The postgraduate Neurology Residency Program is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). ACGME accreditation is granted until 2019 when a new visit is scheduled and the program will seek re-accreditation. It is a categorical program which means that it includes the internship year.
The Program has a varied curriculum that includes clinical exposure to different neurological conditions through inpatients, outpatients, and consultations in participating hospitals: University Hospital-Adults (UDH), University Pediatric Hospital, Municipal Hospital, and Veterans Hospital. The training is based on supervised clinical work with increasing responsibility and completion of milestones at each level of training for the evaluation and management neurological disorders of patients in both outpatient and in patient settings.
The program provides protected time once a week (Friday from 8:00 am-12:00pm) for the didactics where all topics contained in the training are covered throughout the three years of training through conferences, journal clubs, book discussion, case discussions and grand rounds, among other modalities. Also, the Neurology Program includes a research curriculum, professional development, and patient safety topics and participation in a quality improvement project. The preparation of an original research work that will be presented in the last year of training is required.
Below is a general description of what each year of training includes: * (Subject to curricular revision according to requirements)
PGY1- Flexible Internship in Neurology
It consists of 8 months of Internal Medicine, one (1) month in Neurology, one (1) month in Psychiatry and one (1) month in Physiatry
In 1st and 2nd semester they take an online course on Patient Safety (Patient Safety.
In the 2nd semester the interns participate in a Neuroanatomy Course (May and June) offered by different doctors.
PGY2- Neurology First Level
Consists of varied rotations in different hospitals and different populations. The resident performs the following rotations:
- 5 months in VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS)
- 3 months in University Adult Hospital
- 1 month in San Juan City Hospital
- 1 month Neurophysiology
- 1 month Stroke
- ½ day a week at the Continuity Clinic
In the 1st semester the PGY2s take a Research Course and begin to work on their research proposal.
Begin to take an online course in “Evidence Based Medicine” from the American Academy of Neurology.
They continue with the cycle of the Patient Safety online course started as PGY1.
In the second semester the PGY2s begin to work on a Quality Improvement Project.
PGY3- Neurology Second Level
Consists of varied rotations in different hospitals and different populations. The resident performs the following rotations:
- 3 months in VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS)
- 2 months in University Adult Hospital
- 2 months in San Juan City Hospital
- 1 month Neuro Pediatrics
- 1 month Neurocritical Care
- 1 month Ophthalmology and Research
- 1 month Neuromuscular
- ½ day a week in Continuity Clinic
The PGY3 continue to work on their Research Project, continue with the Evidence-Based Medicine-AAN online course, continue working on their Quality Improvement Project and complete the cycle of the Patient Safety online course.
PGY4- Third Level Neurology
Consists of varied rotations in different hospitals and different populations. The resident performs the following rotations:
- 3 months in University Adult Hospital
- 1 month in San Juan City Hospital
- 2 months Neuro Pediatrics
- 1 month Neurophysiology
- 1 month Movement Disorders
- 3 months electives
- ½ day a week at the Continuity Clinic
The PGY4 continue to work on their Research Project; this must be completed and presented before finalizing their training in the Neurology Program (May or June).
They must complete and submit their Quality Improvement Project and must complete the AAN Evidence-Based Medicine course cycle.
The PGY4 attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (April).
Electives available:
Neuroradiology, Neurophysiology, Neuromuscular, Movement Disorders, Epilepsy, Neuropediatrics, Neurocritical Care, Neurosurgery, Stroke, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Physiatry, Psychiatry, Sleep and Headache.
Residents may have the opportunity to take a month of elective in the United States with the approval of the Program Director and the Office of Medical Education.