Resident Teaching

One of the goals of our residency program is not only to create leaders in neurology, but also to develop good teachers to educate future generations of doctors. Yale neruology residents play an intergral role in the curriculum of the medical school, and are involved in teaching activities in a variety of settings.

Clinical Clerkships
One of the most important responsibilities the residents have, apart from taking care of neurology patients, is to teach the 3rd and 4th year medical students clinical neurology during their clerkships. The junior residents directly supervise the students, helping them to be familiar with the diagnosis and management of neurologic disorders, and guiding them through daily hospital work such as presentaion on rounds and progress notes. In general, there is one student per every resident.

Neuroanatomy
Each year, many of the residents are involved in weekly classes teaching the 1st year medical students neuroanatomy through clinical cases. The format is a small group session where real cases are presented and the neuroanatomical basis for the described symptoms are discussed. Each resident is paired with a senior neurology faculty, which has proven to be a popular combination among the students.

Neurology residents are also involved in teaching neuroanatomy at the nursing school, where a similar group session approach is utilized. The residents are typically by themselves during these classes.

Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds
Each resident is required to lecture in Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds presentation during their residency. Most residents do this as a PGY4, and some also choose to do it as a PGY3.

Ambulatory VA Conference
Every Wednesday, the VA residents meet for ambulatory conference where PGY2s and PGY3s present and discuss a particular topic. On average, each resident presents 2-3 times per year.

Interdisciplinary Teaching
Neurology is a unique specialty with which most other specialties have little experience. For that reason, we strongly encourage residents to teach other housestaff the diagnosis and management of basic neurologic disorders. Residents in our program have lectured in conferences of both ED and Internal Medicine for this purpose.

Classroom Teaching
Those neurology residents with a particular interest and/or aptitude for teaching are selected to provide a limited number of classroom lectures.  For example, our residents have lectured to PGY3 medical students, physician assistants and nursing students.  This is a valuable experience for those interested in entering academics, or even for those entering private practice who would like to contribute lectures to local physician, hospital or patient groups.

Last updated: August 2006





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