Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Resident Testimonials

The best part is the people who make up the program.  Some of my best friends are the resident and fellows.  I could not find the group of people that make up this residency program anywhere else.  The leadership is incredibly approachable and enjoy working with us.  It makes coming to work enjoyable every single day!
-    Douglas Wells, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

You are ready for literally anything and everything by the end of residency! Also, wonderful and approachable faculty in multiple disciplines.  Impressive feedback-response system with essentially every resident-driven recommendation to improve work-life balance being taken under serious consideration and almost always lead to meaningful positive changes in curriculum.
-    Varun Kannun, Child Neurology and Neuroimmunology Fellow

I have loved everything about my time training at BCM/TCH. Colleagues within and outside the department are wonderful people with an earnest interest in taking care of children. The dedicated pediatric neurocritical care consult service is a particular favorite- building relationships with families in the ICU has been one of the best experiences in my time here.  
-    Alexandria (Allie) Melendez-Zaidi, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

The training is truly unmatched in terms of breadth of pathology, complexity, and volume.
-    Prescott Cheong, Child Neurology

The best part of this training program is the wide-variety of pathology coupled with the plethora of faculty experts that exists in a friendly and cooperative learning environment.
-    Peter Campbell, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

The level of kindness in colleagues, staff, attendings.
-    Jamie Solis, Child Neurology

Not only do you get to see the bread-and-butter child neurology patients, but you get exposure to all the conditions that made you think the specialty was exciting in the first place. You learn something new and interesting every day!
-    Jesse Levine, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

The strength of this program lies in the solid training and unique opportunity to be exposed to a wide range of patient populations from common disorders to rare diseases.
-    Howard Koh, Child Neurology, Basic Neuroscience

The best part about training at Texas Children's is the diversity and volume of patients. If I were to choose a residency program again, I would 100% choose Baylor / Texas Children's again!
-    Manasa Sudheendra, Child Neurology

You could try a new restaurant every day and not make a mark in the amount the city has to offer. Plus, there’s always something fun happening, whether it’s a live music performance, a cultural festival, or a community event. No matter when you have a day off, there’s something to enjoy!
-    Margaret Codispoti, Child Neurology

The food, and it’s only 50 min from the beach and 50 min from the lake!
-    Jamie Solis, Child Neurology

Houston is culturally diverse and the people are warm and welcoming! 
-    Manasa Sudheendra, Child Neurology

Houston has some of the best food I have ever had in my life. And it has everything you want! We never have to repeat a restaurant because there are so many so try and they all have such incredible options, not to mention very reasonably priced.
-    Douglas Wells, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Houston is very affordable for a large city.
-    Prescott Cheong, Child Neurology

Restaurant and bar scenes are phenomenal at every level (dives/holes in walls, through fine/fancy). A truly diverse American city in everyway. Easy, quick/cheap flights to Mexico and Caribbean for long weekends/vacation. Extremely dog friendly neighborhoods!
-    Varun Kannun, Child Neurology and Neuroimmunology Fellow

Houston accommodates all types of lifestyles. It offers many activities (concerts - free and paid, outdoor activities - from nicely manicured parks for kids and dogs to more wild nature preserves to beaches, obviously lots of food and good bars/hang out spots). It has very affordable housing both within and outside of the city to rent or buy. There are phenomenal public schools (IB, dual-language Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic) and affordable daycares around the medical district. There are robust employment opportunities within and outside of medicine (for partners/spouses).
-    Alexandria (Allie) Melendez-Zaidi, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

Incredible people who inspire me to the best person and doctor I can be.
-    Prescott Cheong, Child Neurology

My fellow residents (both Peds and Child Neuro) are smart, compassionate and helpful. They're always willing to help if I need it. I rely on them constantly - questions on patient care, commiserating on challenging situations, or having fun and recharging after work.
-    Peter Campbell, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

People you can call in the middle of the night if you ever need anything—literally.
-    Jamie Solis, Child Neurology

The residents not only share their expertise in neurology but also in genetics, pediatrics, and other areas, helping all residents grow professionally.
-    Howard Koh, Child Neurology, Basic Neuroscience

They are some of the smartest individuals I have ever met. They would go above and beyond for the patients we care for and to help any other resident out. They are hilarious, so every day I find myself laughing more than I do working. They make every day enjoyable for me.
-    Douglas Wells, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
 
A tight-knit group - we always had each other’s backs. I especially enjoyed working with my NDD and physician scientist colleagues - learned a lot from each other! 
-    Varun Kannun, Child Neurology Resident and Neuroimmunology Fellow

Very casual and friendly and faculty do everything they can to advance our careers in a positive way.
-    Prescott Cheong, Child Neurology

Faculty are helpful, approachable and friendly. I have everyone's phone number and have no issue finding help if I need it. They're also excellent mentors who focus on supporting me and what I want to do with my career.
-    Peter Campbell, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

Supportive and wonderful mentors! Even from my time as an undergraduate and medical student, the faculty in the child neurology department have been exceptional mentors, guiding me through every step of my medical journey. They are always approachable, offer valuable feedback, and are genuinely invested in our professional growth from the beginning.
-    Margaret Codispoti, Child Neurology

Accessible; I know I can reach out about any patient or even career advice.
-    Jamie Solis, Child Neurology

The faculty help residents grow in their approach to patient care, not just by sharing medical knowledge, but by explaining important considerations in clinical settings based on their own experiences. They are also always open to mentoring.
-    Howard Koh, Child Neurology, Basic Neuroscience

We share a great relationship with our faculty who are approachable, friendly and always willing to help. They are encouraging and supportive in the day-to-day work on service/in clinic, research, life and overall in achieving our goals.
-    Manasa Sudheendra, Child Neurology

The relationship is very collaborative. Our faculty are the leaders in the field, but when we interact with them, it feels more like we are working together rather taking instructions and carrying out their plans. They really take into consideration our thoughts on patients and work with us to create care plans for our patients rather than adhere to their way of doing something. They are also always willing to go above and beyond to teach when it is needed.
-    Douglas Wells, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Exceeded expectations. Good balance of younger faculty who very much relate with the resident experience, and seasoned faculty who impart a lot of old school "art of medicine” wisdom. I definitely felt like I made some lifelong connections here! 
-    Varun Kannun, Child Neurology and Neuroimmunology Fellow

The relationship between faculty and residents is great. I have been very impressed with the respect that is given for our autonomy, while still intervening to ensure patient management is appropriate and we continue to learn. 
-    Alexandria (Allie) Melendez-Zaidi, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience

Considerations about diversification, equality, and inclusiveness are always present in the conversation when talking about ways to improve our program and the hospital. You can tell that the leadership within our program and even the residents in the program are conscious to constantly consider and promote this in all our processes as a department.
-    Doug Wells, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

I was a member of the Neurology Equity and Unity (NEU) committee during residency. It was refreshing and encouraging to see so many other faculty and trainees being passionate about these efforts. Especially in a sociopolitical climate that often presents serious and unique challenges to our field.
-    Varun Kannun, Child Neurology and Neuroimmunology Fellow

This is something that the resident program, the division, and the hospital have been considerate of since I began, and have really focused on in the last few years such that there are clear changes that have been made that include taking these factors into account when recruiting / hiring, taking care of patients, and beyond.
-    Alexandria (Allie) Melendez-Zaidi, Child Neurology/Basic Neuroscience