Message from Program Leadership
The Cleveland Clinic Neurology Residency Program is a premier resident-centric training program that provides learners with unparalleled opportunities to develop the skills necessary to excel as clinical neurologists, educators and researchers. The program provides a supportive and innovative learning environment. The curriculum includes broad exposure to key areas of inpatient and outpatient neurology while maintaining flexibility to individualize clinical and research experiences based on each resident’s goals.
A diverse patient population offers challenging clinical experiences spanning the spectrum of neurological diseases. Our multidisciplinary model of care provides collaborative, patient-centered care emphasizing teamwork, communication and safety. Residents are highly engaged in efforts to improve quality of patient care through evaluation of patient outcomes.
Our categorical training program includes early exposure to neurology with three months of neurology and one month of psychiatry during the first year of internal medicine training. Our inpatient services focus on increasing autonomy and responsibility throughout residency to promote the development of confidence, independence and leadership skills. A unique subspecialty longitudinal clinic ensures all residents have similar learning experiences. Residents are provided with seven months of elective time, beginning in the PGY-2 year, to explore areas of potential interest. Additional opportunities include dedicated learning time in Neurophysiology and Pathology.
Faculty members from every subspecialty of neurology are committed to providing exceptional clinical education and research mentorship. All faculty and senior residents have opportunities within the Cleveland Clinic to further develop teaching skills through formal curriculum including experiential learning. A research support structure ensures that every resident has the opportunity to contribute to advancing knowledge in the field of neurology.
MaryAnn Mays, MD
Program Director
A. Blake Buletko, MD
Associate Program Director
Kerry Levin, MD
Chair, Department of Neurology
Curriculum
Program Description
The Neurology Residency Program, which is ACGME-accredited, accepts candidates through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). There are ten categorical positions offered per year in our four-year program, including an integrated prelim internal medicine year at Cleveland Clinic.
First Year of Residency (PGY-1)
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) requires that the PGY-1 year be spent in an accredited medical training program. Our categorical program seamlessly integrates this introduction to medicine during the PGY-1 year while also fulfilling other ABPN requirements such as the psychiatry rotation (4 weeks). This year also includes three months of neurology, which consists of rotations on stroke, general neurology, consults, and night float to facilitate integration into the neurology department.
First Year of Neurology Residency (PGY-2)
During PGY-2, the focus is on direct patient care in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Cleveland Clinic uses a 4+1 week system, which means four weeks of hospital-based rotation followed by a week of outpatient subspecialty clinics including continuity clinic.
Most of the hospital-based weeks are spent on stroke and general neurology supplemented with night float, consults, neurological ICU (NICU), epilepsy, and pediatric neurology. The inpatient general neurology team consists of a senior neurology resident (PGY3 or PGY4), junior neurology residents, and medical students. The inpatient stroke team consists of senior neurology resident (PGY3 or PGY4), junior neurology residents (PGY2 or PGY1), a medicine resident, three APPs, and medical students.
Second and Third Years of Neurology Residency (PGY-3 and PGY-4)
A senior resident spends about 12 weeks per year managing the three inpatient services, which includes general neurology, stroke, and adult consults. Senior residents also spend time as our neurohospitalist, which includes triaging the neurology consult pager. You will also spend a few weeks as the first responder to in-house and ED acute stroke. Other rotations include night float, neuro ICU (NICU), epilepsy, and pediatrics. The remaining time is split between electives and ambulatory clinics.
During PGY-3, you will spend ten weeks in a clinical neurophysiology rotation. A two-month EEG/epilepsy rotation features an in-depth course covering EEG, evoked potentials, and intraoperative monitoring. Residents read EEG records, attend staff reading sessions and epilepsy outpatient clinics. A two week rotation in the EMG laboratory includes didactic sessions, as well as hands-on experience in the techniques of nerve conduction studies and needle electrode examinations.
During PGY-4, there is a neuropathology course (8 weeks) where residents are able to work directly with our neuropathologists. Residents also spend 4 weeks doing regional neurology as a consultant in a community hospital.
