Curriculum & Goals

The primary educational goal of the fellowship is to provide advanced training in the management and care of critically ill patients with neurologic disorders. The fellow will recognize the effects of critical illness on the nervous system and the special vulnerabilities of patients in intensive care units and other emergency settings. Fellows will gain knowledge and skills to provide high quality clinical care and assessments of critically ill patients with neurologic disorders, including diagnostic evaluation, treatment, management, counseling and social intervention. Fellows will learn the impetus to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and develop the capacity to teach others in the methods and concepts used in the care of critically ill patients with neurological disorders.

The first year of training is dedicated to developing core critical care skills such as cardiovascular and respiratory management, invasive bedside procedures and monitoring along with expertise in management of patients with complete neurological and neurosurgical disorders. In the second year of training, fellows are expected to function more independently and apply therapeutic principles and procedures in the effective treatment and care for critically ill patients.

Mandatory weekly and monthly educational conferences and meetings will supplement clinical training. Fellows will participate in the Rush critical care medicine curriculum which includes lectures, teaching conferences, journal club and grand rounds. In addition, fellows are expected to participate in weekly neurocritical care research meetings, case conferences, neurovascular conference and a monthly neurocritical care journal club. Independent research is encouraged and will be supported through early identification and mentoring of research projects during training. Our own divisional research coordinator will facilitate projects requiring IRB approval. Supplemental coursework in biostatistics and clinical research design is available. Master’s level training in clinical research is available through Rush University and can be supported based on the candidate's interest and career goals. Funding will be provided to fellows for attendance/presentations to national meetings.

Typical Rotation Schedule

Year I
Neurosciences Intensive Care – 4 months
Anesthesia – 1 month
Medical Intensive Care – 1 month
Research – 2 months
Cardiac Intensive Care – 1 month
Doppler Lab – 1 month
Stroke Service – 1 month
Elective – 1 month

Year II
Neurosciences Intensive Care – 5 months
Surgical Intensive Care – 1 month
Research – 2 months
Stroke Service – 1 month
Elective – 3 months