Pediatric Neurology
Cesar C. Santos, M.D., Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics
Associate Professor, Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Chief, Section of Pediatric Neurology
Director, Pediatric Neurology Residency Program
Annette Grefe, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics
Amy Harper, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics
The main objective of the Child Neurology Residency Program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine is to train pediatricians for the independent practice of neurology with special competence in child neurology and is founded on clinical patient contact.
Criteria for appointment as a pediatric neurology resident include: 1) candidates must have received a doctorate in Medicine from an accredited medical school and must be eligible to take Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination http://www.usmle.org (USMLE) and 2) candidates must have successfully completed their required prerequisite training in programs approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/home/home.asp (2 or more years of residency training in pediatrics in the US or Canada). Pediatric Neurology residency is five years in duration with two years in pediatrics followed by three years in pediatric neurology.
As a five year program, we have a dedicated position for our residents in the Department of Pediatrics http://www.brennerchildrens.org/Physicians/Residency+Program/ at Wake Forest University School of Medicine for the two years of pediatric training. Candidates invited for interview for the pediatric neurology position will also interview with the Pediatric faculty but there is no requirement to match for the pediatric residency training. By taking advantage of this opportunity, a candidate who successfully competes for the pediatric neurology position is able to have five successive years of continuous training at Wake Forest, completing all pediatrics and pediatric neurology requirements for board certification in Neurology with Special Qualifications in Pediatric Neurology and Pediatrics.
International medical graduates must hold a J-1 visa or have resident alien status, and they must have a valid ECFMG certificate.
Not all applicants are invited for an interview, but the most competitive candidates will be invited for a formal interview. Applications for Pediatric Neurology Residency are through the San Francisco Match http://www.sfmatch.org/index.htm , and the deadline for receiving completed applications is November 1, 2008. Only complete applications will be reviewed as they become available in the SF Match system and candidates will be invited in the order the applications are received and reviewed. Applicants are encouraged to complete their application as soon as possible since earlier invitations to interview will allow for greater flexibility in scheduling and there are limited interview slots available. The three letters of recommendation should include your Pediatric Program Director in addition to the Dean's letter from your medical school.
Once your completed application is received and screened, you may be contacted for an interview. If you have any specific questions not covered above, you may contact Diann Holland, Residency Program Assistant, at dholland@wfubmc.edu.
The following are objectives for training pediatricians for the practice of neurology:
1. Essential to child neurology training is the acquisition of basic science information as it pertains to the nervous system. Each resident is expected to acquire this skill in their first year which will serve as the foundation and to improve on it by keeping updated by the recent advances in the field of neurology as published in the neurologic literature.
2. Develop clinical skills in obtaining pertinent general and excellent neurologic history and neurologic examination.
3. Correlate the basic science and clinical information to be able to generate, not only a superb clinical diagnosis, but also a list of possible differential diagnoses and management.
4. Develop the skill of appropriate ordering and utilization of laboratory and diagnosis studies.
5. Develop superb clinical aptitude in procedural skills related to the field of neurology, with particular emphasis on the performance of lumbar puncture, EEG, EMG/NCS, EP, sleep study, and cranial ultrasound.
6. Provide general pediatric care not only as it pertains to the practice of neurology but in addition recognize the neurologic complications of medical and surgical conditions.
7. Develop personal qualities (i.e., dependability and promptness) and interpersonal skills in patient care (Humanistic attributes).
8. Learn to assume increasing responsibility and decision making as the training progresses.
9. Develop superb professional attitude and mannerism.
10. Develop excellent overall clinical competence and good moral and ethical standing.