Core Curriculum

The core curriculum for preliminary medicine/neurology residents includes experience in inpatient general medicine (22-24 weeks), night float (0-2 weeks), emergency medicine (4 weeks), neurocritical care medicine (4 weeks), palliative care (2 weeks), primary care medicine (2-6 weeks), primary care wellness (2 weeks), elective (2-4 weeks), stroke (2 weeks) and general neurology wards (2 weeks), and vacation (4 weeks).

All core experience during internship takes place at Jackson, the VA Medical Center and UHealth Tower.

During the first year of the neurology residency training program, the resident is exposed to the wide spectrum of neurological disorders in both the hospital and outpatient settings. Academic half day didactics are developed with the junior neurology resident in mind, including simulation experiences for neurological emergencies and a series of “approach to” lectures for common consults and chief complaints. The PGY-2 Neurology resident schedule is the most intense of the training program with q4 call while on the JMH stroke and NH services.

Sample Schedule

• 4 - 6 weeks Neuro-critical Care Jackson Memorial: (eight - 12-hour shifts)
• 4 - 6 weeks on Epilepsy (EMU and clinic): no call
• 4 – 6 weeks VA medical center inpatient service: no call
• 4 – 6 weeks Jackson Memorial inpatient Neurology: call Q4 (24 hour)
• 4 - 6 weeks UHealth Tower consults: no call
• 10 - 12 weeks Stroke at Jackson Memorial: call Q4 (24 hour)
• 6-8 weeks night float at UHT (alternating one-week on, one-week off = 6 nights on your “on” week) (12 hour shifts)
• 2 weeks Headache
• 2-4 weeks elective/research
• 2-4 weeks Neuromuscular Rotation
• 4 weeks of vacation – to be taken in 2-week blocks

The second-year neurology resident spends much of the year in consultation services at Jackson Memorial Hospital and at the Miami VA. They also serve as the stroke resident at UHT, working with a UHT dedicated stroke fellow. Child neurology, neuro critical care, cognitive neurology, and neuro-oncology are also admixed. If neuromuscular was only offered for 2 weeks as a PGY2 another 2-week block will be scheduled during the PGY3 year. Elective and research are included in the block schedule. A wide range of elective rotations are available including neuroradiology, neuropathology, neurorehabilitation, neuro-ophthalmology, neuro-oncology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, neurophysiology, sleep medicine, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, and basic neuroscience research.

Sample Schedule

• 2 - 4 weeks Neuromuscular: no call
• 4 - 6 weeks Neurocritical Care Jackson Memorial: (12-hour shifts)
• 6 - 8 weeks Elective/Research
• 4 – 6 weeks VA consults: home call to be split with PGY-4 on service
• 16 - 18 weeks Jackson Memorial consults: night float system for call (approx. 1 in 4 weeks)
• 4 - 6 weeks UHealth Tower vascular neurology: no call
• 4 - 6 weeks Pediatric Neurology, home call to be split among 2-3 residents on service
• 4 weeks of vacation – to be taken in 2-week blocks

The third-year neurology resident has gained sufficient knowledge to serve a supervisory role. They are the leader of the team and play a critical role in education of junior residents and medical students. They serve as chief residents at each hospital and rotate through Child Neurology, Psychiatry, Epilepsy/EMU, and have several elective blocks. The chief resident conducts daily, early morning service rounds and evening sign-out rounds, during which clinical care of the patients on the neurology service is reviewed. The chief resident also monitors hospital admissions and discharges, conducts teaching conferences, and is responsible for maintaining an overall high quality of neurological care provided by residents on all the neurology services.

Sample Schedule

• Home calls as chiefs are from junior residents that are in-house and in need of direction/supervision.
• 4 – 6 weeks VA Chief: home call to be split with PGY-3 on service
• 4 – 6 weeks Jackson Memorial Ward chief: home call (PGY4 cross coverage on some weekends)
• 4 – 6 weeks UHealth Tower Ward chief: home call
• 4 - 6 weeks Epilepsy/EEG: no call
• 4 weeks Psychiatry: no call
• 2-4 weeks UHT night float (alternating 1 week of night float and 1 week “off”)
• 12 - 14 weeks Elective vs. Research: no call
• 2 weeks Stroke chief (for most residents)
• 6 - 8 weeks pediatrics, home call split with others on team (usually 3 Residents)
• 4 weeks of vacation – to be taken in 2-week blocks