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Academics

Curriculum

A physician points to a computer monitor in a hospital as two fellows watch and hold documents.

The primary educational goal of the fellowship is to provide advanced training in the management and care of critically ill patients with neurologic disorders. Fellows will recognize the effects of critical illness on the nervous system and the special vulnerabilities of patients in intensive care units and other emergency settings. Fellows will gain knowledge and skills to provide high quality clinical care and assessments of critically ill patients with neurologic disorders, including diagnostic evaluation, treatment, management, counseling and social intervention. Fellows will learn the impetus to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and develop the capacity to teach others in the methods and concepts used in the care of critically ill patients with neurological disorders.

The first year of training is dedicated to developing core critical care skills such as cardiovascular and respiratory management, invasive bedside procedures and monitoring along with expertise in management of patients with complex neurological and neurosurgical disorders. In the second year of training, fellows are expected to function more independently and apply therapeutic principles and procedures in the effective treatment and care for critically ill patients.

Mandatory weekly and monthly educational conferences will supplement clinical training. Fellows will participate in the RUSH critical care medicine curriculum which includes lectures, teaching conferences, journal club and grand rounds. In addition, fellows are expected to participate in weekly neurocritical care research meetings, case conferences, our neurovascular conference and a monthly neurocritical care journal club. Independent research is encouraged and will be supported through early identification and mentoring of research projects during training. A dedicated research coordinator is available to facilitate projects requiring IRB approval.

Sample Rotation Schedules

Year 1

  • 24 weeks of neurosciences ICU
  • 4 weeks of medical/adult ICU
  • 2 weeks of EEG
  • 2 weeks of transcranial dopplers
  • 2 weeks of anesthesiology
  • 4 weeks of stroke
  • 2 weeks of anesthesiology
  • 2 weeks of pulmonary
  • 1 week of neurosurgery
  • 7 weeks of elective
  • 4 weeks of vacation

Year 2

  • 24 weeks of neuroscience ICU
  • 4 weeks of medical/adult ICU
  • 4 weeks of surgical/trauma ICU
  • 2 weeks of EEG
  • 12 weeks of elective
  • 4 weeks of vacation