Department of Neurology & Rehabilitation 2023-2024 Residents

Message From Our Chief Residents

Welcome to the University of Illinois Chicago Neurology residency training program! We are delighted and honored that you are considering our residency training program. The program is committed to providing you with a well-rounded education in a variety of neurological subspecialties, as well as life experiences meant to prepare you for success in any field you choose to pursue in your future endeavors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our department made strong efforts to ensure a smooth and safe transition for incoming residents. The program has adapted extremely well, especially with implementation of telehealth visits for patients in addition to virtual learning conferences for the residents. We aim to maintain a collaborative and supportive working environment while providing top quality healthcare to our patients.

Schedule

The UIC Neurology residency is a categorical program offering an invaluable intern (PGY1) year in Internal Medicine that will strengthen your knowledge base and create camaraderie with our medicine colleagues. PGY2 year, the first year in neurology training, will focus on building solid foundational knowledge through mostly inpatient clinical experiences, including general neurology, stroke, neurocritical care, and neuro-oncology. As you progress to your senior years as a PGY3 and PGY4, you will build your leadership skills leading the inpatient teams, gain further subspecialty exposure, and pursue personal interests in neurology during your self-designed electives. You will also have specialty clinic months throughout residency during which you will gain early exposure to all subspecialties in neurology including movement disorders, neuromuscular, neuro-ophthalmology, neuro-oncology, epilepsy, sleep, cognitive/memory, and neuroimmunology.

Teaching

You will be trained in treating and stabilizing patients acutely in the inpatient setting as well as providing them with long-term care in the outpatient setting. Our faculty are passionate educators who are enthusiastic about teaching residents and helping them grow as neurologists. There is also a vast educational curriculum, including neuroradiology conferences, morning reports, journal clubs, grand rounds, and noon lectures, provided by leading experts. Our residents also present at resident and departmental conferences to help build their public speaking and presentation skills.

Research

Our faculty are eager to work with residents on research projects and help them grow as researchers. Residents are encouraged to pursue academic projects with the goal of presenting their work at our departmental grand rounds at the end of their fourth year, as well as submitting manuscripts to national journals for publication and presenting their work at national conferences.

Diversity

At UIC, we embrace and value diversity, reflected in our residents and attendings who come from countries all over the world, each with unique educational and cultural backgrounds. Diversity is also embodied in our patient population and the wide spectrum of diseases you will come across as a trainee. You will have chances to rotate at both the University of Illinois Hospital (UIH) and Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Hospital (JBVA), in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Each has its own practice mode, unique patient population, and medical structure/system.

Our Hospitals

The University of Illinois Hospital (UIH) is an academic teaching hospital located in the Illinois Medical District, one of the largest urban healthcare districts in the country. UIH is a Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center and a tertiary referral center, accepting complicated patients from the Chicagoland area. Our hospital is equipped with an epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) where we care for patients with complex, refractory seizures and a neurosciences intensive care unit (NSICU) where we encounter patients with high acuity, life-threatening ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, traumatic brain injuries, CNS infections, and neuromuscular diseases with respiratory compromise. At the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs (JBVA) Medical Center, our residents have the opportunity to give back to those who have given so much for our country. Caring for veterans offers a unique challenge, as these patients often have multiple medical comorbidities that have to be taken into consideration when treating their neurological problems.

Explore

Outside of work, you will have plenty to explore within the city. Chicago is home to some of the best museums, sports teams, restaurants, shopping, and theaters in the country. Our campus is close to the downtown area for easy access to all the fun experiences, while the campus itself is quiet, convenient, and safe. Little Italy, a nearby community, is very family-friendly, while the West Loop, which is just down the street, is known for the best restaurants in the city. There is the ease of transportation, so many residents can enjoy work and life balance without relying on a vehicle. We thank you for considering our training program and look forward to meeting you soon!

Sincerely,

Junghyun (Marco) Kim, M.D. and Aisha Ali, M.D.
PGY4 Chief Residents