medical student education

The Neurology Clerkship is a required third year core rotation.  It is headed by the clerkship director and the Neurology faculty members.  This clerkship experience consists of a four-week rotation in one of 2 sites:  Northwestern Memorial Hospital or Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (which includes Evanston and Glenbrook Hospitals).  Students rotate between a variety of settings including inpatient ward and stroke, consultation, outpatient clinics and the emergency department, where they have the chance to evaluate both acute and chronic neurological problems.  An introductory class is taken at the beginning of the rotation by the CD on the neurological examination.  There is also a special class take by Dr. Ryan Hayes, a senior resident on introduction to Neuroradiology.  In addition, there are case based lectures headed by the neurology faculty throughout the rotation on various neurological topics.  Students are expected to attain competency in clinical activities such as performing a neurological evaluation and to gain a basic knowledge of neurological diseases and conditions. Grades are determined using a combination of written evaluations from the faculty preceptors, a written case report and a written final examination.

Fourth-year students have the opportunity for additional experiences in neurology. Students interested in a career in Neurology are required to do a one-month clinical rotation during their senior year.  This can be a sub internship on the consultation or stroke service, an outpatient rotation or a combination of both experiences.  The students also have and opportunity to participate in one to two month rotations that expose students to neurological research or particular aspects of clinical neurology. These rotations typically are arranged between the student and the neurology clerkship director with a selected faculty mentor.