We are dedicated to promoting neurological education and opportunities for medical students. SIGN meets every 2-3 months and hosts regular career talks, mock interviews for residency applicants, and is a fantastic way to connect with neurology trainees and faculty. Members will have the opportunitiy to be matched with a mentor, participate in research, and shadow faculty. 

Join the Group:

• Visit our booth during the beginning-of-the-year Interest Group/Club Day hosted by the Student Center.
• Reach out to the contacts below

Stay in the know: 

• About all major upcoming events including Brand Awareness Week
• AAN (American Academy of Neurology) updates
• Research, volunteering, and shadowing opportunities

Courses open to MS4, led by Alexander Frolov, M.D.:

• Brain and Behavior (co-hosted by Psych-SIG)
• Frontiers in Medicine

These courses lay out the fundamentals of those interested in pursuing a Neurology or Neurology-Psychiatry residency.

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The core Neurology Clerkship offers exposure to the foundations of Neurology under the guidance of dedicated faculty.

Objectives: 

• Learn a complete neurologic exam and recognize important neuro exam findings.
• Learn special procedures (MoCA, LP, Dix-Hallpike, Epley, HINTS, NIHSS).
• Learn the art of neuro localization.
• Become familiar with neurologic tests (MRI, MRA, CTA, EEG, EMG-NCS).
• Build a powerful fund of neuro knowledge (especially about neurologic emergencies).
• Attend Grand Round sessions.
• Complete pre-recorded attending didactic sessions in preparation for the Shelf Exam 

Timeline: The VA Neurology Consult spans the entire 4 weeks and does not follow the schedule below.

• 8 weeks before clerkship starts: students will fill out a survey to submit their top 3 choices for their main general rotation.
• 2 Weeks General Neurology block: Depending on the time of year, students will go to either
  • Parkland General Neurology
  • William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital (CUH) General Neurology
  • Children’s
  • or Texas Health Presbyterian
• 1 Week Outpatient Clinic:
  • Aston Ambulatory Clinic
  • Texas Scottish Rite 
• 1 Week Inpatient Clinic:
  • Parkland Stroke Neurology
  • Parkland Neurocritical Care
  • Parkland Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
  • CUH Stroke Neurology
  • CUH Neurocritical Care
  • CUH Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Faculty Contacts:

Ambulatory Neurology Elective:

During our 4-week Ambulatory Neurology Elective, students will have the chance to explore various subspecialties in an outpatient setting. While primarily shadowing, students may also participate in patient care under attending supervision when time permits. The elective allows students to choose which attendings they'd like to observe, offering a tailored learning experience.

Neurology Sub-Internship:

Our Neurology Sub-Internship is designed to empower students to function at the level of an intern. This hands-on experience involves writing notes, placing orders, and even taking first-call responsibilities for their patients. This elective provides invaluable preparation for students as they embark on their neurology residency journey.

Join us for these exciting opportunities to deepen your neurology knowledge and gain practical clinical skills. Inquire about Sub-Internships in Neurology, Neurocritical Care, Ambulatory Neurology, and Neuro-Oncology

Contacts

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(Neurology Sub-Internship, Neurocritical Care Sub-Internship and Pediatric Neurology pre-requisites: completion of Neurology core clerkship and Internal Medicine core clerkship)

Visiting medical students are invited to join our Neurology Elective program, where they can immerse themselves in the dynamic world of neurology and enjoy the perks of Dallas. Whether you prefer the inpatient or outpatient setting, a rotation at UTSW offers a multitude of advantages, including:

• A diverse patient population
  Gain valuable experience by interacting with a wide range of patients, many of whom present with complex or rare neurologic issues. Parkland, our 882-bed Dallas County Hospital, serves thousands of patients.
• Multi-subspecialty training
  Learn from attendings who are experts in over 10 different areas of neurology and provide a comprehensive educational experience.

How to Apply

Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) courses are available for application when the UTSW catalog opens on April 1. Please upload the following with your VSLO documents in order to be considered for review:

• The materials requested under "Application Requirements" on UTSW's Visiting Student application page
• USMLE Step 1 score
• Personal statement explaining why you chose this particular elective, what you expect to achieve, and how you think it will help your future training

Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated by their attendings at the end of their rotation.

Our Neurology faculty is committed to providing engaging research opportunities for medical students at all levels. Whether you're interested in a dedicated summer research project, Scholarly Activity blocks, or a more longitudinal experience, we have opportunities that span a wide range of subject matter, from basic science to clinical and translational research to medical education. We encourage students to actively participate in presenting and publishing their research findings.

Take a look at the breadth of research that our faculty conduct and determine how much time you are able to commit. Dr. Ding, our dedicated mentorship coordinator, is here to assist you in finding the perfect research mentor.

Kan Ding, M.D.
Kan.Ding@UTSouthwestern.edu