Subspecialty & Scholarly Opportunities

Residents experience the full spectrum of child neurology – from the “bread and butter” of primary care neurology, to the most specialized multidisciplinary collaborations and research partnerships – Residents can explore and expand their scope of knowledge during residency, and into fellowship training.

Subspecialty clinical and research programs –  

• Pediatric epilepsy – Epilepsy neurogenetics (UNC-ENGI), pediatric epilepsy surgery (*link to epilepsy page), and specialized team of diet treatments of epilepsy. Epilepsy fellowship training is offered by UNC neurology.
• Carolina Institute of Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) – clinical care, research, advocacy,and leadership opportunities, the LEND program
• The specialty neurocutaneous disorders clinics – the Tuberous Sclerosis, Neurofibromatosis, and UNC Centers of Excellence (CoE) for HHT and SWS
• Pediatric Sleep Medicine – through lifespan and range of neurological and systemic  comorbidities. Sleep medicine fellowship training is offered by UNC neurology.
• Clinic for Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders – holistic team approach. Movement disorders fellowship opportunity by UNC Neurology.
• Neuromuscular disorders – DMD, SMA newborn screening and full range of treatment programs. Neuromuscular fellowship offered by UNC Neurology.
• Pediatric neurogenetics – UNC-Epilepsy Neurogenetic Initiative (ENGI), a multidisciplinary clinical and research collaboration aimed to advances the care of patients with genetic epilepsy, works in collaboration with researchers, clinicians, and programs such as UNC Program of Precision Medicine in Health Care (PPMH). Our specialists run a range of specialized programs to coordinate and care for patients with rare genetic disorders. Examples include Angelman syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis, Chromosome 15q duplication syndrome, Rett syndrome, Batten Disease CLN2 treatment program, HHT and SWS.
• The Health Care Transition Clinic from childhood to adult – program to address the unique needs of young adults with neurological disorders.
• Neurocritical care and vascular specialists – resident participation in implementations science projects, and exposed resting state functional MRI research, and fellowship opportunities in Stroke and NCC.
• Neonatal neurology collaboration, and implementation science projects.

Research, Teaching and Leadership, Global Health

Residents are encouraged to explore and develop skills in vast range of research, advocacy and scholarly activities by child neurology faculty and other specialists – from quality improvement methodology, to basic science, to translational research.

• Research – Explore below examples of residents’ research projects and presentations in national meetings! Residents participate in advocacy and implementations science projects.
  
• Teaching and Leadership – Residents have the opportunity to develop teaching and leadership skills and participate in the Academy of Educators, and the LEND program.
• Global Health – And last, (but not least!), in collaboration with the nationally acclaimed UNC School of Public Health, residents have access to global health opportunities, fromPediatrics Global Health Program, to projects during residency and fellowship training.

Scholarly Activities and Accomplishments

Two of our residents, Drs. Sonia Varghese and Katelyn Bricker, published multiple abstracts at the 49th Annual Child Neurology Society (CNS) Virtual Meeting held on October 12 – 23, 2020. One of Dr. Bricker’s posters, “Sleep Dysfunction in Rett Syndrome,” was awarded the M. Richard Koenigsberger Scholarship.

2020 abstracts included:

Sleep in Rett Syndrome
Katelyn Bricker MD, MS and Zheng (Jane) Fan, MD

The forgotten TORCH
Katelyn Bricker MD, MS and Yael Shiloh-Malawsky, MD

Addis Clinic – Telemedicine in Epilepsy
Sonia Varghese, MD, MPH, MBA and Yael Shiloh-Malawsky, MD

Menkes Disease in 5 Siblings
Sonia Varghese, MD, MPH, MBA and Yael Shiloh-Malawsky, MD

Child Neurology Society (CNS) Annual meeting, Vancouver, October 2023 – three of our residents/fellows presented posters! (attached posters below)

Seizure Resolution and Anti-Seizure Medication Discontinuation in Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Undergoing Therapeutic Hypothermia: An Observational Study
Michaela Squire DO

Improving time to treatment of neonatal seizures
Steven Papas, MD

Below are photos from the Child Neurology Society Meeting, Vancouver Oct. 2023