Each resident will have a primary site and be responsible for the full range of clinical duties at that site. Residents will develop their training plan in conjunction with their primary supervisors within the first month. Diverse experiences within the system are encouraged and faculty will work with residents to facilitate them. Each post-doc will identify a research mentor and develop a research plan within the first two months. Generally, residents will remain in the program for two years. However, offer of a second year is contingent upon satisfactory performance in the first year of training and available funding. Extension beyond two years will be considered if there is external funding and/or a specific training goal.  Successful completion of contact hours and educational goals may require more than 40 hours per week.

Distribution of Time  

A. 80% Clinical

a.  3 days per week (approx. 15 patient/family contact hours)
b.     1 hour of face-to-face scheduled supervision/ 1 hour of supervisory contact as needed (bedside, interview, consult, etc.)
c.      2 hours of group supervision including case conferences, clinics, etc.
d.     Approx 1 hour a week general clinic management-type of activities (see below)

B. 20% Didactic/Education/Research

a.      One full day of didactic training is scheduled on the 1^st Thursday of each month at UCDMC. Numerous other didactic opportunities are also available (see below).
b.     Each resident MUST identify a research mentor. This may be a member of the NP faculty or an M.D. or Ph.D. with an appointment in the UC system.
c.      Each post-doc will be expected to spend at least 4 hours a week engaged in some scholarly activity. This may include participation in on-going research of a faculty member, preparation of a literature review, or development of an independent research project. Each project will be expected to have a product suitable for presentation at a scientific meeting or submission to a journal.
d.     Efforts will be made to provide monetary support for presentation of research results at a national conference.

Residents will receive a per annum stipend plus medical benefits. The current yearly funding is $32,000. Second year residents who obtain outside funding can buy out of clinical duties to participate in research activities. Additional funds beyond those necessary to buy out clinical time can be used to supplement the base salary. Occasionally part-time positions are available. Paid vacation and professional leave is also provided.

The bulk of our didactic encompass two separate days per month of scheduled trainings. On the first Thursday of each month we have an essentially full day of lectures (Neuropsychology lecture series, see below). On the fourth Thursday of each month we have a half day lecture series (Omni Series, see below).  

Didactic Program

First Thursday of each month: Neuropsychology Series, Sacramento UCDMC, Ambulatory Care Center*

General schedule:

9-11                                     AD Clinical Pathological Conference

11-12                                    Neuroanatomy Series/ Neuropsychological Syndromes

12-1                                    Lunch/ Faculty meeting                 

1-2                                    Neurology Grand Rounds

2-3                                    Faculty Research Case Presentation or Case Presentation

Clinical Pathological Conference (CPC)
During this teaching conference UCD ADC faculty present clinical information on patients that have been seen at the Alzheimer’s Center who have donated their brains upon death. Clinical course and brain imaging scans are reviewed by the neurologist, cognitive testing (often available over the course of multiple years) is reviewed by a neuropsychologist, and finally the pathologist reviews autopsy findings. The conference offers a rare opportunity to correlate clinical findings with post-mortem pathology.

Clinical Neuropsychology Lecture Series (Neuroanatomy & Neuropsychological Syndromes)
The goal of this lecture series is in part to help fellows prepare for the written Board Certification exam. The two required textbooks are among those that have been reported to be most helpful in studying for the exam. The 2006-2007 academic year will be our first trial run of this new lecture series and as such we may modify things as we go along. Please feel free to suggest changes that would make the lecture series better. There will be some preparation time on the part of fellows and other students prior to the lecture. All participants are expected to have read the relevant material before the lecture.

This lecture series is a two-part/two-year series. The first year we will review major neuroanatomical systems. There will be required reading out of Blumenfeld’s Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases (see reference below). Neuroanatomical systems reviewed will range from primary motor and sensory systems, to the basal ganglia cerebellum, to the vascular system and limbic systems. In terms of the format for each lecture both a fellow/student paired with a faculty member will be responsible for reviewing the chapter. The fellow will take the lead in presenting the information, backed by the faculty. The presenting fellow should prepare five multiple choice questions for other students and faculty to answer on their own. These questions can also be used at the end of the chapter presentation to stimulate further discussion. The questions are meant in part to be practice for taking the Board Certification exam but will not be collected and individuals need not share their responses. It is only to test oneself or stimulate discussion. All fellows are expected to read the material and be prepared to participate in discussion related to the material. Please bring questions about material you do not understand as this is really where faculty can be helpful.

During the second part of this series common neuropsychological syndromes will be reviewed. Most of the material for these lectures will be taken from the Feinberg and Farah text (see reference below) but will require supplementation in some areas. The format of these lectures will be similar to above. In some cases faculty may be the primary presenter and in some cases fellows may present the material. For all lectures both a fellow and faculty member will be pre-assigned.

Required texts: Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases. Blumenfeld, H. 2002. Sinauer Associ. Inc. Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychology. Feinberg, TE, Farah, MJ Eds. 1997. McGraw-Hill Co.

Recommended texts: Neuropsychological Assessment.4th edition. Lezak, Howieson, Loring. 2004 Oxford University Press. Clinical Neuropsychology, 4th edition. Heilman & Valenstein Eds. 2003. Oxford Press. Principles of Neurology. 6th edition. Adams, Victor, and Ropper, McGraw-Hill, 1997.

NP Research Series/Case Presentations

Research lecture series and NP Case presentations will alternate. In the Research Lecture Series faculty will present on their current research. Fellows are also expected to present on either a current research project or their dissertation at some point in their two-year position. For the case presentations fellows should select an interesting patient they have seen to present. Cases may be selected because of an interesting or unusual diagnosis. It is suggested that the fellow prepare a brief lecture on the diagnostic or other issue and use the case for illustrative purposes. Please remember to remove pt PHI prior to presenting the case. Alternatively, fellows can present a particularly difficult case on which they would like feedback from other faculty members and fellows

Neurology Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds is held weekly by the Neurology Department at UCDMC. Familiarity with a broad range of neurological symptoms and diseases is an important part of your development as an independent practitioner and attendance at additional Grand Rounds is encouraged. Postdoctoral fellows located in Sacramento are expected to attend on a week

Neuropthology/Brain Cutting

Brain cuttings that are part of UCDMC autopsies are held on most Tuesdays in the Pathology Building (behind the main hospital). A wide variety of pathologies will be covered.

Omni Series

The Behavioral Neuroscience OMNI Series is an interdisciplinary educational program for individuals from the VANCHCS, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley who have an interest in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. OMNI meets the third Thursday of each month from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, the location alternates between the Center for Mind and Brain in Davis, and UC Berkley. The Omni series is comprised a one hour case presentation, followed by a research lecture on a topic related to the patient presentation, followed by MRI brain scan review. The case presentation includes a brief neurological evaluation performed by a neurologist. The research lectures are given by Davis and Martinez VA researchers in the areas of memory, language, and motor functions among many others. During the scan reviews a brief clinical history is presented an then the patient’s scan is reviewed. General information on brain scans and neuroanatomy is reviewed in this context.

Additional didactics

• Mock ABPP oral examinations
• ADC case conferences
• ADC Research Meetings
• Alzheimer’s Disease Journal Club
• Neurosurgery Grand Rounds
• PM & Journal Club
• Psychiatry Grand Rounds
• Brain Tumor Board
• Epilepsy Journal Club
• Epilepsy Case Conference
• Neuroscience Lecture Series, UCD Neuroscience Center
• ADC Family Conference
• UCD HD Clinic
• UCD PD Clinic
• Wada test
• Intra-operative brain mapping