Message from the Chief
Our residents, fellows and faculty are known for their cordiality, accessibility and collegiality. We strive to maintain this tradition. We welcome any and all applicantsto our program, whether academically oriented, clinically focused or creatively inspired in unusual ways. We are prepared to support all of these paths as long as they will lead to the improvement of the health of children in our community and across the world.
Our world class faculty are tasked with the dual and somewhat paradoxical mission of imparting and overhauling the state-of-the-art in pediatric neurology, neuroscience and related disciplines. Together with our residents and fellows, we are a group of non-conformists who will leverage any conceptual and technical tool available to properly diagnose and treat any child. Located in one of the prime locations in one of the prime cities in the world, we serve an extremely varied patient population without consideration of complexity or effort involved. We foster lifelong relationships with patients and families thanks to the care and humanism provided by our residents, who are regularly identified by patients and caretakers as team leaders and organizers.
We are fortunate to employ and contribute to all the clinical and intellectual resources of Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, including the historic New York Hospital, in addition to NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, Rockefeller University, and Cornell University in Ithaca. Such an integrated constellation of talent and technology is rare anywhere in the world. Whether performing genomic analysis in spinal fluid for mosaic mutations restricted to the cerebrum, to using deep neural network quantification of human mobility in response to treatment, to obtaining a portable magnetic resonance imaging study at the bedside, to stunning or destroying an epileptic lesion by focused ultrasound of the brain, we customize each resource to each person in need. Yet, our resident experiences are primarily based on learning to obtain a medical history and performing a physical examination. Only then do we proceed to further, thoughtful specialization commensurate with individual background and aspirations. As David Hume proclaimed in 1748, shortly before New York Hospital was founded: “Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man”.
We have helped innumerable resident and fellow careers flourish, from entry level, newly graduated students who are simply intrigued by neurology, to distinguished international visiting faculty. No question is ever considered too simple and no problem is ever deemed unsolvable. Perhaps for these reasons, we are among the leading training programs in the United States and among the - if not the - leading divisions of child neurology in New York in terms of per-capita research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Despite all of this, we also supply much of the child neurology workforce in private practice across the New York region and beyond.
Above all, we get to know our residents extremely well and they get to know us just us deeply. We sincerely and constantly have their well-being and career success in mind, whatever their formative or future path. No faculty door is ever left closed. We formally evaluate and hold one another to these high standards to the point that we benefit from our trainees as much as they benefit from us.
Juan M. Pascual, MD, PhD
Chutorian Professor and Chief, Division of Child Neurology
Professor of Pediatrics, Neurology and Neuroscience
Weill Cornell Medicine | NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Our residents rotate at three institutions: NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (NYP/WCMC) is among the top-ranked clinical and medical research centers in the country. The majority of a resident’s clinical time is spent at NYP/WCMC, which includes NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis and David Komansky Children’s Hospital. Our Neurology Department houses a 30-bed adult neurology ward including six video-EEG monitored beds, a four-bed adult neurology step-down unit, an 11-bed neurological intensive care unit, an adult neurology outpatient clinic, and a recently constructed neuropathy center. The Pediatrics Department features a 30-bed pediatric ward including four video-EEG beds, a 20-bed pediatric intensive care unit, a 50-bed neonatal intensive care unit, two well-newborn nurseries comprised of 68 beds including an eight-bed continuing care unit, and a pediatric outpatient clinic.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) is the world's oldest and largest private institution devoted to patient care, education and cancer research. MSK facilities house a 33-bed pediatric ward, three-bed pediatric observation unit, 15-bed adult neurology ward, four-bed adult neurology step-down unit, and new pediatric day hospital with 30 beds.
The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a top-ranked hospital specializing in orthopedics and rheumatology. HSS facilities feature: 134 beds including 18 designated pediatric beds, 25 PACU beds, an outpatient clinic area, a neurophysiology suite, a brace/helmet shop, as well as multiple areas for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation therapy.
Curriculum
Our pediatric neurology curriculum is based on the Curriculum for Training Child Neurologists for Practice, developed by the Training Committee of the Child Neurology Society in 1998. While we should not and do not wish to set any limit on the knowledge or skills of our residents, we do believe there are basic competencies, based on knowledge and experience, which each pediatric neurologist must have. Our goal is to provide guidance, instruction and evaluation of progress as residents move toward becoming outstanding pediatric neurologists.
Throughout their training, our residents are given increased responsibility and autonomy in the development of evaluation and care plans, with the goal of independent practice. Emphasis is placed on leadership, management and team building skills in coordinating the ward and consultation services. Residents are also encouraged to participate in educational activities and research projects facilitated by attending faculty during elective time.
Clinical Training
Year 1 (PGY-3)
Originally conceived of as the "adult year", our PGY-3 year is typically made up of two months of inpatient pediatric neurology at NYP/WCMC, and nine months consisting of both inpatient and outpatient adult neurology at NYP/WCMC, MSK and HSS. During this year (and throughout all three years of pediatric neurology training) residents also follow patients for their weekly half-day pediatric neurology continuity clinics.
A typical schedule will consist of:
- Adult Inpatient and Consults (NYP/WCMC and MSK) – four months
- Adult Neurology ICU (NYP/WCMC) – two months
- Pediatric Neurology Inpatient (NYP/WCMC) – two months
- Pediatric Neurology Outpatient (NYP/WCMC) – one month
- EEG – one month
- Elective – one month
- Vacation – one month
Year 2 (PGY-4)
The PGY-4 year is primarily spent on the inpatient pediatric neurology service at NYP/WCMC. Time is built in for elective rotations.
