Neurology FAQ
Q: Do I apply to the Internal Medicine program for the PGY-1 year or the Neurology program?
A: The Neurology program at PGH is a four-year program. This means you do not have to apply to a transitional year and then to the Neurology program. You only need to send one application for a combined transitional (PGY-1) year and three Neurology years (PGY-2 to PGY-4). You should send the application to the PGH Neurology program, not the Internal Medicine program.
Q: Can I do a transitional year somewhere else and then apply as a PGY-2 resident?
A: It is encouraged to start Neurology residency in the program that you will be completing your residency, but outside PGY-2 applicants may be considered. Applicants from other programs that are applying for PGY-2 will need to make sure that they have fulfilled all of the required blocks before they apply, as other programs may not meet our requirements. This includes four Inpatient Neurology blocks prior to the PGY-2 year. If this has not been met, the applicant can still apply but may need an extended contract to allow for required blocks not yet met, or may need to use elective blocks to fulfill unmet requirements. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Q: I am interested in applying to the Palmetto General Hospital Neurology program. How can I apply?
A: We are currently accepting applications through ERAS as an ACGME initial-accredited program.
Q: Is there a certain score requirement for Step 1/2, Level 1/2?
A: We do not have a certain cut-off for scores in regard to Board exams. We prefer applicants that have successfully passed their board exams on the first attempt, but do not exclude those that haven’t. Each applicant will be evaluated on an individual basis, and all areas of the application will be taken into consideration.
Q: Are there any electives that I need to take prior to applying to the program?
A: Applicants that have taken Neurology electives or had Neurology rotations during medical school may gain experience that will help them in their Neurology residency. Previous Neurology rotations are not required prior to the PGY-1 year but are encouraged.
Q: Is it required to do an audition rotation to be considered for the program?
A: An audition rotation is not required but is encouraged for the applicants to get an idea of how they like working with the faculty, staff, and other residents in the program. We also get a chance to work with you!
Q: If I get selected for an interview, what can I expect?
A: Applicants selected for an interview will be notified promptly. They will then be in contact with our coordinator, Carol Siu, to schedule an interview day where there will be a tour of the hospital, a meeting with the Chief Resident, and three formal interviews with Dr. Ariol Labrada, Dr. Roberto Sanchez, and Dr. Victor Jaffe.
Q: Who do I contact if I have any questions about the application process?
A: You may contact the Neurology coordinator with any questions regarding the application process.
PGY-1 Year
Q: What is the schedule like for a PGY-1 neurology resident?
A: The PGY-1 schedule is an intensive year focused on inpatient medicine, as this is the foundation for Neurology. The PGY-1 year will consist of 7 inpatient medicine blocks, 3 inpatient Neurology blocks, an emergency medicine block, and an elective block. In addition, there is one half-day of continuity clinic per week.
Q: Will I get exposure to neurology patients as a PGY-1 or is it mainly internal medicine?
A: Residents will have exposure to Neurology patients as a PGY-1 both in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
Q: Are there caps for PGY-1 neurology residents?
A: Caps are strictly enforced and are per ACGME requirements.
Q: Do I attend didactics and lectures with PGY2-4 neurology residents?
A: PGY-1 residents attend all lectures with Internal Medicine residents.
Q: Who are the attendings for the PGY-1 neurology residents?
A: The Internal Medicine attendings vary. The Neurology attendings are Dr. Ariol Labrada and Dr. Roberto Sanchez.
Q: Can PGY-1 residents attend neurology conferences?
A: PGY-1s may be allowed to attend Neurology conferences. This is on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Do PGY-1 residents attend an internal medicine-based clinic or a neurology clinic?
A: PGY-1 residents will have a Neurology clinic in lieu of an Internal Medicine clinic.
Continuity Clinic
Q: Where is the clinic located?
A: The clinic is outside of the hospital and located on Bird Road and 87th Avenue in Miami. It is about a 10-minute drive from the hospital.
Q: Is the clinic run solely by the residents?
A: Residents will see patients in the clinic and be overseen by the clinic attending, Dr. Jose Simon.
Q: How many days of clinic are we expected to have per week?
A: All ACGME-accredited Neurology programs must have one half-day of continuity clinic per week.
Q: Will I be in the clinic with other residents?
