MD Program:Years 3 & 4

 Neurology Clerkship

The neurology clerkship is a six-week rotation, which includes inpatient/outpatient neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) and neurosurgery. Students rotate through four weeks of neurology.

In addition, all students will attend the following: Pain didactic session, weekly ACE Rounds, and Clinical skills sessions at CLI.

• Clerkship Goals
  • Students will learn how to take a complete neurologic history and perform a comprehensive neurological examination.
  • Students will be able to describe the pathophysiology, clinical course and management of patients with common neurologic conditions and key neurologic emergencies.
  • Students will develop skills in neurologic differential diagnosis and treatment. 
  • Students will understand the full treatment course of a patient with neurologic disease, including rehabilitation and surgery.
  • Students will perform a directed history and physical examination on patients requiring rehabilitation and perform a mobility assessment.
  • Students will understand what constitutes a neurosurgical emergency and have a basic understanding of neurosurgical diagnostic workup and treatment.
  • Students will develop the ability to interpret CT scans and MRIs of the central nervous system.
• Clinical Presentations & Procedures

  By interacting with patients, student accomplish the following:

  • Describe an approach to evaluating a patient with the "clinical presentation"
  • Describe the differential diagnosis for a patient presenting with the "clinical presentation"
  • Describe the historical features, epidemiology of disease physical exam findings, diagnostic strategies and treatment for the most common diagnoses associated with the "clinical presentation"
  • Compare and contrast illness scripts
  • Describe prevention strategies for patients presenting with the "clinical presentation"
  • For procedures, demonstrate the ability to perform the procedure and to know the indications, contraindications

  Clinical Presentations
  A: Assist               P: Perform

  • Altered Mental Status
  • Change in Sensation
  • Change in Strength (i.e weakness)
  • Change in Vision
  • Dementia/Memory Disturbance
  • Dizziness/Vertigo
  • Headache
  • Seizure Disorder
  • Stroke
  • Gait Disturbance
  • Procedure: Lumbar Puncture and CSF Interpretation
• Assessment Methods
  Students are assessed in a variety of ways to generate a grade in the Neurology Clerkship. As a faculty member or resident who is responsible for supervising a student, you will be expected to complete a “Clinical Assessment of Student” form. The questions/anchors can be found on the Second 100 Weeks assessment page.