Elective Rotations

Yale University
School of Medicine
Department of Neurology
P.O. Box 208018
New Haven, CT
06520-8018

Neurology Residency Program

Elective Rotations

Each resident typically spends 3 months on electives during each of their last two years. Residents are provided guidance by the Program Director, Chairman, and other faculty members in selecting these electives. These electives can be taken in any area that will help further the residents goals for his/her career development.

Clinical Electives
Residents can spend their elective time gaining in-depth knowledge in a particular area of clinical neurology or one of the allied fields. Click here for examples of Clinical Electives.

Research Electives
Many residents choose to spend elective time pursuing a clinical or basic science research project in collaboration with one of the many faculty members in Neurology or in other departments at Yale University. Many of these projects culminate in presentations at national meetings. Previous experience in research is not necessary. Click here to learn about Research Electives.

Mini-Fellowships
Elective time during the second or third year of neurology training can be organized into mini-fellowships. This allows residents to address topics in greater detail than usually afforded in a clinical elective. Previous residents have arranged mini-fellowships in clinical neurophysiology, epilepsy, stroke, and basic neuroscience research. These fellowships can be undertaken in conjunction with a clinical research project. In some cases, these mini-fellowships can decrease the time required in a formal fellowship, or offer more flexibility in post-graduate training.

Flexible Training in Neurology
The Yale Neurology Residency Curriculum meets the guidelines of the American Neurological Association, and endorsed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to support education designed to maximize efficient development of neurologist investigators. This goal is achieved in part through the availability of Research Electives in clinical neurology and basic neuroscience, as well via the availability of the Clinical Neuroscience Career Development Track and Mini-Fellowships, while also meeting all of the requirements for eligibility to sit for the examination of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology to become board certified in adult neurology.

Off-Campus Electives
In most cases, PGY-4 residents may take any or all electives off-campus. In some cases, PGY-3 electives may be taken off-campus, contingent upon meeting the core requirements of the Residency Program, including coverage of call, clinics, and other duties. These off-campus electives are valuable for those residents seeking exposure to areas of neurology that are not available at Yale University, and can give insight into the approach to clinical care at other institutions or countries.

During elective months, residents continue to attend their Continuity Clinics an average of once every week.

Last modified: August, 2006