Conferences & Rounds

The Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School Neurology Residency Program provides residents with collaborative learning experiences through an exceptional didactic curriculum designed to prepare residents for successful board certification. The following is a sample Lecture & Conference Schedule as well as examples of the conferences that are held:

Lecture & Conference Schedule

Chief of Service

During this conference, the senior resident, under the guidance of the attending neurologist, is responsible for presenting an interesting case that was recently seen on their service. One general neurology case, one stroke neurology case, and one pediatric neurology case is presented each month, covering a detailed clinical analysis of individual patients as well as a literature review to aid in diagnosis and treatment management.

Grand Rounds

The Neurology Grand Rounds are presented by our faculty members as well as prominent guest speakers, highlighting their research with a clinical focus. Topics cover a breadth of knowledge across the following disciplines: neuroscience, pediatric neurology, adult neurology and neurosurgery

Board Review Conference

A variety of board related topics are covered at this conference. These lectures help prepare residents for the annual American Academy of Neurology-American Neurological Association In-Service Training Examination as well as successfully pass written boards upon completion of their training.

Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Conference

Each month the senior resident collects all mortality and morbidity cases on the general and stroke service and prepares a brief presentation for each patient. The goal of this conference is to openly discuss clinical management decisions in order to improve future management of similar cases.

Journal Club

Each month on a rotating basis, a resident presents a comprehensive review of a current neurologic article of their choice under the supervision of their chosen mentor. Participation in Journal Club allows residents to engage in an informative debate regarding the most recent literature, well as to enhance their necessary skills of using the literature to answer patient based questions.

Curriculum Lectures

Throughout the course of their training, residents attend a variety of lectures that cover critical neurology topics including neuromuscular neurology, neurobehavioral lectures, demyelinating diseases, epilepsy, cerebellar syndromes, stroke syndromes, movement disorders, neuropathology, pediatric neurology, evidence based medicine, pain syndromes, fatigue, stress, ethics, professionalism, end of life care, billing and coding, and evidence based medicine (EBM). A particular emphasis is placed on the following lecture series:

Neuropathology

Residents are exposed to gross and microscopic neuropathology through two sessions monthly at the University Hospital that concentrate on material from current clinical cases.

Neurophysiology

Twice a month, residents attend the Neurophysiology Conference which presents the principles of EEG and EMG in a series of formal lectures.

Stroke Conference

During this conference, residents analyze and discuss cerebrovascular disorders in depth.

Summer Lecture Series

Each July and August, topics in clinical neurology are reviewed during the Grand Rounds time to familiarize the residents with the management of common and emergent neurologic pathology, such as demyelinating diseases, stroke, headaches, neuromuscular medicine, seizures, coma, and CNS infections.

Case Conferences

Monthly case conferences are held in which a resident presents a case seen on their service to a neurology attending. The case is meant to be an exercise in localization, building an appropriate differential diagnosis, and interpreting the results of laboratory work up including neuroimaging and electrodiagnostic testing as it pertains to the case presented.