Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship
The University of South Alabama Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine鈥檚 Department
of Neurology offers an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)鈥揳ccredited,
one-year fellowship in clinical neurophysiology, directed by Juan G Ochoa, M.D. Our clinical neurophysiology fellowship provides comprehensive training in basic
concepts and clinical application of neurophysiology with emphasis in EEG, embracing
latest technology. At our academic core is a wealth of knowledge and clinical experience
lead by experts in the field of epilepsy/electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography
(EMG)/nerve-conduction studies (NCSs), and other clinical neurophysiology subspecialties.
A technologically advanced learning and clinical care environment at 91短视频 Health鈥檚 state-of-the-art South CEP Epilepsy Monitoring Unit鈥痠s a primary training location and offers a truly unique experience for our fellows. Clinical rotations include experiences in EEG, such as intracranial Stereo EEG monitoring, bedside and intraoperative mapping, and epilepsy surgical management. Our fellows have the unique opportunity to learn EEG source imaging.
Additionally, our fellows will learn EMG and nerve conduction velocity (NCV), sleep
medicine; intraoperative monitoring (IOM); and evoked potentials (EPs).
Our main goal for our fellows is to acquire superb skills needed to practice academic or private clinical neurophysiology. Our training program is EEG focused, with up to two months of dedicated EMG/epilepsy training. Our fellows鈥� rotation schedule reflects with specific subspecialty training.
Fellows rotate through two main sites: 91短视频 Health University Hospital South CEP Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and 91短视频 Health Children鈥檚 & Women鈥檚 Hospital. The Strada Patient Care Center is the primary site for EMG/NCS training and sleep medicine rotations.
All incoming fellows begin the program in July on the first day of the academic calendar year. Following orientation, trainees experience an educational 鈥渂oot camp鈥� series, which takes place over the course of several days. During that time, you are excused from clinical obligations. Our boot camp series is an intensive course which introduces fellows to the basics of electrophysiology and EEG interpretation, instrumentation, and epilepsy-related clinical emergencies. This series will help to prepare you as you begin your fellowship year and serves as a supplement to the curriculum lectures provided across the year.
All clinical neurophysiology fellows are expected to attend regularly scheduled conferences
that make up the clinical neurophysiology fellowship curriculum. Topics related to
EMG and NCS, EEG, epilepsy, sleep, EPs, and neuromuscular disease are covered across
the year. Lectures are held every Wednesday at Noon and are prepared and given by
faculty or outside speakers through virtual platform. In the latter half of the year,
fellows lead case presentations and discussions with our neurology resident, under
attending physician supervision.
All fellows are encouraged to attend the Multidisciplinary Epilepsy Surgical Conference, held on the second鈥疶hursday of the month at 7 a.m., where adult and pediatric patient cases are being considered for surgery. Participants include epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neurology residents, and epilepsy coordinator and nursing staff.
Clinical neurophysiology fellows also have the opportunity to lead at least one journal club each year. At the end of the academic year, clinical neurophysiology fellows present a quality improvement project to the program director. Fellows may work on their quality improvement project along with an epilepsy faculty over the course of the academic year.
Research鈥痠s encouraged at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, and our faculty are involved
in a number of ongoing projects. Our fellows are paired with mentors toward the beginning
of the academic year based on the fellow鈥檚 area of interest. The fellow is supported
for poster presentations at national professional meetings, and publications.
Juan G. Ochoa, M.D., Program Director: jochoa@health.southalabama.edu
Vanessa Washington, Department Secretary: vfwashington@health.southalabama.edu