PGY-2 Schedule
- Stroke Neurology: 10 weeks
- General Neurology: 10 weeks
- Night Float: 5 weeks
- Neuro ICU: 2 weeks
- Adult Consults: 4 weeks
- Epilepsy (Adult + Pediatric): 4 weeks
Outpatient Rotations
- Pediatrics: 2 weeks
- Subspeciality Clinics: 8 weeks
- Elective: 6 weeks
PGY-3 Schedule
- Stroke Neurology: 4 weeks
- General Neurology: 3 weeks
- Night Float: 3 weeks
- Neuro ICU: 2 weeks
- Adult Consults: 3 weeks
- Epilepsy (Adult + Pediatric): 4 weeks
- Pediatric Consults: 2 weeks
Outpatient Rotations
- EMG Course: 2 weeks
- EEG Course: 8 weeks
- Subspeciality Clinics: 8 weeks
- Elective: 7 weeks
PGY-4 Schedule
Inpatient Rotations
- General Neurology: 2 weeks
- Night Float: 2 weeks
- Adult Consults: 3 weeks
- Pediatric Consults: 4 weeks
- Regional Neurology: 4 weeks
Outpatient Rotations
- Neuropathology: 8 weeks
- Subspeciality Clinics: 8 weeks
- Elective: 12 weeks
Elective Rotations
Trainees in Neurology can choose from a vast array of elective rotations. Residents with particular research interests may use multiple blocks of elective time to devote to specific projects. For special academic pursuits, residents may spend elective time away from Cleveland Clinic, upon approval from the Program Director. The below list is not all-inclusive, as residents have done electives in a variety of fields.
- Autonomic Disorders
- Carotid Ultrasound/Transcranial Doppler
- Cognitive Disorders
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- EEG
- EMG/Neuromuscular
- Evoked Potentials
- Headache
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroimmunology
- Neuro-Oncology
- Neuro-Ophthalmology
- Neuro-Infectious Disease
- Neuroradiology
- Pain Management
- Palliative Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Regional Neurology
- Research
- Rheumatology
- Sleep Medicine
- Stroke, including Interventional Neuroradiology
Evaluations
As part of the residency requirement, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, requires each resident to satisfactorily complete five clinical skills evaluation exercises (NEX). These examinations are designed to assess the residents’ competency in medical interviewing, neurologic examination, humanistic qualities, professionalism and counseling skills. Each resident will be observed and evaluated by one of our faculty members in five different areas: critical care, neuromuscular, ambulatory, neurodegenerative and child neurology. Following each encounter, discussion and feedback from the faculty member will be given to the resident. These NEX exams will take place during the PGY-2, PGY-3 and early part of the PGY-4 years. During each of the training years, residents take the RITE written self-assessment examination provided by the American Academy of Neurology. In addition, our residents are asked to evaluate the faculty with whom they work (and vice versa), and also the services on which they rotate.
Benefits
Senior residents are permitted to moonlight on the Neurology, Epilepsy and NICU services. Residents are provided with the opportunity to attend national meetings to present their research, with financial support from the department. The department also sponsors junior membership in the American Academy of Neurology for all residents. Four weeks are allotted for vacation each year, which includes a one-week holiday block. Our residents are given a $500 educational fund to be used towards books or other learning resources during their training.
Fellowship Programs
- Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry (Las Vegas and Cleveland)
- Clinical Neurophysiology
- Clinical Neurophysiology, EEG & Epilepsy
- Epilepsy
- Headache Medicine
- Interventional Neuroradiology
- Movement Disorders
- Neurocritical Care
- Neuroimmunology
- Neuromuscular Medicine
- Neuro-Oncology
- Sleep Medicine
- Vascular Neurology
Application Process
Application Requirements
Our ACGME-accredited Neurology Program accepts candidates through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). There are ten positions offered per year in our four year (PGY-1 to PGY-4) program which includes a required first year in Internal Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. There is no need to apply separately to Internal Medicine. Cleveland Clinic sponsors both J-1 and H-1B visas. We also welcome Doctors of Osteopathy to apply to the Neurology Residency Program.
Preferences
- We prefer USMLE scores Steps I and II >220
- We prefer COMLEX scores Steps I and II >500
- Applicants may submit either USMLE or COMLEX scores; taking both tests is not required
- We prefer that applicants have graduated from medical school within the past 5 years
Minimum Requirements
- International Medical Graduates must possess a valid ECFMG certificate by rank list submission
- International Medical Graduates must have at least one month of U.S. clinical experience (includes acting internship or observership)
- U.S. Medical Students must have passed USMLE I and sat for the USMLE II by November of the year applying through ERAS
We begin accepting applications in September per the ERAS timelines and our deadline for applications is November 15. Prospective candidates are contacted via Thalamus to schedule a virtual interview. Our interviews will run from November to January.
Program Contacts
MaryAnn Mays, MD
Program Director
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Ave / C21
Cleveland, OH 44195
A. Blake Buletko, MD
Associate Program Director
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Ave / S80
Cleveland, OH 44195
Megan Nieuwoudt
Residency Program Manager
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Ave / S100A
Cleveland, OH 44195
Phone: 216.444.2945
Fax: 216.445.9908
Email: nieuwom@ccf.org
Current Residents
Education has been an integral component of Cleveland Clinic's mission since its inception in 1921. As a part of that overall commitment to education, below are the recognized current neurology residents who value the importance of providing the highest quality of medical care.
