Curriculum

Transition to Discipline (2-months) 

This stage builds on the skills learned in medical school and helps apply them directly to Neurology. This stage will take place on the neurology inpatient services (stroke ward, acute stroke, general neurology and/or consults) at the University of Alberta Hospital. This will provide an introduction to clinical neurology and will allow the trainees to become familiar with the personnel in the Division of Neurology as well as the structure and function of the training program. 

Foundations of Discipline (16-months)

This stage will be devoted to the development of sound neurological clinical skills and to rounding out the trainee's general medical skills. This stage includes training in general medicine; further Neurology exposure through inpatient ward service,  outpatient clinics, and Community rotations; Neurology adjacent specialties including Neurosurgery, General Systems ICU, NeuroRehab, Pediatric Neurology (Jr) and Psychiatry. 

Core of Discipline (30-months)

In this stage, residents build on foundations skills and their approach to assessing and managing patents with acute and chronic neurological presentations in cases with greater complexity. They perform special neurological examination techniques and procedures and request and interpret reports of advanced investigations. They lead patient care teams and communicate with patients and families in complicated situations. This stage also includes maintaining clinical records and managing adverse events. A longitudinal clinic will start at the beginning of this stage and conclude in the end of Transition to Practice. 

The written portion of the Royal College Examination will occur at the end of this stage. 

Transition to Practice (12-months) 

 In this stage the resident will spend time on the adult neurology service as a 'junior consultant'. In this role, the resident will directly supervise in-patient management on the neurology ward under the guidance of one of the consultant neurologists and take outside phone calls. This stage will help residents become more familiar with running a Neurology practice on their own. Trainees will continue to participate in weekly continuity clinics during this final year. The research projects should be completed. 

Rotations needed to complete certification requirements for EEG/EMG exam, can be completed, depending on individual goals.

The OSCE portion of the Royal College Examination will occur at the end of this stage. 

It should be noted that some rotations may not be available during the specific PGY year mentioned above, but may be taken a year earlier or later. 

Elective options include (but not limited to): Pain management, Neuro ophthalmology, sleep medicine, rural neurology, community clinics, Neuro radiology, research, EMG, Neuro rehab, headache, Neuro psychiatry as well as electives in other provinces or international electives. The first 2 years of residency are largely comprised of mandatory internal medicine rotations, and selectives, with more elective opportunities arising through Foundations of Discipline. Elective rotations comprise a significant component of the required neurology rotations listed above. This allows us to tailor the residents' training to their areas of personal interest.