Curriculum

Vascular Neurology Fellowship
University of Florida vascular neurology fellows at UF Health Jacksonville

Fellows are trained by faculty with expertise in clinical stroke management, surgical management of stroke and cerebrovascular disorders, vascular surgery, interventional neuroradiology, stroke imaging, neurosonology, and neurorehabilitation. Our curriculum provides fellows with individual mentorship and guidance to foster well-trained and proficient clinicians qualified to practice vascular neurology in clinical or academic positions.

Clinical Rotations
Inpatient Stroke Unit 4 blocks
Stroke Consult 2 blocks
Neuroimaging/Interventional Neurology 1½ blocks
Elective 2 blocks
Neurosonology ½ block
Neurocritical Care Up to 1 block
Vascular Neuro-Ophthalmology ½ block
Stroke Research ½ block
Vascular Neurosurgery 1 block
Night call 1 day/week from home for 13 blocks
1 weekend call from home per block

Under the guidance of faculty during the inpatient stroke rotation, fellows supervise a team of neurology residents, nurses, a pharmacist and rehabilitation specialists. Care is provided to patients admitted to the stroke service with TIA, ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

The neuroimaging rotation familiarizes fellows with diagnostic angiography, advanced imaging of stroke. Fellows are exposed to interventional procedures, such as clot retrieval, intracranial and extracranial arterial stenting, and aneurysm coiling. Fellows have the opportunity to assist neurointerventional faculty with some procedures.

During the neurosonology rotation, fellows are trained to conduct and interpret transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Fellows are also trained to recognize normal and abnormal carotid ultrasounds.

During consult months, fellows provide consultative services to stroke patients throughout our hospital. This includes consults to our emergency department, where fellows have the opportunity to evaluate patients for acute interventional stroke therapies. In addition, fellows have the opportunity to consult on the inpatient trauma service and the intensive care unit.

While rotating through the neurocritical care unit, fellows assist with the management of complex vascular cases, such as aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, malignant middle cerebral artery infarction basilar artery thrombosis and acute intracranial hemorrhage. Fellows also learn how to care for patients who are post neuro-interventional procedures.

The two-week vascular neuro-ophthalmology rotation takes place at UF Health Ophthalmology – Jacksonville, under the supervision of a neuro-ophthalmologist. The emphasis on this rotation is to enhance the fellows' ability to diagnose vascular ocular syndromes such as ischemic optic neuropathy, retinal artery occlusion and carotid-cavernous fistula.

Conferences

Teaching conferences are incorporated into the curriculum. These conferences complement enhanced learning experiences as provided by fellow clinical service.

  • Research conference once per month
  • Journal club twice per month
  • Clinical stroke teaching conference twice per month
  • Endovascular case conference once weekly
  • Interdisciplinary case conference once per month
  • Stroke program quality improvement once per month

Research

Vascular neurology resident participation in clinical research and scholarly activities such as scientific abstract writing, presentations at medical society meetings and manuscript publication are integral components of our training program. Participation in clinical research is strongly encouraged. There are also abundant opportunities for residents to serve as sub-investigators on multi-center clinical trials focused on stroke that are ongoing within the department of neurology. The University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville Dean's Office offers an internal grant competition annually for residents and fellows that is aimed at funding pilot research projects. On campus there is a biostatistics team that provides consultative and research support services to residents and fellows.

For more information about the ongoing research studies being conducted by the comprehensive stroke program, please contact us.