A: Due to the clinic’s space limitations, no more than one resident per day will be scheduled at a time.
Schedule/Caps
Q: What are the schedules like for PGY2-4 residents?
A: Each PGY-2 to PGY-4 year will be on a monthly block schedule, with 12 blocks per academic year. Residents will have ample opportunity for research, elective blocks, inpatient, and outpatient exposure. In addition to inpatient and outpatient Neurology, there are blocks for: Pediatric Neurology, Neuroimaging, EEG, Clinical Psychiatry, research, and Neurosurgery. PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents will have more elective blocks so that they may fine-tune their training for their specific interests and potential fellowship.
Q: What electives are available for residents to take?
A: Residents may select from a list of clinical experiences on either the inpatient or outpatient setting. Elective options include EEG, EMG, Psychiatry, Pediatric Neurology, Neuroimaging, Neurosurgery, Neuro-ophthalmology, Pain Management, Neuropathology, Neuromuscular, Infectious Disease, NICU, Neurogenetics, Neuropsychology, Interventional Neurology, Sleep Disorders Clinic, Movement Clinic, and Vascular Clinic.
Q: Can I take vacation days?
A: Each resident has 15 total paid time off days (PTO) in a given academic year. This includes vacation and sick days.
Q: Are there any restrictions on vacation days?
A: Like most other programs, vacation days may be taken only during certain blocks and not during inpatient Neurology, outpatient Neurology, or Neuro ICU blocks. Vacation days can be requested in advance and must be approved by the Program Director.
Q: What are the patient caps for PGY2-4 residents?
A: PGY-2 to PGY-4 Neurology residents do not have a cap on the number of patients that they can attend to on a given day. However, no resident will be unfairly overwhelmed, and patients will be distributed appropriately among the residents by the attending or chief resident.
Q: Are there any caps on duty hours?
A: Duty hour caps are strictly enforced for all PGY-2 to PGY-4 residents as per the ACGME. Residents are required to log their hours and make the attending aware if they are at risk of going over work hour caps. Per ACGME, no resident is allowed to work more than 80 hours a week on average in a given four-week period.
Q: What is the call schedule like?
A: Residents on Neuro ICU rotations will be on call for code strokes every three to four days of the block. Residents will not be on call on their continuity clinic days or didactic lecture days.
Q: Is there a night float?
A: The program currently does not have a night float, as there are not enough residents for this coverage. However, residents may be expected to have night call once there are enough residents to cover the service.
Q: Are residents provided with board preparation during their PGY2-4 years?
A: Residents will have access to multiple educational and board prep materials throughout their years as residents.
Q: Is there an opportunity for residents to perform procedures during their residency?
A: Yes, residents will have the opportunity to perform procedures such as central lines, lumbar punctures, arterial lines, nerve conduction studies, EMG, Botox for chronic migraine, steroid infiltration, and others throughout their residency in both the inpatient and outpatient setting.
Q: Do residents have to keep logs or clock in?
A: All PGH residents are provided with the New Innovations system for easy logging and tracking of their duty hours, procedures, scholarly activity, continuity clinic patients, conferences, and more. While it may seem tedious, these activities are required by the ACGME to be logged and completed in order for residents to graduate. We encourage timely logging of activities are required by the ACGME to be logged and completed in order for residents to graduate. We encourage timely logging of activities to keep the resident on track for resident evaluations, graduation processing, and for ACGME program review. New Innovations can be accessed remotely and from a mobile device.
Benefits
Q: What benefits do neurology residents receive?
A: Each resident will have access to parking as well as a monthly cafeteria stipend. In addition, residents will have access to health, vision, and dental insurance, home insurance, life insurance, 401k, etc. through Tenet Health.
Q: Do residents have CME stipend?
A: Yes, they are available upon request.
Q: Are memberships of any neurology societies included?
A: Residents will be members of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Neurological Association (AAN) as well as the American Medical Association (AMA). This will allow them access to all current educational and supplementary materials provided by the Academy including the Continuum journal, residency, and career resources.
Q: DO residents get access to any board preparation material?
A: Residents will get access to Beat the Boards! Materials each year throughout their residency to help prepare them for their in-service exam and for boards. These materials include video lectures, PDFs, and practice questions.
Working at PGH
Q: Are there neurology fellowship opportunities available at PGH?
