For those with a clear sense of their direction and interests, as well as for those still exploring their career options within child neurology, our program pathways offer opportunities to pursue career interests from early in your training. You may choose (but are not required) to join one or more of our pathways.

All pathways share some common elements, including quarterly meetings, journal clubs, invited speakers, and workshops. Residents in the general pediatrics portion of their training (i.e. PGY-1 and PGY-2) are welcome to attend.

The pathways can also provide structured elective experiences during call-free elective time. These blocks, protected for dedicated career exploration and development, are divided into one month in the PGY-3 year, two months in the PGY-4 year, and three months in the PGY-5 year. For those in the laboratory and clinical research pathway, there is also the option for two months in the PGY-3 year and one month in the PGY-4 year.

Pathways

Global neurology

Boston Children’s has a strong global neurology program. Individuals inclined to global health work can begin to travel to our various sites and ongoing engagements during their PGY-2 year, but it is anticipated that most of the time on site will be during the above-noted call-free electives. Financial support is available.

We have a vibrant videoconferencing relationship with several programs globally and have shared clinical conferences bimonthly with our partners.

Archana Patel, MD, MPH, is the key faculty member for this track, aided by Maitreyi Mazumdar, MD, MPH.

Medical education

While we anticipate that most of our graduates will go on to careers in academic medicine and therefore will be involved in medical education and teaching, we recognize that for some graduates, this will be the hallmark of their academic career and development.

The medical education pathway allows students to hone their teaching skills, develop curriculum, and engage in the beginnings of educational research in child neurology.

Most students in this pathway apply for the Harvard Macy Institute medical educator training program, which can readily be incorporated into the call-free elective time note, as well as the Boston Children’s Hospital Academy of Teaching and Educational Innovation and Scholarship.

Miya Bernson-Leung, MD, EdM, is the key faculty member for this pathway, assisted by David Urion, MD, FAAN.

Public policy and health services research

We have a strong presence in the public policy and health services sphere, which includes ongoing faculty projects in health care delivery to children with significant medical complexity, our development of new models of shared care for children with complex needs, and outreach to community health centers in urban and rural settings (the latter through our partnership with Baystate Medical Center). We are just a block down the road from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and many of our residents and faculty engage in opportunities available through this connection.

Individuals in this pathway have presented their work at national and international meetings and are actively shaping policy at the national, state, and local levels.

Stephanie Donatelli is the key faculty member in this pathway, aided by Richard Antonelli, MD, MS, from the Care Integration Office at Boston Children’s, an internationally recognized authority on care of children with medical complexity.

Laboratory and clinical research

This pathway permits individuals to pursue a career in laboratory or clinical investigation throughout their training, without the interruption in continuity that a neuroscience year produces (i.e., a system where one has a concentrated 12 months for research, and then no opportunities to return to research over the ensuing 36 months). It is anticipated that the PGY-3 experience would allow for sampling of various labs in the department and the surrounding institutions to find a “fit,” and then begin to pursue a research path.

Many in this pathway pursue the R25 research program, in which we collaborate with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Neurology. We have a strong track record of individuals being successful in their R25 applications, given the mentoring and support we provide.

Mustafa Sahin, MD, PhD, is the key faculty member for this pathway, aided by Sarah Spence, MD, PhD.