Child Neurology Residency

Our Mission

To train outstanding child neurologists who will define the landscape of child neurology in the future.

Our Program Goals

To provide superlative clinical training for child neurology residents through exposure to diverse patient populations
To provide a clinical and scholarly training curriculum specific to each resident’s career goals
To provide exposure to all aspects of child neurology, thereby expanding residents’ understanding of child neurology and pediatric health
To train our residents in lifelong scholarship

Welcome to Stanford Child Neurology!

Our Child Neurology Division has undergone an exciting phase of expansion, and now offers the largest faculty in the Western United States. As a result, all residents experience great breadth and depth across all facets of Child Neurology. There are five child neurology positions a year (see Clinical Training).

Our program is a 5 year combined program with our general pediatrics residency. The first two years are dedicated to general pediatrics training, and years 3-5 are dedicated to neurology training. Over the course of three years, Child Neurology residents spend approximately 12 months on adult (6 inpatient and 6 outpatient months) and 12 months on child neurology, with the remainder devoted to subspecialty rotations and electives.

Why Choose Stanford?

Personalized and flexible training

Clinical training

At Stanford, clinical experience in both child and adult neurology starts in the first year and continues through all three years. This differs from many other programs where the first year is spent entirely on adult neurology. Instead, our child neurology residents spend more time on adult neurology in the PGY3 year (e.g., 8 months), and then concentrate on child neurology for the majority of time during PGY4 and PGY5 years (e.g., 4 additional months of adult neurology over 2 years). The Stanford system has the advantages of exposing residents early to child neurology and providing a more diverse adult neurology experience throughout training.

Subspecialty neurology clinics at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital include epilepsy, stroke, neuro-oncology, neonatal neurology, neurocritical care, movement disorders, neuromuscular and muscular dystrophy, white matter disorders, neurocutaneous, headache, neuropsychopharmacology, neuropsychology, neuro-ophthalmology, and neurogenetics. All residents maintain a pediatric neurology continuity clinic at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital throughout their three years of neurology training. The clinic is one afternoon per week.

Electives

All the electives available to Adult Neurology residents may be customized to include pediatric exposure and the specific interests of the Child Neurology resident. Other electives include child psychiatry, genetics and metabolism, neuroradiology, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric movement disorders, and developmental pediatrics. Approximately 10 or more months are available for electives. Residents typically use this time to carry out research projects or to gain subspecialty experience in disciplines such as neuroradiology, neuropathology, neuromuscular diseases/EMG, epilepsy/EEG, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, sleep disorders, neuro-oncology, and behavioral neurology. Off-site electives are possible with special arrangement. Residents are required to take their vacation (3 weeks per year) during elective blocks. You can find more information about our available electives here: https://med.stanford.edu/neuroresident/electives.html

Featured Elective: Child Neurology Pretending Elective

We are very excited to have launched our new Child Neurology “Pretending” Elective in January 2020. This novel elective was designed for our senior child neurology residents to promote autonomy and independence in a still protected environment prior to graduation. The elective empowers our senior child neurology residents to participate in all aspects of the attending role on our inpatient child neurology consult services. When a child neurology “pretending” resident is on service, a faculty attending is also quietly present on rounds, but the pretending resident is truly leading the show. The Pretending elective is designed to strengthen our residents’ leadership abilities with particular focus on running a team, coordinating patient care, and conducting medical education. Elective faculty and residents also participated in a dedicated Pretending curriculum, consisting of periodic small group didactic and discussion sessions targeting communication and effective team leadership strategies such as coaching, feedback, and promoting learner autonomy.

A culture of mentorship & early career development

Stanford Neurology’s open-door policy and culture foster strong mentor relationships throughout training. We have formal programs that allow each resident to select an official professional development mentor and a scholarship mentor, in addition to being assigned a trained faculty communication coach for the duration of their residency. This comprehensive support system cultivates our residents’ passions, helping them discover the unique ways they can contribute as leaders in Neurology. We take pride in our graduates across the nation who serve as directors, departmental leaders, and innovators in their areas of interest.

