Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Program
The Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Program, directed by Dr. Susan Herman, is an ACGME-accredited one-year fellowship providing training in a broad range of electrophysiological techniques. Applicants to the fellowship must have completed an accredited 3-year residency program in neurology or child neurology in the United States or Canada. On completion of the fellowship, fellows are eligible for certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) with added qualifications in Clinical Neurophysiology.
Fellows elect to major in either EEG/Epilepsy or EMG/Neuromuscular Disorders, and spend approximately 2/3s of their time in their major area. The remainder of their time is spent in the other areas of neurophysiology, including electroencephalography (EEG) or electromyography (EMG), polysomnography, and evoked potentials (EP). Broad exposure to clinical neurophysiology is accomplished by hands-on experience, observation, and didactic lectures. Intensive attending teaching and supervision is provided throughout all rotations. The fellow's responsibility and autonomy is increased progressively as his or her fund of knowledge increases.
EEG/Epilepsy
During the EEG/Epilepsy section, fellows rotate through the EEG, EP, and sleep laboratories and the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. These rotations include exposure to studies of adult, pediatric, and neonatal inpatients and outpatients with a wide variety of neurological disorders. The combined laboratories of University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB) and Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) perform 1500 EEG and 200 EP studies per year. Long-term video-EEG monitoring is performed in the UHB Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, a 6-bed inpatient unit for adults and children with refractory epilepsy. Polysomnography and evaluation of sleep disorders are performed at the Center for Study of Sleep Disorders at Long Island College Hospital (LICH). Fellows also gain experience in clinical epilepsy during this rotation by active participation in the UHB Epilepsy Clinic and inpatient consultations.
EMG/Neuromuscular Disorders
During the EMG/Neuromuscular section, fellows rotate through the EMG laboratories of University Hospital, Kings County Hospital, and Long Island College Hospital, ensuring exposure to a broad spectrum of neurophysiological techniques. Trainees perform and interpret EMG and related studies, including motor control physiology, magnetic stimulation, and autonomic nervous system testing. Clinical experience in neuromuscular disorders is acquired through inpatient consultations and participation in the MDA Neuromuscular Clinic at LICH under the direction of Dr. Roger Kula. In addition, the LICH rotation includes exposure to nerve and muscle biopsy techniques and nerve and muscle pathology.
Other Activities
A weekly lecture series covers all aspects of clinical neurophysiology. Other weekly or biweekly conferences include Neurology Grand Rounds, an epilepsy management conference, epilepsy conference for neurology residents and fellows, an EEG conference, and Neuromuscular Conference. Fellows may elect to participate in rotations outside the fellowship program to gain more in-depth experience in sleep, intraoperative monitoring, autonomic function testing, and intracranial EEG. Opportunities are available to individually design fellowships to include clinical or basic science research.
To download application click on the button on the navigation bar of this page.
Please mail completed application, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to:
- Susan T. Herman, M.D. (c/o Ms. Mary Noto)
Director, Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Program
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
450 Clarkson Ave., Box 1213
Brooklyn, NY 11203
phone: (718) 270-2959
fax: (718) 270-6348
e-mail: susan_herman@downstate.edu
