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UAB Neurology Residents participate in two continuity clinics during their training. Both clinics follow the same framework in that residents take a history, examine the patient, develop an assessment and plan, and then report to an attending. This framework allows for a great deal of autonomy and helps sharpen residents’ clinical skills.

Birmingham VA Hospital Neurology Clinic

Currently, PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents have a half day of general neurology clinic at the VA on Thursday afternoons. PGY-4 residents have a half day of general neurology clinic on Friday morning. Residents on inpatient services are excused from their inpatient duties (except when on the Stroke team or night float) to attend their VA continuity clinic. On a typical day, neurology residents will see one to two new patients and then follow-ups from prior visits. The clinic is fairly busy as it is the only general neurology clinic in Alabama offered to Veterans with the VA Health System.

The upper level neurology resident performs EMGs two half-days per week. Besides attending a continuity clinic at the VA, residents also attend a VA staff attending subspecialty clinic five half-days per week.  Because of this extra clinic, you will not have your Cooper Green continuity clinic during the VA rotation.   

Because the VA Hospital is located just across the street from University Hospital, residents can easily and quickly walk across the street to attend the lectures and conferences. The VA service is a very realistic neurology experience because you will take care of inpatients, perform consults, read EEGs, perform EMGs, and go to clinics all in the same rotation!

Cooper Green Neurology Clinic

As a PGY-2, residents also participate in a half-day (Friday afternoon) of continuity clinic at Cooper Green Hospital. As with the VA, residents on inpatient services (except stroke and night float) are excused from inpatient duties to attend this continuity clinic. The patients cared for at Cooper green are usually underserved/uninsured. Because of this, patients present to clinic at different stages of common and uncommon neurological disorders.

This clinic is a wonderful learning experience since it is a county hospital serving an underserved community. Patients present in early, middle, and even latter stages of common and uncommon neurological disorders. Because resources are limited, clinical diagnostic skills become sharpened quickly.