Education and Teaching
Educational Activities
The University of Rochester Neurology residency program has been at the forefront of neurological education since the program’s inception in 1967, drawing upon the extensive experience and creativity of our teaching faculty and trainees.
Based on feedback from residents and faculty, we recently transitioned from a traditional noon conference didactic format to an innovative academic half-day on Wednesday afternoons with protected time for residents to engage in a variety of educational activities. We completely redesigned the curriculum- refreshing existing content, adding and expanding topics like practice management, ethics, and diversity/health disparities, and creating small group sessions and hands-on skills workshops. Residents also have scheduled time for independent study, post-session quizzes, and session feedback each week.
This unique format allows us to present information specific for each level of training, to leverage peer learning and open discussion, and to encourage lifelong learning.
The basic weekly format is as follows:
| Time | Session | Format |
|---|---|---|
|
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. |
Neurology Grad Rounds |
In-person with Zoom option |
|
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. |
Topic 1: Basic information (tailored to specific PGY levels) | Pre-recorded video content or in-person material |
|
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. |
Topic 1: Application of knowledge |
In-person, active learning |
| 3:00-4:00 p.m. |
Topic 1: Practical session or Topic 2: Application of knowledge |
In-person, active learning |
| 4:00-5:00 p.m. |
Self-study material (Topic 1 or Topic 2) Session multiple choice questions |
Self-study |
We continue to have Morning Report three days per week, led by Dr. Ralph Jozefowicz, and weekly Pediatric Neurology and Neuroradiology conferences. There are numerous faculty-led lectures and case discussions sprinkled throughout the ambulatory subspecialty blocks and electives, which residents really enjoy. We have a monthly “double trouble” Grand Rounds, where two Neurology residents each present an interesting case to enhance their own learning and engage with faculty in attendance. The Education chief resident also organizes a monthly Journal Club sponsored by rotating faculty, held at a local restaurant or the faculty member’s home, where residents review an important and/or recent journal article or book excerpt.
Teaching Opportunities
The University of Rochester Department of Neurology is nationally recognized for its outstanding medical student curriculum in the neural sciences and in clinical neurology. Neurology residents participate extensively in medical student teaching in both the pre-clinical and clinical strands of the curriculum. Residents also receive training in teaching and evaluating students.
The University of Rochester Medical School implemented a new problem-based curriculum in August 1999. The first-year Neural Science course and the second-year Neuropathology course have been combined with neuropharmacology, psychopathology, and psychopharmacology into a new ten-week problem-based-learning course in the second year titled "Mind, Brain and Behavior." All neurology PGY-4s serve as laboratory and small group instructors in this course and attend all lectures and laboratory sessions. Their participation in this course augments their basic neuroscience knowledge, as well as their teaching skills.
All neurology residents are responsible for teaching the fundamentals of neurology to medical students, neurosurgery residents, anesthesiology residents, and internal medicine residents rotating on the various neurology inpatient and outpatient services. The fundamentals that are taught include the neurological examination, the diagnostic approach to neurological problems, and the care of neurological illnesses.
Additionally, all neurology residents present patients at morning report, Grand Rounds, attending rounds, and conferences.