Residency Program Overview

Adult neurology is an integrated PGY1-4 program. The first year (PGY-1) includes rotations in internal medicine and subspecialties including cardiology, infectious disease, and rheumatology. Additionally, first years rotate in emergency medicine, geriatrics, palliative care and have 4 dedicated months of neurology.

The first full year of adult neurology training (PGY-2) consists of ward rotations, neuroradiology, epilepsy, and clinic. The ward rotations are at Loma Linda University Medical Center and Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Administration Medical Center neurology services. On both of these services, the resident is responsible for inpatient admissions and consults and is exposed to a wide variety of neurologic disorders. During this time the residents progressively develop their diagnostic skills and clinical acumen. During the beginning of the year, a senior neurology resident is also on service, then the PGY-2 neurology residents assume supervisory roles over interns and medical students.

The third year (PGY-3) is spent on electives, clinic subspecialties, EMG, epilepsy, Riverside University Health System (RUHS) hospital consult service, child neurology at LLU Children's Hospital consult service, with a few months of inpatient rotation. This is a year with variety of rotations and exposure to neurology subspecialties allows residents to expand knowledge and depth of skill and exposure leads to long term career goals such as fellowship. 

During the last year (PGY-4), the resident serves as chief resident supervising the neurology service at either the Veterans Administration Medical Center or Loma Linda University Medical Center. Additional rotations are done in neuropathology, psychiatry, child neurology, subspecialty clinics, RUHS consult service, and chosen electives.

Residents learn from a wide variety of practice and patients with our tertiary care university, VA hospital, RUHS county medical center, and FQHC multispecialty clinic for outpatient continuity clinic. These locations offer broad exposure to acute and chronic neurologic issues of patients from varied backgrounds.

Call at LLUMC is covered by a night float system and weekend call is done in 12 hour shifts. Call at the Veterans hospital is covered by a home call resident.

Residency Positions and Requirements

The Department of Neurology at Loma Linda University offers four positions per year are for a categorical (PGY1-4) residency.

Benefits

LLUH Resident Stipends & Benefits

Program Components

Clinical Areas

STROKE

  • LLUMC is a certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. 
  • RUHS is a certified Primary Stroke Center.
  • Active collaboration with neurology, neuroradiology, interventional neuroradiology, neurological surgery, and neurocritical care for our stroke patient care with active acute stroke treatment with thrombolysis and thrombectomy.

EPILEPSY

  • We have a NAEC Accredited Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center with active epilepsy clinics, Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) care, and collaboration with neurological surgery for device implantation and surgical treatment of epilepsy. 

NEUROMUSCULAR

  • Many patients with neuromuscular issues are cared for in the clinic and busy EMG lab. The faculty outpatient clinic includes a multidisciplinary clinic and our motor neuron disease patients are cared for in the ALS Association Certified Treatment Center of Excellence. 

MEMORY DISORDERS

  • Care for those with memory concerns is a collaborative effort among neurology, psychiatry, and primary care. 

HEADACHE

  • We have a multifaceted therapeutic approach to headache management utilizing the latest medication and procedures under the guidance of headache fellowship-trained Neurology.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CENTER

  • This clinic provides care for a variety of neuroimmunology conditions with many treatment options provided with collaboration with our local infusion center, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation colleagues, and other departments. 

MOVEMENT DISORDERS

  • Outpatient focused care with faculty members and a large variety of treatment options and collaboration with neurological surgery for device implantation. 

CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY 

  • Intraoperative monitoring run by the Department of Neurology.
  • Strong CNP fellowship for acquiring EMG and EEG skills.

Conferences

There is a strong commitment to resident teaching and a wide variety of teaching conferences are available to the neurology resident. Conferences include:

  • Weekly
    • Neuroscience Grand Rounds
    • EEG
    • EMG and clinical neurophysiology
    • Stroke
    • VA alternates clinical cases with journal club
  • Monthly
    • LLUMC journal club
    • Movement disorders

Research

The Department of Neurology has a Clinical Research Center that organizes neurology clinical trials in multiple subspecialty areas. As the only university-based tertiary care center in the Inland Empire, we have a large catchment area, which is not in direct competition with the Southern California coastal centers (Los Angeles to San Diego). The Neurology Clinical Research Center combines clinicians with special interests in study design and in the specific neurologic conditions to be studied with dedicated coordinating and support personnel.

Participation in a research project, usually done as a clinical research project, is required during the training program.

Clinical Affiliated Sites

  • Loma Linda University Medical Center
  • Jerry L. Pettis Veterans Administration Medical Center
  • Riverside University Health System
  • SAC Health System

Benefits Specific for Neurology Residents

Each neurology resident is provided with an allowance of $500 per year to cover continuing education-related materials and activities, such as book purchases or conference expenses. Membership to the American Academy of Neurology and subscription to the journal, Neurology, are provided. In addition, Graduate Medical Education has funds available to apply to the cost of medical license and other educational items.