Breadth of scholarship & research exposure during residency

Our residents will select a mentored area of concentration, typically in the neurosciences, medical education, or quality improvement, to pursue their scholarly activities. Many residents have successfully developed innovative projects that are a launching point for their career.

Residents are highly encouraged to pursue mentored clinical or basic science research. Residents may use elective time to pursue formal training in research methodology through courses offered throughout the Stanford campus. A research block of up to 6 months may be arranged during residency as part of the Neuroscience Scholar Track. Further, the Division of Child Neurology enables funded research for an additional period after neurology residency. The program supports residents for instructorships, fellowships, and other institutionally funded research opportunities post-residency. The Division has a strong track record of residents going on to K12, K02, and other independent funding.

Neuroscience Research: All residents are exposed to our research curriculum and will have opportunities to engage with the physician scientist community at Stanford. Those residents particularly interested in a research career may apply for the department’s Neuroscience Scholar Track in the Child Neurology (CN) PGY-3 or PGY-4 year and be awarded 24 continuous weeks of mentored research time during CN PGY-4 or PGY5 year of residency and/or 1-2 years of funded post-graduate research fellowship following residency. An UE5 funding mechanism is also available. As part of our commitment to career development, those physician scientists applying to residency may consider the Investigator Training Pipeline (ITP) and interview for a 2-year fellowship at the same time as the residency interview.

Education: All residents become skilled educators during residency and have opportunities to pursue advanced professional development at the Stanford Faculty Development Center (SFDC) for Medical Teachers, Stanford Medicine Teaching and Mentoring Academy, and Stanford Health Professions Education and Scholarship (SHAPES). Residents have the opportunity to earn an honors certificate in medical education.

Quality improvement: All residents gain experience in QI methodology and systems improvement. A novel formal curriculum has been designed to give our Neurology residents hands-on experience and the tools necessary to solve real-world problems within a complex healthcare system. Our monthly morbidity, mortality, and improvement conference is a popular launching point for multidisciplinary projects that result in national conference presentation and publication, along with innovative change to improve neurological care. Read more here about projects highlighted at the annual QI symposium.

A steadfast commitment to building community

An innovative approach to wellness

We take great care of our residents and are deeply aware of the importance of building resilience in the face of research exposing the risks of burnout amongst neurologists nationally. Stanford Neurology has innovated a robust well-being program for our trainees that is one of the first in the country and presented at the AMA International Conference on Physician Health. Learn more about our Neurology Wellness and Mentorship Program.

Child Neurology Residency

There are five categorical child neurology positions a year. Candidates thus match simultaneously to two years of Stanford Pediatrics followed by three years of Child Neurology, through one centralized National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) application. All applicants are required to use this service.

The application process begins in autumn. Applicants must register with NRMP by October 31.

For the current interview season, all interviews will be conducted virtually in accordance with ACGME guidelines. Interviews for child neurology and pediatrics are combined over 2 consecutive days for invited applicants and will be scheduled on select dates in November and December.

Other details about the Match Schedule are available on the NRMP web site. In general, all application materials are processed through NRMP. If desired, applicants may contact us directly and send appropriate supplementary materials. This may include curriculum vitae, publications, or additional letters of references.

Interview is by invitation only and is an essential part of the application.

International Medical Students

We accept applications from international medical school graduates, although the application process is extremely competitive. Ours is a small program that draws scores of applications, including many from the top medical schools in the U.S. Having had hands-on recent clinical experience in the U.S. is mandatory. Only those with exceptional credentials are invited for interview. An international medical school graduate must have a valid ECFMG certificate, completed USMLE Part III, and have had two years of pediatric residency training prior to commencement of child neurology training. Please note that Stanford University will NOT sponsor trainees for an H-1B visa.

PGY-5

Sofia Dhanani, MD

"Throughout my application process I found that Stanford Child Neurology offered everything that I was looking for in a residency program and more. There are more exciting research opportunities for me to engage in than I could ever hope for, a strong commitment to advocacy and uplifting the surrounding community, and a team of nurturing and truly brilliant mentors who are invested in me and whom I hope to emulate in my career. While I know that I may have received wonderful child neurology training at many programs, no other program has made me feel as supported or valued as an individual. I felt that Stanford would truly provide the best training and environment for me to thrive in child neurology. I could not be more thrilled to be here today!"

