Welcome to the Baylor College of Medicine Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Residency Programs! We thank you for your interest in our programs, which are composed of three pathways: Categorical Child Neurology, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Basic Neuroscience Research Pathway. As the 2021-2022 child neurology chief residents, we are excited to share with you the strengths and opportunities that drew us to the program several years ago, as well as the innovative things we are helping to implement as we all embark in the next era of child neurology.
Our residency is officially administered via Baylor College of Medicine, though our home base for most of our clinical time is Texas Children’s Hospital (down the street from BCM in the incredible Texas Medical Center). The U.S News and World Report ranks Texas Children's as the #3 children’s hospital and #2 for Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery in the country for 2021-2022. We have the opportunity every day to work with and learn from the faculty at the forefront of their respective fields in an enormous quaternary care center with a vast catchment area, meaning we see and learn just about everything there is in pediatric neurology over our five-six years here.
During our adult neurology training, we work at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor St Luke’s Medical Center, and Ben Taub General Hospital (our county hospital), which allows us to see a huge diversity of patients and broad spectrum of pathologies. We put a strong emphasis on education and ensure there is protected time set aside each day for lectures, during which we are free from clinical responsibilities (our attendings respond to incoming clinical communications during this protected time).
Academic opportunities drew us to the program, but our favorite part is the sense of community within the program. With up to seven residents per class (three CN, two NDD, and two BNS residents) we have a close-knit and strong support system, supplemented by our dinners out, running, painting, playing music, trivia nights, and other activities together. Some of us have significant others and children while some of us do not; either way we love coming together both in and outside of work.
This sense of community extends to the faculty. Our attendings are always willing to help and happy to teach. In particular, our Program Directors, Drs. Lotze (Child Neurology), Risen (Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) and Chao (Basic Neuroscience) are strong advocates for the residents. They are consistently implementing changes based on our feedback.
As we start to look back at our experience here, we can feel very confident moving forward. We hope all our trainees will graduate with the same sentiment.
Although the COVID pandemic has altered our interview season again this year, we are hopeful that this site will help you get a feel for and understanding of the program. It is difficult to substitute virtual for in person visits, so please feel free to reach out to either of us with any questions, be it about academic opportunities or the best places to eat in Houston (we’ve even got some great takeout places). Thanks for taking the time to get to know us. We look forward to meeting you!
Sincerely,
2021-2022 Co-Chief Residents
