EEG/Epilepsy Fellowship
The EEG/Epilepsy Fellowship Program offers trainees exposure to a wide variety of clinical pediatric epilepsy presentations, and will become familiar with the range of therapeutic options available.
Program length: 1 or 2 years. The one-year fellowship has a heavier focus on clinical training and less time to pursue research projects.
Average number of trainees per year: 2
Program Descriptions
Training will involve the following:
- Reading and reporting scalp electroencephalography (EEG) studies, including routine and prolonged video EEG and home ambulatory EEG studies.
- Assisting with admission and care of patients admitted for telemetry.
- Attending at least one half-day epilepsy clinic per week.
- Presenting patients at Comprehensive Epilepsy Conference meetings (every 2 weeks)
- Involvement in invasive monitoring procedures including some or all of intra-operative electrocorticography, stereo EEG and grids.
- Vagal nerve stimulator programming and adjustments.
- Ketogenic diet initiation and monitoring.
- EEG rounds every two weeks (alternating with Comprehensive Epilepsy Conferences) with epileptologists, residents and EEG technologists, during which complex EEG cases from the past week will be discussed, with a didactic teaching component as well.
Research
Trainees will be expected to complete a research project resulting in at least a presentation at a local or international meeting, and ideally a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Within the first month of training, the trainee will find a research faculty supervisor and design a project of appropriate scope to allow completion during the training period.
Evaluation
- Monthly evaluations will be completed with the online evaluation form used by the Child Neurology Residency Program.
- The trainee will be meet with Dr. Kenneth Myers on a monthly basis to discuss performance and whether training objectives are being met.
CSCN EEG Examination
The Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists has an annual examination in June, coinciding with the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation Annual Meeting. Passing this examination is required by many Canadian centres in order to report EEGs. Any trainees planning to write the examination should notify the Program Director as soon as possible, to ensure training is tailored appropriately to optimize his/her performance.
Pediatric Neurogenetics Fellowship (1 or 2 Years)
The field of Neurogenetics is rapidly expanding, especially given the technological advances in the past decades and the continued progress and developments in the field. The genetic etiology of many disorders has been identified, enabling improved diagnosis, prognositication and genetic counseling regarding familial recurrent risk. The identification of the underlying genetic etiology also allows improvement understanding of the pathogenesis of the underlying disorder, and in some cases the institution or development of treatments targeting the specific genetic defect. With increased frequency, neurologists must organize and order genetic tests for their patients, and in turn, interpret the results.
The Pediatric Neurogenetics Fellowship Program aims to provide the Pediatric Neurologist with the knowledge, experience and training required to be able to identify a patient with a potentially heritable or genetic disorder, obtain a family history and collateral information, think of a differential diagnosis, order the appropriate work‐up and genetic testing, interpret the results and explain to the proband and family the implications of the results. In addition, this fellowship aims to make the trainee familiar with the commonly used Neurogenetic laboratory techniques and strategies such as Sanger sequence analysis, Next Generation methods such as whole‐exome/genome sequencing analysis, chromosomal microarray, PCR, linkage analysis, SNP genotyping analysis and homozygosity mapping.
Program length: 1 year
Average number of trainees per year: 2
Program length: 2 years
Average number of trainees per year: 2
Training Requirements
This Pediatric Neurogenetics Fellowship Program aims to provide pediatric neurologists clinical training in neurogenetics. The specific goals for the Fellowship Program are outlined below. In addition to the varied clinics, the trainee will have access to the following teaching rounds:
- Neurogenetics rounds every 4-8 weeks at the MCH
- Pediatric Neurology rounds every week
- Pediatric Neurology protected teaching (Neurogenetics topics)
- Neurology grand rounds every week
- Neuromuscular multidisciplinary rounds at the MNH every two weeks
Research
The trainee in Pediatic Neurogenetics will have access to multiple clinicians and researchers, and will have the opportunity to chose a clinical or basic science research topic in the subspecialized field of his/her interest such as: Neuromuscular, Neurodegenerative, Metabolics, Movement disorders, Ataxia, Developmental Delay, Brain malformations, Leukoencephalopathies, Mitochondrial disorders.
For the one‐year Pediatric Neurogenetic Fellowship Program, it will be expected that the trainee be involved in at least one small research project during their fellowship with a maximum of three dedicated months.
Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship (1 or 2 Years)
The Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship Program at The Montreal Children’s Hospital within the McGill University Health Centre is a clinical research training program that offers qualified physicians exposure to clinical research, neuromuscular medicine and neurophysiological testing including: nerve conduction studies (NCS), electromyography (EMG) and other electrophysiology testing modalities.
The Neuromuscular Fellowship provides the trainee with exposure to patients with diseases of the nerve, neuromuscular junction and muscle and will be under the supervision of Dr. Hugh McMillan and Dr. Maryam Oskoui with the participation of other leading clinicians such as Drs. Poulin, O’Ferrall, Brais, Chalk, Massie and Gendron. Dr. Colin Chalk is the director of the Neuropathy and Myasthenia clinics at the Montreal General Hospital. Dr. Bernard Brais is a Neurogeneticist with expertise in the clinical and genetic aspects of neuromuscular diseases. Dr. Erin O’Ferrall, in conjunction with two neuropathologists, Drs. Jason Karamchandani and Joshua Sonnen, will provide exposure to muscle and nerve pathology as part of the fellowship. Dr. Massie is an expert in Motor Neuron Diseases and Diseases of the Peripheral Nerves. Dr. Gendron is the director of the EMG laboratory at the MNH.
In addition to the fellowship supervisors, the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital and McGill University host a number of excellent clinical and basic science researchers who may collaborate with the fellow.