Adult Neurology Residents
PGY-1
John (Dan) Bireley, MD
Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Marie Byrnes, DO
Medical School: Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York
Eric Dunn, DO
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie
Patrick Gilson, DO MHA
Medical School: Des Moines University, College Of Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery
Jonathan (Will) Handshoe, MD
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Jeffrey Lambe, MBBCh
Medical School: University College Dublin, Ireland
Emily Maly, MD
Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine
Maria Sokola, MD
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Faez Syed, MD
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Sanem (Pinar) Uysal, MD
Medical School: KOC University, Turkey
PGY-2
Albert Aboseif, DO
Medical School: College of Osteopathic Medicine of The Pacific
Kimberly DiMauro, DO
Medical School: Ohio University
Aron Gedansky, MD
Medical School: Temple University
Merry Huang, MD
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Avery Kundrick, MD
Medical School: Pennsylvania State University
Zachary McKee, MD
Medical School: Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Annalisa Morgan, MD
Medical School: Rush University
Carol Swetlik, MD
Medical School: Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Karlo Toljan, MD
Medical School: University of Zagreb
Andrew Zhang, MD
Medical School: University of Minnesota
PGY-3
Moein Amin, MD
Medical School: Griffith University School of Medicine, Australia
Undergraduate: Melbourne University, Australia
Nirmal Andrapalliyal, MD
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
David Baker, DO
Medical School: College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Pomona
Undergraduate: University of California San Diego
Pradeep Chandan, DO
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of British Columbia, Canada
Andrew Dhawan, MD
Medical School: Queen’s University, Faculty of Medicine, Canada
Graduate: University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Undergraduate: University of Waterloo, Canada
Jeremy Hill, MD
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Joshua Rim, MD
Medical School: State University of New York Upstate Medical University
Graduate: Drexel University
Undergraduate: Williams College
Joshua Santucci, MD
Medical School: University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Oklahoma
Aaron Shoskes, DO
Medical School: Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery
Undergraduate: University of Denver
Kristopher Southard, MD
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Kansas
PGY-4
Alise Carlson, MD
Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School
Undergraduate: St. Olaf College
Jennifer Chima, MD
Medical School: The University of Toledo College of Medicine
Undergraduate: The Ohio State University
Tracey Fan, DO
Medical School: Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Utah
Eric Gruenthal, MD
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Graduate: Union Graduate College
Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
Ahmad Mahadeen, MD
Medical School: Mu'Tah University, Jordan
Bhageeradh Mulpur, MD
Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Meghan Purohit, DO
Medical School: William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Emory University
Danielle Richards, DO
Medical School: Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Puget Sound
Monica Scarsella, DO
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Gannon University
Michael Zatt, DO
Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Miami University
Ongoing Activities
Conferences/Didactics
The Cleveland Clinic Neurology Residency Program offers an extensive schedule of didactic and continuing medical education lecture series and conferences for trainees and staff including:
Daily (M-F) Noon Conference Series
- Neuroscience and Neuroanatomy
- Disease Pathophysiology and Management
- Professional Development
- Research, Statistics, Epidemiology
- Quality Improvement Series
- Case Conference
- Signs and Symptoms Workshops
Daily Neuroradiology Rounds
- Interpret Imaging Studies with a Staff Neuroradiologist
- Apply Neuroanatomy to Clinical Practice
- Discuss differential diagnoses relating to specific imaging findings
Weekly Conferences
- Neurology Grand Rounds
- Cerebrovascular Conference
- Epilepsy Grand Rounds
- Epilepsy Patient Management Conference
- Pediatric Neurology Grand Rounds
- Pediatric Neurology Neuroimaging Conference
- Evidence Based Medicine Conference
Other Conferences
- Adult & Child Neurology Journal Clubs
- Brain-Cutting/Pathology Sessions
- Quarterly Resident Meeting with Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic, Cleveland Clinic CEO
- Quarterly Neurological Institute Core Conference Series
- Neurology Morbidity and Mortality Rounds
- Monthly Meeting with Program Director, Department Chairman and Residents
- Monthly Quality Improvement Conference
- Resident Wellness Series
Visiting Professor
Visiting professors are selected through subspecialty departments. This individual, a neurologist of international stature, gives a keynote speech and participates in educational activities with the residents.
Away Conferences
In addition to the above conferences, residents are encouraged to attend and present at national meetings. A generous travel policy by the Neurological Institute supports and promotes these functions.
Living in Cleveland
Cleveland, an ethnically diverse, mid-sized city located on Lake Erie, features a host of cultural attractions, recreational activities, major sporting events and an exploding culinary scene. Cleveland is home to the second largest theater district in the U.S., a park system featuring 23,700 acres in 18 reservations, and is the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll, home to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Cleveland Clinic is located near the University Circle area, which is the cultural epicenter of Cleveland. This area features Severance Hall and the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Art, several other museums, and Case Western Reserve University. Downtown Cleveland, home to all major sports venues and an exploding culinary scene, is approximately two miles from Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.
