Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  Is the Washington University neurology program an integrated four-year program?

Yes, we are a categorical program. All 13 matched applicants will complete their internship at Washington University and do not need to apply to separate preliminary medicine programs.

Q:  Are there further opportunities for fellowship and research at this institution?

Yes. Our graduates often pursue additional clinical and research opportunities both within the WashU institution and other highly regarded programs.

Q: Is there a formal mentorship program?

Yes! In addition to mentorship from the program director, each entering resident is assigned at least one primary mentor based on their area of interest and career goals. Residents are also assigned one primary associate program director mentor. Residents in the first year meet with their assigned mentor and meet other potential mentors as assigned by program leadership and through interactions during rotations, on neurology family outings and at lectures. At the beginning of each academic year, residents are asked to select a primary mentor for that year. Throughout the residency, residents and mentors use a career development action plan template to foster discussions. Most residents end up with several secondary mentors with whom they work closely in the PGY3-4 years. Residents who are completing one of our residency pathways will have a track-specific mentor.

Q: Are there specific residency pathways like a physician-scientist training program, or programs in global health or neurology education?

We offer eleven months of elective time that residents use to customize their residency to match their interests. In addition, we are in the process of launching three formal tracks (physician-scientist, master clinician, clinician-educator) each with an associate program director at the helm with a group of faculty mentors. We offer international rotations through the collaboration of Peter Kang, Mwiza Ushe, David Clifford and other colleagues and are working on developing a global and underserved neurology pathway. Sites in the past have included Mekele Ethiopia, Yangon, Myanmar, internal medicine sites in Guatemala, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau and Haiti. We also collaborate with the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) as some residents have started or completed programs including Master of Public Health or Master of Science in Clinical Investigation during residency into fellowship and beyond.

Q:  Since WashU is so strong in research, what about people interested in clinical neurology and clinical-practice careers?  Are they valued as applicants and as residents?  How good is the clinical training at WashU?

Yes again! The majority of our residents do not pursue our physician-scientist pathway. The first priority of residency is to learn clinical neurology, and we are very proud of the excellence of our graduates as clinicians. We are looking for a broad range of residents and welcome those who are interested in clinical practice, either in general neurology or in one of the clinical subspecialties. You will learn from master clinicians and international leaders in clinical neurology fields here. We have a dedicated Section of General Neurology, so you will learn about general neurology from experienced neurologists, many of whom have had successful clinical practices in the community. We have four distinctive continuity clinics, let alone the numerous subspecialty clinics. These include the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Neurology Resident Clinic, The Christian Hospital Northeast Neurology Resident Clinic (new as of 2024, resident-run community neurology clinic in North County, St. Louis), Movement Disorders Neurology Resident Clinic and the Neuromuscular Medicine Neurology Resident Clinic. We have very strong clinicians in all subspecialties. For example, the Neuromuscular Disease Center is the go-to online resource for clinicians dealing with neuromuscular disorders. Many of our graduates are in clinical practice in the community around the U.S., and many others are leading clinicians at academic institutions.