Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Residency Program

UT Southwestern offers a six-year ACGME-accredited categorical residency program, composed of two years of residency training in Pediatrics at Children's Medical Center, followed by four years of neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) training. NDD is a discipline particularly focused on multidisciplinary team approaches. Our residency program trains NDD residents to be not only astute clinical scholars, but also advocates and authorities in neurodevelopment.

During the two-year pediatrics training, residents fulfill the American Board of Pediatrics' specialty pathway; this makes residents eligible to sit for the American Board of Pediatrics after completing the full five-year residency. After completing these two years, our residents start their four years of NDD training, which includes 18 months of clinical child neurology and NDD, as well as 18 months of clinical and basic science education. We also offer a four-year reserved NDD residency for candidates who have completed preliminary training in pediatrics elsewhere.

At the end of six years of training, the NDD graduate resident is eligible to sit for the following boards through the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN):

• Pediatrics (ABP)
• Neurology with Special Certification in Child Neurology (ABPN)
• Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (ABPN)

Program Years

• Postgraduate Years 1-2: Pediatric Training

  Residents spend their first two years as integrated members of the Pediatrics Residency program at UT Southwestern - Childrens Health℠.

• Postgraduate Year 3: Adult Neurology and Intro to Child Neurology

  The first block of this year is dedicated to An Introduction to Neurology and Management of Acute Neurologic Emergencies. This focused review of neuroscience, neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and neuroradiology occurs without the burden of primary clinical responsibilities.

  Residents complete six months of adult inpatient neurology with the focus on direct care of patients with acute neurologic disease on the neurology inpatient and consult services, while under the direct supervision of adult neurology senior residents and attending faculty. They also complete one block each of adult outpatient specialty clinics, adult neurology elective, and neuropathology.

  Integrated throughout training is a weekly Child Neurology Continuity Clinic where residents follow patients longitudinally and assess disease progression and management, especially as it pertains to a developing child.

• Postgraduate Year 4: Mastering Skills in Child Neurology

  During their fourth year, residents will complete their adult neurology training requirements including adult outpatient specialty clinics and adult neurology electives. Residents spend more time developing and mastering their skills in child neurology. They develop diagnostic skills and become familiar with the management of acute and chronic child neurologic disorders under direct supervision of senior residents and attendings in a variety of settings, including the ICUs, general and subspecialty pediatrics floors, EMU, the Emergency Room, and outpatient clinic rotations.

• Postgraduate Year 5: Becoming a Child Neurologist

  Year 5 completes the core pediatric neurology training, and the neurodevelopmental training begins in earnest. The NDD resident is expected to begin leading multidisciplinary teams in clinical and educational settings. Senior residents assume the major teaching duties and lead teams consisting of medical students, junior child-neurology residents, and rotating residents from other services. Residents complete scheduled rotations within general and subspecialty pediatric neurology clinics including stroke, epilepsy, neurodevelopmental disabilities, neuromuscular, headache medicine, concussion, neurogenetics, rare disorders, neuroimmunology, neuro-oncology, and more.

• Postgraduate Year 6: Becoming a Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Neurologist

  The NDD resident will spend most of the last year in electives and research. The resident will participate in electives, specifically neuro-ophthalmology, neurogenetics/metabolic disease, neuromuscular disorders, neuro-oncology, and neurologic rehabilitation. Additionally, residents will complete the research projects they started at the beginning of the four-year Child Neurology phase.