Neurology Residents spend their PGY-1 year in either a preliminary internal medicine program or a transitional year. We highly encourage them to join the Duke Internal Medicine Residency Program, which offers a guaranteed internship slot to all trainees accepted for Duke Neurology. This program, one of the top residency programs in the country, provides a solid foundation in the essentials of general medicine. During this period, residents will participate in inpatient and outpatient general medicine, including critical care. PGY-1 residents in the neurology program also spend two months rounding in neurology. They are assigned a faculty advisor from within the Neurology Department to plan for their second year.
Following completion of an internship, second-year Duke Neurology residents (also known as "JARs", or Junior Assistant Residents) start their formal training in neurology.
Residents spend time on inpatient rotations (general neurology inpatient, stroke, inpatient neurology consults, and the neurointensive care unit) as well as outpatient electives (subspeciality weeks, VA clinic time, and ambulatory weeks). During the ambulatory week, residents have up to 7 sessions of continuity clinic. There is no continuity clinic during any other rotation, allowing our residents to learn where they are and provide the best patient care.
Inpatient time constitutes ~50% of the first year. The seven Neurology residents from the Neurology Department are joined by two Child Neurology residents for the PGY-2 year.
PGY-2 Rotation Schedule
- General Inpatient - 4-6 weeks
- Stroke Inpatient - 4-6 weeks
- Consult Inpatient - 4-6 weeks
- Night float - 4-6 weeks
- Neuro-ICU - 6 weeks
- Ambulatory Clinics – 6 weeks
- Subspecialty Clinics – 4 weeks
- EEG - 2 weeks
- Elective - 4 weeks
- Vacation – 3 weeks + Holiday block
During their PGY-3 year, Senior Assistant Residents (or "SARs") focus on subspecialty areas of neurology and gain additional experience leading the consult team. Residents spend about two months each learning to perform and interpret EEGs and EMGs. They also spend about six weeks on the inpatient pediatric neurology ward. During this year, the residents are also encouraged to firm up their career exploration and pursue research/academic projects. About 40% of the year is spent inpatient.
PGY-3 Rotation Schedule
- EEG - 8 weeks
- EMG - 8 weeks
- Pediatric Neurology Inpatient - 6 weeks
- Consult Inpatient – 7-8 weeks
- Night float – 7-8 weeks
- Neuro-oncology - 1 weeks
- Ambulatory Clinics – 6 weeks
- Elective - 6 weeks
- Vacation – 3 weeks + Holiday block
In the final, or Chief Residency year, our residents graduate to further independence, taking on administrative responsibilities for making schedules, leading conferences, and supervising junior assistant residents, interns and medical students. This graduated responsibility increases in the second half of the year, when chief residents function like junior attendings with an attending supervising them. Approximately 50% of the year is spent inpatient.
PGY-4 Rotation Schedule
- General Inpatient – 6-7 weeks
- Consult Inpatient – 6-7 weeks
- Pediatric Neurology Outpatient - 6 weeks
- VA Medical Center Inpatient – 6-7 weeks
- VA Medical Center Outpatient – 6-7 weeks
- Ambulatory Clinics – 6 weeks
- Psychiatry - 4 weeks
- Elective - 5 weeks
- Vacation – 3 weeks + Holiday block