Emily Malamud, MD

Natasha Kramer, MD

"I chose Stanford because it was the ideal combination of everything I was looking for. I wanted excellent pediatric, adult neurology, and child neurology training. I also felt like it was a place where I can pursue my research interests and explore different career paths within child neurology. On my interactions with faculty, I was struck by how supportive they were of my individual goals and felt like I could get excellent mentorship, both through the official mentor and coaching networks and informal channels. All the faculty and residents I spoke with were genuine, kind, and happy. Ultimately, I felt like this was the best place for me to learn and grow and am excited to be here!"

PGY-4

Esther Belogolovsky, MD

"I was drawn to Stanford because of its culture of sincere kindness. When I visited the campus, I noticed that everyone was treated with the utmost respect, from patients to colleagues. Since starting my intern year, everyone has shown their deepest appreciation for me, caring about my well-being personally and professionally. I love working here because I am constantly learning from others and contributing to innovative ideas, and there is always someone I can come to who will know the answer to my question (or drop what they are doing to help me)! At the end of each day, I feel grateful to be a child neurology resident at Stanford, and I have already made lifelong friends!"

Katie Champoux, MD

"During interview season, I found myself listing and comparing the various attributes of every program. I ultimately realized that my most important factors were training opportunities, vibrant mentorship, a focus on education, strong support for residents, and, yes, program “vibe.” For me, Stanford checked all those boxes and many more, standing out with its close-knit community of kind and supportive people. I am so thrilled to train here and be a part of the Stanford Healthcare family!"

Natalia Gilbert, MD

"It’s not necessarily easy for a program to convey their personality over a virtual interview, yet everyone I met during my interview day at Stanford was driven, compassionate, and genuinely enthusiastic to be at Stanford. This carried a lot of weight when it came down to my decision, because I felt at home in a program where I could challenge myself to grow professionally while also remaining well-supported along the way. I could not be more excited to be training here and am looking forward to spending the next five years of learning and collaborating with the exceptional faculty at Stanford!"

Jon Schor, MD, PhD

"I chose to come to Stanford because I love its passion for clinical care, the access to basic neuroscience research, and I'm also hopelessly fond of the Bay Area. From the moment I met the Child Neuro community at Stanford, I was struck by how welcoming and warm it was. In fact, I felt almost immediately that this was the right spot for me to grow as a scientist and clinician! I couldn't be more excited to have the privilege to learn all I can from lab, the hospital, and all the fabulous mentors I have access to here."

PGY-3

Maya Behn, MD

Ashley Guest, MD, PhD

"I chose Stanford because of an amazing combination of a supportive workplace culture and stellar academic opportunities. There was a palpable enthusiasm during my interview day, even when conducted virtually. As I'm currently training in the pediatrics portion of the program, I am consistently grateful for the teamwork attitude embraced by my co-residents, fellows, and attendings. This institution is a place where people seek to help each other. In addition, the patient population we serve and the wealth of pediatric neurology subspecialists available to learn from are both amazing."

Sofia Essayan-Perez, MD, PhD

"I was drawn to Stanford’s Child Neurology Program because of its commitment to patient care, its dedication to teaching trainees, and its support for clinician-scientists. As a medical and doctoral student at Stanford, I saw firsthand how invested the Child Neurology faculty and residents were in their patients, and how they brought cutting edge research to the bedside. The mentors have been highly supportive of my goals, and the longitudinal training opportunities here are conducive to the path of a physician-scientist. Outside of the hospital, I have enjoyed getting to know my co-residents and colleagues, and I feel so happy to be here!"

Jonathan Kim, MD

"I chose Stanford because when I did an away, I found people who were incredibly smart while also being incredibly kind. Working as a resident here this past year has only further confirmed that impression!"

