Child Neurology

Program Overview

The Child Neurology fellowship program is a 3-year ACGME-I accredited program offered by the Division of Neurology at Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar. The program faculty includes Canadian, American and UK board certified pediatric neurologists, some of whom have further subspecialty expertise in epilepsy, neuromuscular disorders and neurogenetics, and all of whom are invested in teaching and training the next generation of pediatric neurologists.

The Pediatric Neurology division at Sidra Medicine is the sole provider for pediatric neurology tertiary care for Qatar, and as such has the capacity to meet the demands of postgraduate education in the subspecialty of child neurology.

Throughout the 3-year training program, fellows get ample exposure to both inpatient and outpatient pediatric neurology, adult neurology, as well electives and mandatory rotations in specialties relevant to their training. With the availability of unique services at Sidra Medicine including subspecialty multidisciplinary outpatient clinics and a state of the art 6-bed Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU), trainees get the opportunity to be exposed to both primary and tertiary pediatric neurology cases. In addition to these clinical resources, didactic teaching, research and quality improvement initiatives are embedded in the Child Neurology fellowship curriculum, allowing for a rich and well-rounded training exposure for fellows.

Goals and Objectives

The overall goal of Child Neurology fellowship is to prepare the fellow for independent practice of clinical pediatric neurology. The goals and objectives are set to meet the 6 core competencies set by the ACGME-I framework.
These include:

  • Fellows must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the treatment of patients presenting with neurological disorders and promotion of health in their field of child neurology.
  • Fellows must demonstrate knowledge of the established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.
  • Fellows must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning.
  • Fellows must demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families as well as with junior and senior colleagues, nursing staff and allied health care professionals.
  • Fellows must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.
  • Fellows must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.

Clinical Training and Key Rotations

During the 3-year training program, fellows spend up to 18 months in inpatient pediatric neurology, covering both neurology inpatient admission services as well as the consultation services for the hospital (Emergency department, Intensive care units, pediatric wards, subspecialty wards). Starting from their first year of training and continuing until completion of their program, fellows attend their weekly outpatient continuity clinics and get further exposure to subspecialty neurology clinics in their last year of training.  Child Neurology fellows spend 6-months in Adult Neurology at Hamad General Hospital where they get exposure to both inpatient and outpatient adult neurology. Fellows receive direct and indirect supervision as well as get many opportunities for mentorship. Quality improvement initiatives and research are embedded in the curriculum, with 2 months of protected research time. Furthermore, fellows have protected time for weekly didactics and participate in pediatric neurology grand round and journal clubs. The program follows ACGME-I guidelines for duty hours.

Key Rotations
Inpatient Pediatric Neurology
Outpatient Pediatric Neurology (Weekly Fellows’ Continuity Clinics)
Adult Neurology rotations at Hamad General Hospital
Electroencephalography (EEG) Rotations
Pediatric Neuroradiology
Pediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology
Child Psychiatry
Electives (Developmental Pediatrics, Rehabilitation Medicine, Genetics, Neurosurgery)
Research

Entry Requirements

  • Completion of an ACGME-I accredited or equivalent residency training program in Pediatrics.
  • Board certification in core specialty (Pediatrics).
  • Hold a valid Medical License or be eligible for licensure in Qatar (click here for more details).

Contact Information