Our Mission Statement
The Child Neurology Residency Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is dedicated to training skilled and compassionate child neurologists and to foster resident’s interest in not only teaching but also in the care of vulnerable patient populations. This is accomplished through extensive exposure to clinical child neurology in the only dedicated pediatric hospital system in the state of Arkansas as well as a robust didactic schedule lead by multiple board-certified child neurologists. Our curriculum over three years provides exposure for residents to diverse patient populations with the opportunity to learn common child neurology diagnoses as well as the rare yet complicated presentations. Centered in a rural state, our mission focuses on extensive resident education and training for underserved and vulnerable patient populations that will help encourage graduates to practice in underserved areas and exemplify compassion and cultural. Through this mission, our residents help exemplify the core values of our sponsoring institution including integrity, respect, diversity, safety and excellence.
Our Program
The Child Neurology Residency Program at UAMS is dedicated to training skilled and compassionate child neurologists. The program accepts one position per year for the three-year residency program and guarantees a position for the two preliminary pediatric years in the UAMS Pediatric Residency Program. The residents are supported by multiple board-certified child neurologists who provide extensive education and mentoring. As the only dedicated pediatric hospital system in the state of Arkansas, residents are exposed to a diverse patient population and have the opportunity to learn common child neurology diagnoses as well as the rare yet complicated presentations. During the first year of training, residents complete 12 months of adult neurology with six months of inpatient rotations, three months of outpatient rotations and three months of electives. During the final two years of training, the focus is on child neurology training and the curriculum covers both inpatient and outpatient settings with exposure to neonatal, cardiovascular and pediatric intensive care patients. In addition, with elective rotations, residents can focus their education in areas of interest. Through this robust program, it is our goal to provide the educational and clinical foundation for successful child neurologists in the evolving field of medicine.
Beyond education, we are committed to education and work-life balance. Our schedules are compliant with the ACGME duty hour regulations and allow our residents the personal time to spend with loved ones and enjoy the great outdoors of Arkansas. We continually stress the importance of well-being to our residents and faculty. Our residents are encouraged to use the UAMS Resident Wellness website as well as resources at both ACH and UAMS such as relaxation rooms and wellness events scheduled throughout the year.
In addition, our program has always and will continue to be an equal opportunity residency program. Our program aims including training residents to care for a wide range of patients including underserved and vulnerable populations. It is our belief that to achieve this goal, residency programs must first ensure training opportunities for a diverse population of applicants. This diversity in trainees allows for more robust solutions to the educational process and the ability to bring together people with a variety of beliefs and perspectives. We are committed to take positive efforts to recruit and employ qualified applicants without regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status or genetics. These effects continue to align with the UAMS Strategic plans already in place through our organization that emphasizes future inclusive work environment training as well as metrics to assess progress in all areas.
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The Place
The Division of Pediatric Neurology is located at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a pediatric hospital with a Level 1 Trauma Center that’s located in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is one of the largest freestanding pediatric hospitals in the United States and serves children from birth to age 21. ACH is affiliated with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and is a teaching hospital with the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is the state’s only academic medical center and is responsible for training more than 80 percent of the physicians in Arkansas as well as the majority of other medical professionals in the state.
ACH includes 336 beds and offers three intensive care units. The campus spans 36 city blocks and has a floor space of over 2,000,000 square feet. ACH is a part of the only pediatric health system in the state of Arkansas, which has a population of 2.8 million. The hospital also serves as a referral center for areas of southern Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, northern Louisiana, and northeast Texas.
Arkansas Children’s Hospital is also home to state-of-the-art brain mapping technology called magnetoencephalography (MEG). The only one of its kind in the state, the MEG system allows physicians to identify patients who may benefit from epilepsy surgery. It’s also used to evaluate brain activity and conduct mapping before brain tumor surgery. The MEG is safe for both children and adults.
The staff of the section of Pediatric Neurology provides inpatient and consultation services throughout the busy free-standing children’s hospital, including large and active PICU, CVICU and NICU facilities. A thirteen-bed inpatient video EEG monitoring unit along with long-term bedside EEG and numerous routine EEG’s allows ample opportunity for learning electroencephalography. Arkansas Children’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Program has been certified as a Level 4 Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers, providing comprehensive clinical and surgical programs for children with intractable epilepsy and allowing extensive experience in epilepsy management to residents. Additionally, clinical opportunities include multiple subspecialty neurology clinics such as brain tumor, muscular dystrophy, tuberous sclerosis, spasticity, demyelinating and neurometabolic clinics in the Neuroscience Outpatient Center with 35 exam rooms. Other clinical services are uniformly strong and supportive, providing a rich and challenging learning environment. Research opportunities include clinical research as well as the chance to interface with basic scientists at UAMS or in ACH labs.