Graduate Medical Education

Our program was formed in 1996 with the consolidation of separate residency programs in Neurology at National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). In 2011 the two hospitals were consolidated on the Bethesda Campus. The NCC Neurology Residency is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This residency program takes advantage of the large patient base and broad Neurology subspecialty expertise located within the National Capitol Area. The residency program also takes advantage of the close proximity of several distinguished institutions to including National Institutes of Health (NIH). Our goals are:

1. To offer residents training in Neurology second to none ensuring adequate preparation to pass board certification exams
2. To nurture a caring, compassionate attitude toward patient care
3. To prepare military officers to meet the challenging needs of military operational forces.

Applicants for residency must be either currently on active duty in the United States military or about to come on active duty through programs such as the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). The residency is three years in length beginning with the PGY-2 year (year beginning after internship). In addition, the Army inputs 2 Neurology Interns each year. We typically take five residents per year group. Call during the PGY-2 year is typically one night in five in-house call. During the PGY-3 and 4 years, call is taken from home and is typically one night in ten.

National Capital Consortium (NCC) Child Neurology Residency Program The NCC Child Neurology Residency Program is affiliated with the NCC Neurology Residency Program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). Applicants for the program must be currently on active duty in the United States military, or about to come on duty through a program such as HPSP; applicants from all services are eligible to apply, but selection depends on both the number of applicants, and the needs of the applicants parent service (typically one to two trainees are selected each year).

Training in child neurology may be accomplished by either of the following: 5-year preselect pathway, in which the trainee completes 2 years of Pediatrics residency followed by the 3 year Child Neurology training program (5 years total); traditional pathway, in which the trainee completes a Pediatrics residency (3 years) followed by the Child Neurology program (3 years) for a total of 6 years. Applicants may also apply after completion of a Neurology residency (4 years), and would then need to complete 2 years of Child Neurology and 2 years of Pediatrics residency. Applicants may apply as 4th year medical students to the 5-year preselect program, in which they apply to both Pediatrics and Child Neurology; or if the applicant is currently completing or has completed a Pediatrics (or Neurology) residency, then he/she can apply directly to the Child Neurology residency program.

During the 3 year Child Neurology residency, the curriculum is as follows: 12 months of Adult Neurology (to include one month of intensive care, and divided over the three years), 12 months of Child Neurology (inpatient and outpatient), 1 month of child psychiatry, and the rest as a variety of rotations such as: epilepsy, neuromuscular, vascular, ophthalmology, movement disorders, genetics, development, headache, and others. Six months of the training is done at Children's National Medical Center (CNMC) in Washington, DC. Weekly half day continuity clinic is maintained during the entire 3 years of Child Neurology training. Another half day per week is devoted to didactics, in addition to daily teaching conferences. Graduates of either the 5 or 6 year pathways are eligible for board certification in both Neurology with special qualification in Child Neurology, and Pediatrics.

Applicants interested in applying for Child Neurology should contact the program director Lt Col Stephen Nelson, USAF, MC, MD, PhD, FAAP at Stephen.Nelson@usuhs.edu.

Interested MSIV students should contact the Neurology Course Director at cgunderson@usuhs.mil and Ms Shirley Gallmon at Shirley.J.Gallmon.ctr@health.mil.