This fellowship aims to enable physicians, primarily those with training in Pediatric Neurology, to achieve: 1) an enhanced level expertise in the diagnosis, management and treatment of pediatric neuromuscular disorders; 2) competency and certification in neurophysiology and; 3) the skills necessary to pursue research as an independent investigator, co-investigator or collaborator in the area of clinical translational research.
Program length: 1 year
Average number of trainees per year: 2
Program length: 2 years
Average number of trainees per year: 2
Curriculum
Fellows will gain clinical experience in caring for children with a wide variety of common and rare neuromuscular disorders in both outpatient and inpatient settings within an interdisciplinary team. Neurophysiology testing in infants and children takes place 3 half days per week at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Further Neurophysiology training with adult patients is available in collaboration with colleagues at the Montreal General Hospital and the Montreal Neurological Hospital.
In clinic or EMG, the fellow will evaluate 2-4 patients per half day of clinic. The patient population will vary depending on the clinic. In the Neuromuscular Clinic approximately 50% of the patients have muscle or neuromuscular junction disorders and 50% of the patients have primary nerve or motor neuron disorders. In the Neurogenetics clinic the fellow will learn to use genetic testing and other genetic technologies for the diagnosis, genetic counseling and gene discovery of neuromuscular diseases. The fellow will also be expected to attend or give presentations at the academic rounds (described above) including the regular neuromuscular journal club. It will be expected that the trainee will be involved in at least one small research project during their fellowship with a maximum of three dedicated months. Fellows may also encouraged to present their work at a Division Rounds or Departmental Grand Rounds.
The trainee will have the opportunity to attend the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program (CCHCSP) and Pediatric Health Research Epidemiology Statistics Curricula (PHRESCA) seminars and events.
Evaluation
The Fellow will be evaluated by clinical performance, participation in teaching rounds and success in the research project undertaken. Evaluations will be carried out monthly, with formal feedback provided at regular intervals.
Evaluations will be completed quarterly by the Fellowship Program Director with input obtained from all Attending Physicians, Residents, Health Professionals, Technologists and Medical Students with whom they have worked with. The feedback will encompass all of the CanMEDS roles including: Medical Expert, Scholar, Professional, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader and Health Advocate. Feedback will be shared verbally with the Fellow and documented in their academic dossier.
Training in the Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship cannot be recognized in itself for credentialing purposes as a training leading to certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). The Fellow will be strongly encouraged to take an annual examination in neurophysiology / electromyography (EMG) held by the Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists (CSCN) every June, which coincides with the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation Annual Meeting. Passing this examination is required by many Canadian academic centres in order to perform and report EMG studies
For more information please visit https://www.mcgill.ca/pgme/fellowships/fellowship-programs/pediatric-neurology
Curriculum
Fellows will gain clinical experience in caring for children with a wide variety of common and rare neuromuscular disorders in both outpatient and inpatient settings within an interdisciplinary team. Neurophysiology testing in infants and children takes place 3 half days per week at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Further Neurophysiology training with adult patients is available in collaboration with colleagues at the Montreal General Hospital and the Montreal Neurological Hospital.
In clinic or EMG, the fellow will evaluate 2-4 patients per half day of clinic. The patient population will vary depending on the clinic. In the Neuromuscular Clinic approximately 50% of the patients have muscle or neuromuscular junction disorders and 50% of the patients have primary nerve or motor neuron disorders. In the Neurogenetics clinic the fellow will learn to use genetic testing and other genetic technologies for the diagnosis, genetic counseling and gene discovery of neuromuscular diseases. The fellow will also be expected to attend or give presentations at the academic rounds (described above) including the regular neuromuscular journal club. During the second year of fellowship, the fellow will place a stronger emphasis on the completion of the research project.
The trainee will have the opportunity to attend the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program (CCHCSP) and Pediatric Health Research Epidemiology Statistics Curricula (PHRESCA) seminars and events.
Evaluation
The Fellow will be evaluated by clinical performance, participation in teaching rounds and success in the research project undertaken. Evaluations will be carried out monthly, with formal feedback provided at regular intervals.
Evaluations will be completed quarterly by the Fellowship Program Director with input obtained from all Attending Physicians, Residents, Health Professionals, Technologists and Medical Students with whom they have worked with. The feedback will encompass all of the CanMEDS roles including: Medical Expert, Scholar, Professional, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader and Health Advocate. Feedback will be shared verbally with the Fellow and documented in their academic dossier.
Training in the Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship cannot be recognized in itself for credentialing purposes as a training leading to certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). The Fellow will be strongly encouraged to take an annual examination in neurophysiology / electromyography (EMG) held by the Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists (CSCN) every June, which coincides with the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation Annual Meeting. Passing this examination is required by many Canadian academic centres in order to perform and report EMG studies
For more information please visit https://www.mcgill.ca/pgme/fellowships/fellowship-programs/pediatric-neurology
Division Leadership
Division Director
Dr. Maryam Oskoui
Postgraduate Medical Education
Residency Program Co-Directors
Dr. Bradley Osterman
EEG/Epilepsy Fellowship Program Director
Dr. Elisabeth Simard-Tremblay
Pediatric Neurogenetics Fellowship Program Director
Dr. Myriam Srour
Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship Program Directors
Dr. Maryam Oskoui
Administrative Staff
MUHC Administrative Assistant
francoise.umutesi [at] muhc.mcgill.ca (Françoise Umutesi)
514-412-4466
Residency Program Coordinator
residency.pedsneurology [at] mcgill.ca
514-398-4909