A typical schedule will consist of:
- Adult Inpatient and Consults (NYP/WCMC and MSK) – one month
- Pediatric Neurology Inpatient (NYP/WCMC) – six months
- Pediatric Neurology Outpatient (NYP/WCMC) – two months
- Elective – two months
- Vacation – one month
Year 3 (PGY-5)
The PGY-5 year is spent in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Approximately two months are spent doing adult rotations; the rest of the year is made up of electives and required "selectives.” During this year, residents also take leadership roles managing the outpatient pediatric neurology clinic.
A typical schedule will consist of:
- Adult Outpatient (NYP/WCMC) – two months
- Psychiatry (NYP/WCMC) – one month
- Pediatric Neurology Inpatient (NYP/WCMC) – two months
- Pediatric Neurology Outpatient (NYP/WCMC, MSK and/or away rotations) – three months
- Elective – three months
- Vacation – one month
Inpatient Service
The Inpatient Neurology Service Team consists of a pediatric neurology faculty member, a pediatric neurology resident, one or two adult neurology residents (usually senior residents), and one or two medical students. The inpatient pediatric neurology service covers inpatient admissions to the pediatric neurology service and provides inpatient neurologic consultations to other pediatric service teams on request. This team also provides pediatric neurology consultations on request to patients in the emergency room.
Pediatric Neurology residents assume the role of the supervisory senior residents on the inpatient neurology service, reporting directly to the attending neurologist, and are allowed progressively more autonomy in this role as experience is gained through the training program. The residents also maintain an open line of communication with the pediatric intern and resident assigned to the patients. In the course of patient care, the pediatric neurology residents provide supervision in the management of patients, as well as communicate with patients, their families and other health staff involved in patient care.
All radiological and electrophysiological studies are reviewed with the attending neurologist in a weekly pediatric neurology/neuroradiology case care conference.
Night calls are divided equally with the adult neurology resident on rotation. Calls are taken from home, with residents coming into the hospital for acutely ill patients. There is an attending neurologist on-call every night.
Outpatient Clinics
During their training, our residents have an ongoing and broad exposure to outpatient pediatric neurology clinics. Beginning with their first year of neurology training, and spanning the duration of the residency, our residents participate in a weekly general pediatric neurology continuity clinic. In this clinic, they are exposed to the whole range of neurologic disorders in a diverse patient population. Pediatric Neurology residents, Neurology residents rotating on pediatrics, and General Pediatrics residents rotating on neurology attend the weekly clinic. Our epilepsy nurse practitioner and a pediatric epilepsy fellow also attend each clinic. Two of our pediatric neurology faculty members staff each clinic on a rotating basis.
All patients are seen by a resident and an attending physician. The PGY-5 child neurology resident takes a leadership role in organizing and managing the continuity clinic.
Residents also see patients in faculty clinics during their outpatient rotations. These include: general neurology, pediatric epilepsy, pediatric neuromuscular, tics and Tourette, neurogenetics, headache, concussion, developmental/behavioral neurology and neurofibromatosis clinics.
Electives
During their training, our residents are able to participate in a broad range of inpatient and outpatient rotations. There is a great deal of flexibility, particularly in the PGY-5 year, to choose electives and design a curriculum based on a resident’s specific interests. Available electives include but are not limited to:
- dedicated research blocks (clinical, translational or basic)
- electrophysiology, with emphasis on EEG or EMG/NCS
- neuromuscularity
- epilepsy
- neurooncology
- psychiatry
- behavior/development
- physical medicine/rehabilitation
- neuropathology
- neurosurgery
- neuroradiology
- neurogenetics
- neuro-ophthalmology
- movement disorders
- neonatal neurology
Conferences
Residents are encouraged to attend a broad range of didactic and clinical care conferences designed to keep them informed of major developments in both the basic and clinical neurosciences. These include:
Daily
- a morning report for adult and pediatric neurology residents
- a noon conference series that covers a broad range of adult and pediatric neurology and neuroscience topics
Weekly
- a pediatric neurology/neuroradiology conference where inpatient and outpatient films are reviewed and cases are discussed
- neurology and pediatric grand rounds
- a pediatric neuro-oncology tumor board meeting
Monthly
- a neuropathology resident journal club
- a neuroscience journal club
- a resident board review
- a pediatric epilepsy case conference
- a pediatric epilepsy journal club
- a resident research meeting
Other regular conferences include a bimonthly child neurology/child psychiatry conference and a bimonthly child neurology/neonatal ICU conference.
Research
Pediatric Neurology fellows are expected to participate in clinical, translational or basic neuroscience research efforts as part of their training. During their third year, the results of residents’ research efforts are presented at special neurology grand rounds and, when possible, at national meetings such as the Child Neurology Society or American Epilepsy Society.
A variety of faculty research mentorships are available through the Tri-Institutional Research Training Program, which includes faculty from Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering and Rockefeller University. Research seminars are held on a regular basis under the auspices of the Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, and the Tri-Institutional Neuroscience Program.
How to Apply
The Pediatric Neurology Residency has one training slot per year (three residents total). Pediatric Neurology residents are required to have at least two years of ACGME approved training in pediatrics, or one year of pediatrics residency training if they complete an additional year of basic neuroscience training during their residency. Most pediatric neurology applicants apply during their final year of medical school, though some apply during or after their pediatrics residency training.
All applicants interested in the Child Neurology Residency program must register with both:
and
The NRMP Code is 1492185CO.
Though we do not have a formal deadline, applications should ideally be submitted by as soon as possible after ERAS opens. Interviews are scheduled from October through January.