Clinical Experiences

The Neurology Clerkship provides broad and customizable exposure to Neurology. Students will select one inpatient service, supplemented by outpatient experiences and student-oriented bedside teaching rounds.

Adult inpatient neurology

Contribute to the care of those admitted for a variety of acute and serious neurological problems.
Typical diseases will often include ischemic stroke, hemorrhage, infection, seizure, encephalopathy, intractable neurological pain, inflammatory neuropathy, and demyelinating disease.
Spend time either on General Neurology or Stroke Services.

Adult neurology consults and outpatient specialty clinics

Evaluate patients with neurological disorders and provide consultative services in the emergency department, intensive care units, and on medical, surgical, and obstetric services.
Typical diseases include metabolic encephalopathies, iatrogenic nervous system complications, CNS infections, stroke, nervous system complications of cancer, headaches and pain, loss of consciousness, post-code prognostication, and myopathies.
Help ensure effective communication of the neurological plan to the requesting physicians, and provide follow-up on results and progress.

Pediatric neurology consults

Evaluate patients with neurological disorders and provide consultative services in the neonatal care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, and on medical and surgical services.
Typical diseases include metabolic encephalopathies, developmental problems, iatrogenic CNS complications, CNS infections, stroke, CNS complications of cancer, headaches and pain, evaluating loss of consciousness and seizures, myopathies.
Help ensure effective communication of the neurological plan to the requesting physicians, and provide follow-up on results and progress.

Pediatric inpatient neurology 12 week

On the pediatric neurology floor service you will see a wide variety of patients. The pediatric floor service is responsible for caring for the children on the neurology service on the 12th floor of St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The team also covers children on the neuro-rehabilitation service and some children on the neurosurgery service. You will see patients with epilepsy, headache disorders, traumatic brain injury, metabolic and genetic diseases, as well as developmental delays.
Your team will consist of an attending, a pediatric neurology resident (or “fellow” this is a historical term since these individuals have not actually finished residency), a pediatrics senior resident, and pediatric interns. You will primarily report to the neurology fellow and attending, although you will also interact and work with the pediatrics residents.
Before rounds at 8:00am on most days, there is a teaching session in the 12th floor conference room that you are welcome to attend. Rounds begin each day at 8:30am. Rounds begin with a discussion of sensitive issues. Then the team will round at each bedside to discuss the patient. The families are part of rounds and when you present your presentation should be directed at them. After team rounds, the attending and fellow will round together on all of the patients before lunch. You are expected to be part of those rounds. Be proactive during those rounds to offer to do parts of the neurological exam (this is not typically done on team rounds but is done later). The afternoon is spent following up on patients issues and admitting new patients. On Fridays, rounds start at 7:15 due to the grand rounds schedule.

Neurosurgery

Become knowledgeable about structural neurological problems
Typical disorders include brain tumors, spinal cord and nerve root compressions, hemorrhages, trauma, and congenital malformations with hydrocephalus.
Round and observe surgeries done by a variety of specialized academic neurosurgeons.
Assist in the care of neurosurgical patients on your team, and communicate their outstanding issues effectively.
Attend outpatient neurosurgery clinic, for new consults and post-surgical follow-up.