Program Highlights

Exclusive Training Partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Weill Cornell Neurology is the only neurology residency program in New York City with a long-standing and intimate relationship with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Our residents benefit from the complexity of neurological cases at MSKCC, dedicated mentorship, and abundant research opportunities. Residents are able to contribute to dozens of clinical trials and work on both translational and basic science research projects. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of time at MSKCC is the daily opportunity to discuss cases with senior neurologists and neuro-oncologists in morning report. Faculty routinely host housestaff breakfasts to discuss the emotional and psychological aspects of oncological care in addition to resident wellness. A number of recent graduates of our program have gone on to become fellows and attendings at MSKCC.

Exceptional Research Opportunities, Research Track, and the McGraw Fellow in Neurology Research

Kellyann Niotis with the 2020 Research Award

Residents in our program are actively involved in research. We work with faculty in the Brain and Mind Research Institute, the Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, subspecialty centers, and education faculty on various scholarly projects. For mentored projects in basic science, residents work with faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine, Rockefeller University, and MSKCC. Our annual Resident Research Symposium features residents presenting on work they previously presented at various scientific meetings or have published. Our residents have had a robust presence at meetings including the International Stroke Conference and the American Academy of Neurology. Identification of candidates for numerous clinical trials is routine for our residents in inpatient and outpatient practice. One superlative resident is chosen annually at the end of the PGY III year to be honored as the McGraw Fellow in Neurology Research for their PGY IV year where substantial dedicated research time will be alotted.  In addition, one resident position every 4 years is supported by the Brain and Mind Research Institute to plan for research elective time through the 4 years, including substantial and blocked research elective time during the PGY IV year.

Neurology Resident as Educator Track

Residents interested in developing careers as neurology educators may apply for selection to this competitive track during their PGY I year. Formal teaching, curriculum development, and committee responsibilities are graded by PGY year, with participation in an education research project mentored by our core education faculty.

Unique Morning Report

Morning report at Weill Cornell takes place each morning, where consult residents present interesting neurological cases from the prior day and night. Uniquely, several Neurology faculty including our chair Dr. Fink attend morning report each day to discuss cases, lending expert advice and mentorship to the consult team.

Mobile Stroke Treatment Units

In partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian and FDNY, we feature 3 Mobile Stroke Treatment Units (MSTU) equipped with trained personnel, telemedicine, and CT scanners that bring timely stroke care including thrombolysis to the patient. Residents can actively participate in stroke triage and can rotate on the MSTU itself.

Global Health Opportunities at Weill Cornell

The Department of Neurology at Weill Cornell offers a number of global health opportunities for its residents by supporting travel to several sites in Asia and Africa. Weill Cornell has a long-standing collaboration with Weill Bugando Hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania, where residents manage neurological illnesses not commonly encountered in the United States. Typically, residents travel to Tanzania during their PGY-4 year. During the PGY-3 through PGY-4 years, residents can also rotate at Zhejiang University in China, where they learn about the current state of neurological care in China. In recent years, residents have also traveled to the Department of Neurology at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and to clinical sites in Germany. We now have a recent partnership with the Open Medical Institute in Salzburg, Austria enabling resident rotations in epilepsy and other neurology experiences.

Prioritization of Resident Wellness

Neurology Students Painting

Wellness is a critical part of the success of the members of our Department of Neurology, particularly our residents.  We annually appoint a Wellness Chief Resident who leads monthly social and other events for our residency program, and helps lead institution-wide initiatives from NYP within our department. Our Quality Improvement Committee has established a Work/Life Balance program that provides access to activities including integrative health. We feature research projects on resident wellness under the leadership of our past residency program director Dr. Richard Isaacson. We prioritize making residents feel highly valued as emerging neurologists in a variety of ways, including “resident of the month” awards at NYP and at MSKCC, profiling the professional activities of residents on social media including on Twitter (@WCMCNeurology) and a chief resident Instagram account (@Cornell_Neurology), and highlighting scholarly accomplishments at our annual Neurology Resident Research Symposium, directed by Dr. Mary Vo working together with the Research Chief Resident.

Janice Void, Registered Yoga Teacher, offers yoga and meditation sessions to residents to encourage self-care and wellness initiatives.

Bright Lights, Big City!

We have one of the greatest cities of the world on our doorstep, with Broadway shows, Central Park, world-class museums and shops, and some of the greatest sports teams in the country all within reach. The Upper East Side is bustling, with a Riverwalk promenade, a new subway line, and dozens of new restaurants and bars that all opened in the last few years.

A Residency Program Family

Though our residents come from diverse backgrounds, we form a cohesive family, supporting each other and forging lifelong friendships over the course of residency. We enjoy working with each other in the hospital as much as we enjoy spending time exploring the city and all that the surrounding areas have to offer. A number of residents have started their own families as residents as well!

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

White Coats for Black Lives Cornell

Diversity Mission Statement

  • To engage neurology trainees, faculty, and staff in dialogue, training, policies, practices, and recruitment to promote a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all activities in our department.

How Do We Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?

We recruit residents to be key members of our Department of Neurology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. We prioritize educational programming including Grand Rounds on topics of diversity, racism, and inclusiveness as it relates to neurological disorders. We engage our chief residents and Committee members in efforts for recruitment of medical students from diverse backgrounds. We have active strategic initiatives to:

    • Prioritize equitable care in our resident clinics
    • Fast track mentoring conversations for undergraduate students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds interested in neurology
    • Nominate department representation to institutional anti-racism efforts
    • Organize sessions on unconscious bias recognition and training
    • Ensure diverse department participation in community outreach activities
    • Advocate for cultural appreciation in department wellness events, including cuisine provided for trainees
    • Provide availability to URM applicants by URM residents in recruiting communications and marketing materials

Weill Cornell Medicine Neurology 525 E. 68th St.
PO Box 117
New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6575