A: Yes. We have an ACGME accredited Vascular Neurology program.
Q: What is the patient population like and what type of pathologies might I expect to see at PGH?
A: PGH is composed of a mainly adult Latin-American, immigrant community. Many of our patients come from Latin American and Caribbean countries where they have little to no access to preventative health care. Therefore, we care for patients with an extremely diverse pathology including advanced disease states, a variety of infectious disease, autoimmune disease, Caribbean-specific diseases, epilepsy, migraine, dementia, neuropsychiatric diseases, neurovascular disease, stroke, and more.
Q: Will there be exposure to trauma patients?
A: PGH is not a level 1 trauma center. However, we do see patients that come in with minor to moderate traumas, significant brain bleeds, ruptured AVMs, ruptured aneurysms, status epilepticus, and other emergent neurologic conditions.
Q: I saw that PGH is a comprehensive stroke center. What does that mean?
A: This certification is appointed by the joint commission and is based on criteria regarding timing, staff, resources, and training to receive and treat complex stroke cases.
More information can be found here: https://www.jointcommission.org/certification/advanced_certification_comprehensive_stroke_centers.aspx
Q: Are housing opportunities available through the program?
A: Housing opportunities are not available directly through the program but current residents can assist you in finding the best place for you to live. There are a variety of locations to find housing in the Miami area based on location and budget.
Q: What is life typically like outside of the hospital for residents?
A: Residents get to enjoy all that Miami and South Florida has to offer! There are always events, concerts, festivals, and more in the area regularly. Miami is also known for its array of dining and nightlife options!
Q: I heard that the patients don’t really speak English. Will this affect me as a resident?
A: Our hospital is located in a large immigrant community where a majority of our patient population only speaks Spanish. Most of our residents speak little to no Spanish at the time that they start residency. This can be viewed as a barrier or an opportunity depending on how it is approached. Many residents are excited to learn medical Spanish and take the opportunity to learn during their time at PGH. This allows them to market themselves as Spanish-speaking physicians and increases job opportunities. There are formal and informal translators readily available 24/7, as not every situation requires a formal translator. In addition, all resident educational activities are held in English.
Q: Do residents from other programs rotate through PGH?
A: Currently, Larkin Community Hospital has an agreement with our hospital and residents from their neurology program rotate through the Neuro ICU at PGH. There is a formal protocol for the Neuro ICU rotation that is implemented to ensure that all residents, at PGH or Larkin, receive equal and fair opportunities for hands on learning, autonomy, and educational experience.
Q: Will residents be responsible for teaching medical students?
A: Yes. Education is a major part of residency, and this includes residents as teachers. Residents will have a role in supervising and teaching medical students from Florida International University and Nova Southeastern University.
Morning Report/ Didactics/ Scholarly Activity
Q: What are the morning report and didactic schedule like?
A: PGY-1 residents will attend morning report and didactics with the internal medicine residents on a daily basis. PGY 1-4 residents will participate in weekly Neurology didactics. The weekly Neurology didactic lecture series includes case discussions, neuroradiology lectures, board review, neuropathology lectures, and a variety of other lectures on various neurology topics. In addition, residents are provided with subscriptions to Beat the Boards, Draw It To Know It, and membership to the American Academy of Neurology which will provide access to board preparation lectures and study materials to supplement their hands-on learning.
Q: Are there any grand rounds that are held for neurology residents?
A: Yes. Residents participate in monthly Neuroscience Grand Rounds.
Q: Is there a Journal Club and a Morbidity and Mortality Conference?
A: Residents will participate in regularly scheduled Journal Clubs and Morbidity and Mortality Conferences with Internal Medicine residents during their PGY-1 year. They will also participate in monthly Journal Clubs with Neurology residents in Neurology didactics during their PGY-1 through 4 years.
Q: Is scholarly activity required?
A: Yes. Residents are expected to participate in scholarly activity throughout their residency. This includes morning report lectures, didactic lectures, leading grand rounds, presenting at the PGH research symposium, presenting at local, regional, and national conferences, getting a case report, research, or article published, among others.
Q: Are residents expected to attend any conferences?
A: Per ACGME, residents are expected to attend one national conference before they graduate. We encourage our residents to attend national conferences every year and allow for residents to take CME days and use CME stipend for these purposes if they choose.