Welcome to the neurology residency program at Queen’s University! We have a well-established academic program with a long track record of successful graduates that have gone on to academic and non-academic careers. We are an academic referral center based on beautiful Lake Ontario with a catchment population of approximately 600 000 people in South Eastern Ontario. Our program is designed to give residents a combination didactic teaching and hands-on clinical exposure. Some of the highlights of our program include:

Clinical exposure

A unique strength of the neurology residency program at Queen’s is the supportive experiential approach to learning that our residents receive. Our teaching philosophy is that residents should be taught the basic principles and tools required to be a neurologists and then be given the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills in an independent manner. As a regional referral center our residents see a broad range of neurological disease. Our residents learn firsthand to diagnose, assess, and manage neurological disease by doing it. This permits the development of confidence in clinical skills and allows learning in a much more salient and practical way. Fundamental to this approach is a strong academic curriculum based on commitment from our faculty to teach the core skills and knowledge base.

Competence based education

The division of neurology has been proactive in developing a competency based curriculum with strong support from our dean. We have developed a regular schedule of short answer questions (SAQ) and OSCEs to challenge our residents. In addition the neurology residency program at Queens has instituted rigorous evaluation methods to facilitate our assessment process including:

• Neurology specific clinical encounter rubric
• Multisource feedback form
• Patient feedback form
• Bedside education feedback form
• Pre & Post-test examinations

This approach has been piloted in both EEG and EMG rotations. When residents start this block they are given a multiple choice examination based on the core principles of the subspecialty in addition to rotation specific objectives. At the end of their block, they are given a similar quiz and are required to attain a score of 70% to pass.

Clinical teaching

• In-patient medicine
• The neurology service at Queens offers two streams of exposure to in-patient medicine including 1.) a stroke stream and 2.) a general neurology stream to better focus your learning and increase the student to staff ratio.

Ambulatory medicine

Residents are exposed to a full range of ambulatory clinics including:

Longitudinal clinics

Residents are assigned to a single mentor for 12 months in a general neurology clinic where they will follow their own patients.

Subspecialty clinics

Neurology at queens offers a full range of subspecialty clinics including: stroke, epilepsy, neuromuscular/EMG, MS, headache/BOTOX etc.

Faculty led weekly rounds

In addition to a dedicated academic half day, residents have an abundance of educational opportunities.

Neurophysiology rounds

Case based presentations emphasizing clinical approach including history, clinical examination techniques and interpretation of electrodiagnostic tests. Topics alternate between:

• Neuromuscular/EMG & NCS
• Epilepsy/EEG

Stroke rounds

Faculty lead review of the imaging features and management strategies of strokes seen by the service over the previous week.

Neuropathology rounds

A presentation of gross neuropathological material (including gross specimens, histology, immunohistochemistry) and review of relevant medical literature.

Mentorship

The small resident-to-faculty ratio permits the development of meaningful academic relationships and strong communication between residents and faculty. Having graduated from the program myself, I can attest to the fact that the close mentoring I received directly influenced my career path, my fellowship choices and my practice.

Resident engagement

• The residents are directly engaged in improving the neurology program.
• The residents meet as a group each biannually to decide on what topics in they feel they need covered and this is brought to the RTC.
• The senior residents have developed weekly physical examination teaching sessions for junior residents on Fridays at noon.
• The residents have independently developed a monthly journal club.
• Strong support from allied specialties and basic scientists

Neuropathology

Our residents get excellent exposure to neuropathology through weekly brain cutting rounds and monthly neuropathology sessions that are part of their academic half day. This tradition has long been a strength of Queens University and is being diligently continued by Dr. J. Rossiter.

Neurosurgery

This program has hired several additional faculty members, which has greatly increased our resident’s exposure and amount of teaching. Several of the neurosurgeons also have active basic science research programs that resident’s benefit from as well.

Center for Neuroscience

a healthy relationship exists between clinical and basic neuroscience at Queens. This relationship gives residents to explore basic science in addition to clinical interests and is a great source of collaboration and teaching.

Neuroradiology

Queens has three talented neuro-radiologists that participate formally in our academic curriculum and had regular interaction with our residents.

Physiatry

There is a very close relationship between the divisions of neurology and physical medicine & rehabilitation that enhances our residents learning. Residents rotate through our rehabilitation hospital and participate in regular EMG and multi-disciplinary clinics.