Fellowship Training

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (NYPWC) is a leader in clinical care, research, and education related to epilepsy, electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), neuromuscular disorders, intraoperative monitoring, and other aspects of neurophysiology. We offer several types of one-year ACGME-accredited clinical neurophysiology fellowship positions at NYPWC, the Weill Cornell Peripheral Neuropathy Center, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).

Comprehensive training in clinical neurophysiology appropriate for ABPN-CN certification in clinical neurophysiology EMG and Neuromuscular disease Track is provided to all fellows. The program is designed primarily for applicants with a strong interest in a specific aspect of clinical neurophysiology. Subspecialty options include: 

• Adult EEG/Epilepsy and Intraoperative Monitoring Track
• Pediatric EEG/Epilepsy Track
• EMG and Neuromuscular disease Track

For foreign applicants, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital ONLY sponsors J-1 visas through ECFMG.

Training Activities

Both the adult and pediatric EEG/epilepsy fellows are responsible for supervised reading of routine EEGs (about 1,500 per year, including adults, children, and infants), evoked potentials (about 300 per year), and video-EEGs (some 600 per year). They also participate in related special procedures, such as Wada tests, intraoperative electrocorticography, and programming of vagal nerve stimulators. EEG/epilepsy fellows also participate in the care of inpatients undergoing video monitoring in the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center's outpatient clinics. 

For approximately two months of the year, all EEG/epilepsy fellows have a hands-on role in EMG and related laboratory studies at the MSKCC campus and either NYPWC or the Weill Cornell Peripheral Neuropathy Center for adult and pediatric fellows, respectively.

Adult EEG/epilepsy fellows divide their time between both the NYPWC and MSKCC campuses. Intraoperative monitoring procedures -- including cortical mapping via evoked potentials and direct stimulation, EMG monitoring of skull base procedures, and EP monitoring of spinal cord procedures -- occur exclusively at the MSKCC campus. In addition, adult EEG/epilepsy fellows participate in weekly outpatient brain tumor epilepsy clinics while at the MSKCC campus.

Pediatric EEG/epilepsy fellows concentrate on inpatient and outpatient management of pediatric seizure disorders. Up to 11 months of the year are spent on the inpatient pediatric epilepsy service (including video-EEG reading), with the remainder on the adult epilepsy service. EEG/EP and EMG activities are similar to those of the adult epilepsy fellow in order to meet the clinical neurophysiology criteria for board eligibility. There is also an alternative option to rotate through the adult and pediatric sleep center in lieu of the EMG requirement.

EMG/neuromuscular disease fellows are responsible for supervised performance and interpretation of nerve conduction studies, electromyography, and related special studies such as neuromuscular transmission studies (about 900 per year) at at NYPWC, Peripheral Neuropathy Center, and Spine Center. EMG/neuromuscular disease fellows also perform consultations for inpatients with neuromuscular disease. At the Peripheral Neuropathy Center, fellows participate in monthly lecture series and focused research projects. For approximately two months of the year, EMG/neuromuscular disease fellows assume the EEG/epilepsy fellows' role in outpatient laboratory studies.

In addition, broad training in clinical neurophysiology for all fellows is assured via an extensive didactic program that includes weekly clinical neurophysiologic teaching conferences, surgical epilepsy conferences, and journal clubs that cover the full range of standard neurophysiologic procedures.

Requirements and Application Procedures

Applicants must have completed an ACGME-approved residency in Neurology at the time of entrance into the program (typically July 1), and must be board-eligible in the Neurology section of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. To apply, send a letter of intent with a statement of career interests, a curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to the appropriate contact person listed below. Applicants are required to indicate and substantiate their area of subspecialty interest in the letter of intent.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and interview season begins in late fall,  two years prior to the intended fellowship start date.  Applicants are encouraged to apply early and submit their applications by October.

For more information and to inquire about how to submit an application, please contact Padmaja Kandula, MD, Program Director.  

Please send application materials DIRECTLY to the email addresses of the associated track directors listed below.  Please do not send application materials to the program coordinators.   

Adult EEG/Epilepsy track:
Padmaja Kandula, MD 

Pediatric EEG/Epilepsy track:
Sristhi Nangia, MD

EMG/Neuromuscular Disease track:
Michael Rubin, MD

In addition to several ACGME Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowships (EEG/IOM, EMG, or Pediatric emphasis) we also offer ACGME accredited Adult Epilepsy positions.  Trainees can elect to do one or two years of fellowship training with either one year of Clinical Neurophysiology or Epilepsy or alternatively a two-year ACGME fellowship training program with dual certification in Clinical Neurophysiology followed by Epilepsy.  Both fellowships are ACGME accredited leading to dual ABPN (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology) board certification recognized by both ACGME and ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties).

Training Activities

The Epilepsy Fellowship includes specific training in clinical epilepsy, including surgical epilepsy. The emphasis during the fellowship year is management of complex medical and surgical epilepsy patients and interpretation of long-term EEG monitoring including intracranial recordings.    

Training is in the area of Epilepsy with broad exposure to routine adult and pediatric EEGs, long-term video EEG monitoring (both in the epilepsy monitoring unit and ICU setting), and intracranial surgical monitoring with subdural grids/strips/depth electrodes and stereotactic EEG.  In addition, fellows are involved with the latest techniques in Responsive Nerve Stimulation (RNS), Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and Laser Guided Thermal Ablation for Epilepsy.  We also have an active ketogenic and adjunctive dietary treatment program for Epilepsy.

Fellows are directly involved with all aspects of pre-surgical epilepsy workup including Wada testing and cortical brain mapping.  Trainees also rotate through the pediatric epilepsy monitoring unit for broad exposure to pediatric syndromes and surgical management.  In addition to inpatient training, all trainees also see their own patients in weekly Epilepsy clinic with exposure to a medically refractory epilepsy population. 

Fellows divide their time between Cornell Medical Center and adjacent Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).  Fellows are exposed to all aspects of clinical epilepsy (as above) at Cornell Medical Center. At MSKCC, fellows additionally attend weekly epilepsy clinic with emphasis on tumor-related epilepsy, offering exposure to a unique subpopulation of patients. Fellows are exposed to both routine and continuous EEG as well as weekly surgical electrocorticography at MSKCC.  

Trainees further refine their clinical management skills by presenting complex medical or surgical epilepsy cases at a multidisciplinary conference with the guidance of supervising faculty.  Fellows learn to appraise and assimilate all diagnostic testing including electrographic data, specialty imaging, and neuro-psychologic data.  In addition to weekly Epilepsy didactic lectures from faculty, fellows participate in monthly journal club and monthly neuroradiology rounds.

Epilepsy fellows also have dedicated elective time and are encouraged to pursue individual research projects or gain additional experience in the care of patients with epilepsy and seizures, epilepsy research, neuropsychology, or neuroimaging.

Requirements and Application Procedures  

Applicants must have completed an ACGME-approved residency in Neurology at the time of entrance into the program (typically July 1), and must be board-eligible in the Neurology section of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. To apply, send a letter of intent with a statement of career interests, a curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to the fellowship director. 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and interview season begins in late fall.   Applicants are encouraged to apply early and submit their applications by October.   

 For more information and to inquire about how to submit an application, please contact Padmaja Kandula, MD, Program Director.  

Please send application materials DIRECTLY to the program director as listed below.  Please do not send application materials to the program coordinators.   

Epilepsy Fellowship:
Padmaja Kandula, MD