Neurology

Rotations and Clinical Sites

ROTATIONS

The fellowship consists of clinical rotations on both the inpatient stroke service and outpatient stroke clinic, including ample elective and protected research time. UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, Olive View UCLA Medical Center and the VA Greater Los Angeles serve as sites for the vascular neurology fellowship. The diverse patient populations at each site offer unique educational and research opportunities.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Joint commission certified Comprehensive Stroke Center)

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is a 520-bed hospital and Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. Training at RR UCLA provides fellowship experience with patients in a major tertiary and quaternary hospital, which naturally brings diverse pathology ranging from LVO strokes treated with endovascular thrombectomy, to cerebrovascular complications of major cardiac surgery, to rare causes of stroke such as RCVS or CNS vasculitis. The stroke team has a joint consult and primary service. Vascular neurology fellows provide 24-hour coverage of the acute stroke neurology service. The stroke neurology team consists of the vascular neurology attending, the vascular neurology fellow, a PGY3 neurology resident, 2 PGY2 neurology residents and 2-3 medical students. Stroke patients admitted to RR's 24-bed closed Neuro-ICU are co-managed by the Stroke and Neurocritical Care teams.  The Stroke service also has a close partnership with the Internal Medicine Consult service, who assist with the management of non-neurologic comorbidities for most primary stroke patients. In addition, there are two half-days of stroke clinic held weekly at RR, supervised by Vascular Neurology faculty.

Olive View UCLA Medical Center

Olive View-UCLA Medical Center is a 377 bed Los Angeles County Hospital serving the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley, with core values of integrity, inclusivity and compassion.  It offers the fellows experience working with underserved communities, and practicing cost-effective medicine. With patients from all over the world, the differential diagnoses are broad, including a host of rheumatologic and tropical diseases.  Fellows serve as consultants in a leadership role - residents on inpatient service and in clinic present to the fellows as they would to an attending.  Acute stroke management is done via telemedicine, providing a training experience directly applicable to community practice. The telemedicine, consult-only structure of this rotation affords fellows plenty of time to engage in research projects and other elective endeavors.

VA Medical Center

Training at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical center includes inpatient and outpatient vascular neurology care. The medical center includes 130 acute-care beds and an on-site inpatient rehabilitation unit. on the inpatient stroke service, fellows serve as a consultant for acute stroke codes and higher-level management of vascular neurology cases. A lower patient volume and consultant role allows for more one-on-one learning with the stroke attending and ample time for research and quality improvement projects. Fellows will interact frequently with the Neurology resident team in teaching patient care. The VA system provides excellent long-term continuity for Veterans with stroke, and fellows staff a twice-weekly Greater Los Angeles VA Stroke Clinic for hospital follow-ups and referrals from throughout Southern California. Fellows will present cases at joint conferences with neuroradiology, vascular surgery (for carotid procedures), cardiology (for PFO closure), and neuropsychology. Fellows on the VA elective rotations get the opportunity to observe the process of stroke recovery and have plenty of protected time to engage in research endeavors of their interest.

Fellows will have increasing responsibility during the year for supervising the Code Stroke Team, managing an array of available diagnostic imaging techniques, directing IV thrombolysis, and assisting with acute endovascular interventions. The program encompasses the spectrum of cerebrovascular disease, from critically ill patients with acute stroke to the rehabilitation and secondary prevention of stroke.

Fellows receive intensive clinical training in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral infarction, transient brain ischemia, and brain hemorrhage. Core training also includes:

  1. Participation in a multihospital clinical trial program encompassing novel cytoprotective, antithrombotic, and hyperacute thrombolytic and endovascular treatment trials.
  2. Management of cerebrovascular patients in dedicated Stroke Unit, 24-bed Neurointensive Care Unit, Emergency Department and outpatient settings.
  3. Unique educational experience tailored within our Vascular Neurology subspecialty elective pathway
  4. Performance and interpretation of carotid duplex and transcranial Doppler ultrasound leading to qualification for neurosonology certification.

Elective Rotations

Fellows are Free to use their elective time however they see fit, including but not limited to:

  • Neuroradiology
  • Neurointerventional
  • Neurocritical Care
  • Mobile Stroke Unit
  • NeuroRehab at the California Rehabilitation Institute
  • VA PM&R Clinic for Botox
  • Research