PGY-2

Ashlee Joan Macalino

"I chose Stanford Child Neurology because of the clinical excellence and immersive training across general pediatrics and child neurology, the resident and faculty culture of lifelong learning and curiosity, and the longitudinal commitment to individualized coaching and supportive mentorship. As an aspiring clinician-educator, I also chose Stanford Child Neurology for the opportunities to develop innovative curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education, foster inclusive learning environments in the clinical space as a 2nd-generation Pinay physician, and pursue mentored research through the Medical Education scholarly concentration. At LPCH, I love learning from the brightest and most thoughtful role models in Pediatrics and Neurology, advocating for our patients and their families in partnership with our healthcare teams, and building a home away from home with my phenomenal co-residents!"

Kajal Maran

"I chose Stanford most of all because I loved the community and people here! I also loved that the program prioritized learning of both outpatient and inpatient neurology, and that it was committed to allowing residents to explore their non-clinical interests."

Geetanjali Rajamani

"I had so much fun on my away rotation at Stanford that I knew I wanted to come back for residency! I was so impressed with how kind and energetic the residents were, and what a great sense of community they had. I was also amazed at all the cutting edge research going on at Stanford and wanted to be part of it. And of course, the clinical care for patients was top notch and I felt like every day I learned something new. I am excited to be here!"

Hannah Wiest

"When I interviewed at Stanford, the sincerity and kindness shone from each person I spoke with. The passion for child neurology was clear, but more importantly, I could see that they cared about getting to know me as an individual. I could tell that my academic and clinical interests would be supported here, and that my personal well-being would also be valued. I have already grown to love Stanford, my co-residents, and the program itself. I am so excited to spend the next 5 years learning and growing here!"

PGY-1

Drayton Harvey, MD, PhD

"I did an away rotation at Stanford and immediately knew this was where I wanted to be. There are the obvious benefits of being at such an incredible research powerhouse and training at LPCH where we see the second highest percentage of children with Medi-Cal in the state, having the opportunity to both push the boundaries of medicine and serving those most in need. It was truly the people throughout the division of child neurology though that made it impossible to imagine training anywhere else. Our trainees and faculty all care so deeply about our patients and each other, there is an incredible family environment that makes it a wonderful place to train. I have never felt so invested in and experienced everyday our teams celebrating each other. There are endless possibilities here thanks to a leadership team that believes deeply in fostering our individual interests and providing us with the resources to make our dreams a reality."

Madeline Marcelle, MD, PhD

"What stood out to me about Stanford during my interview season - apart from the clinical excellence and breadth of research opportunities - was the culture of respect and the sense of community among the residents. As a new intern, I have already felt embraced by this community, both in the hospital and outside of it. I am excited to continue working with colleagues who are clinically rigorous and interested in moving the field forward, and who will continue to support my growth as a physician and as a scientist."

Brittney Obanor, MD

"I chose Stanford Child Neurology because of the combination of excellent clinical training, strong mentorship, and a supportive resident community. I was drawn to the breadth and complexity of the clinical experience, as well as the opportunities for research and academic growth. Most importantly, the people stood out to me. The faculty were approachable and invested in teaching, and the residents genuinely seemed to support one another. The location is unbeatable, and I was excited for the opportunity to train close to home. Stanford felt like a place where I would be challenged to grow while also feeling supported throughout my training."

Audrey Smith, MD

"I am so happy I began my Child Neurology training at Stanford this year! Our hospital is beautiful and the area is such a great place to live. Stanford has a big Child Neurology program and an even bigger pediatric department, meaning there is so much support and every kind of sub-specialist to learn from. My co-interns are so kind, and I love the pervasive spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and education without judgement."

Emily Waters, MD

"When I interviewed at Stanford, I knew this was where I wanted to train. What stood out to me was not only how deeply everyone cared about child neurology, but how genuinely they cared about one another, and the future of the field. I felt that Stanford was a place where I would be challenged to grow, while also being supported and encouraged to explore the areas of child neurology that I am most passionate about. I am so excited to spend the next five years here alongside my incredible co-residents and learn from some of the very best in child neurology!"