan.noch@utsouthwestern.edu
About the Specialty
Neurology is a branch of medicine that involves the nervous system and related disorders. There are many subspecialties within neurology that allow for advanced training after completing a neurology residency. Therapeutics and research in neurology is advancing at a tremendous pace, making this an exciting era!
Answers to Common Questions
- Attributes of a Competitive Student
What factors typically make a student competitive for this specialty?
Academic performance, research output, leadership, interest in teaching, excellent communication skills, emotional intelligence.
- Research
How important is research experience in your specialty? If important, does it need to be in the specialty itself?
Research experience is always a positive. Research experience does not need to be in neurology.
- Shadowing
How can students identify opportunities for shadowing?
E-mail our Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) faculty advisors or contact the student officers. There is a shadowing program through SIGN.
- Electives
What electives would you recommend to a student who is interested in pursuing your specialty?
UT Southwestern Neurology electives include the following: Neurology Sub-internship; Ambulatory Neurology; Neurocritical Care Sub-internship; and Neuro-oncology. If there is a particular subspecialty within neurology they are interested in, we will match them with a mentor in their area of interest.
Based on your experience, what tips do you have for students to shine on your electives?
Take ownership of your patients; literature review; educating the team; working with senior residents to enhance patient care; write an interesting case report; take on clinical research projects if something garners your interest, which may lead to presentations and/or manuscripts.
- Away Rotations
Does your specialty recommend doing away rotations?
Away rotations are not required. If an applicant is interested in a specific program or geographic location, they can certainly pursue an away rotation to learn more.
If away rotations are necessary, when should they apply and when should they be completed?
N/A
- Interview Timing
Which month do you recommend taking off to interview?
Most programs interview from October through January. The majority of interviews take place in November and December.
- Letters of Recommendation
How many letters of recommendation are needed to apply to your specialty?
Three, with at least one letter from a Neurologist.
Does your specialty recommend that all letters of recommendation be written by members of your specialty?
One letter should be from a neurologist that the student worked with clinically. A second is great but not required. The third can be from any clinician who can write a good LOR. If the student has done significant research, the fourth letter could be from their PI/mentor who does not need to be a clinician (can be a Ph.D).
If letters can come from other disciplines, do you have a recommendation as to which disciplines are more highly valued?
Any discipline that interfaces with Neurology.
Does the academic rank of the letter writer matter?
Not necessarily. It is more important that the letter writer know you well enough to write a strong recommendation.
Does your specialty require a letter from the chairman?
No, it does not.
