Mission and Aims

Our program is one-year ACGME accredited pediatric epilepsy fellowship training providing a focused and comprehensive training experience addressing all aspects of EEG and epilepsy in inpatient, outpatient, and acute care settings. The program builds upon basic skills learned during neurology/child neurology residency and provides the fellow with the opportunity to obtain greater knowledge and skills in EEG reading and Epilepsy. Under the direct supervision of highly qualified faculty, fellow physicians will be provided ample time for clinical practice, instruction, and training. During this time, the fellow is able to develop the necessary skills and positive professional attitudes essential for the highest quality patient care and for independent practice.

The program is primarily designed;

-To provide knowledge and skills in the diagnostic evaluation and management of all patients with epilepsy.

-To train epilepsy physicians to continuously improve their education and academic or clinical practice.

-To train epilepsy specialists of the future by rigorous scholarship in an open and inquiring environment;

-To inspire clinical excellence through exemplary and humane patient-centric care;

-To impassion a spirit of scientific thinking that impacts the open problems of our field;

-To create a nurturing environment that encourages diversity, inclusion, and debate

The program aims;

-To prepare fellowship trainees for independent practice in the evaluation and diagnosis of patients with seizure disorders;

-To impart skill sets suitable for both academic and private practice careers;

-To advance the field of epilepsy surgery

-To prepare the educators of the future to train medical students, residents, and other health professionals;

-To instill the habits of professionalism and lifelong learning;

-To teach respect for diversity with regard to age, gender, ethnicity, region, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin.

-To be the leading epilepsy fellowship in the Midwest and South of United States for education in epilepsy and electroencephalography;

-To receive national acknowledgment for research achievements in the field;

-To contribute citizenship to the wider epilepsy community.

The trainee will become proficient in all aspects of diagnostic neurophysiologic evaluations, such as routine and prolonged outpatient and inpatient video-EEG recordings in the ICU and the EMU, including brain mapping and intraoperative electrocorticography. Training in phase-1 and phase-2 intracranial EEG monitoring, including subdural grid, depth, and intraoperative electrocorticography recordings and reporting is learned during the EMU blocks. Training will be also provided in neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, PET, SPECT) and neuropsychologic/neuropsychiatric evaluation (including WADA testing) of patients with Epilepsy. Inpatient and outpatient exposure to pediatric Epilepsy will be provided. Outpatient exposure will also include participation in dedicated neurostimulation, new-onset seizure, refractory epilepsy, ketogenic diet, and tuberous sclerosis clinic. A minimum of one-half day per week involves outpatient evaluations of patients with epilepsy and epilepsy comorbidities. The fellowship offers a structured educational curriculum with ample opportunities to conduct clinical research and teach trainees, although clinical research is not a requirement of the program. After completion of the fellowship, the physician will be eligible to take the ABPN Epilepsy board certification.

This fellowship is intended primarily for child neurologists already having graduated from an ACGME-certified child neurology residency, although ACGME-accredited graduates in adult neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities are eligible. The fellowship will provide the fellow with greater experience in the evaluation and management of epilepsy diseases. Fellows will attain competencies in epilepsy and in the six ACGME core competencies of patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. 

Program Structure 

The fellowship primarily relies on case-based learning to achieve its objectives and goals. Learning through clinical experience and one-to-one interactions with faculty is a primary teaching method. This is accompanied by learning epilepsy knowledge through lectures, weekly and monthly conferences, and various teaching experiences. Self-directed learning using textbooks, reviews, original research reports, and web-based learning is a very important learning method for the fellow. Consistent and effective self-directed learning is the basis of the habit of lifelong learning expected of every graduate