George Washington University Program

The George Washington University Epilepsy Fellowship Program is a prestigious one-year ACGME accredited program aimed at providing extensive training in epilepsy care. It is offered through the NRMP Match and allows fellows to gain valuable clinical experience at both GW University Hospital and Children’s National Medical Center. For fellows seeking additional expertise, there is an option to pursue a second-year fellowship focused on the clinical neurophysiology/EEG track.

One of the primary goals of the program is to cultivate highly trained well-rounded epileptologists who are competent in a range of specialized areas. The fellowship prepares participants to proficiently undertake outpatient routine and ambulatory EEGs, ICU EEGs, presurgical EEG/EMU, presurgical evaluations for patients with refractory epilepsy, intracranial invasive EEG monitoring, and managing patients with epilepsy using neurostimulation and neuromodulation devices 1.

Curriculum Structure

The curriculum is organized into three main rotations, providing a comprehensive overview of epilepsy management:

• Adult Inpatient Epilepsy Service: This rotation takes place at GW University Hospital, where fellows rotate through the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) and ICU/LTM prolonged EEG services.
• Outpatient Rotation: This allows fellows to read outpatient EEGs and to manage epilepsy patients in the outpatient clinic under the guidance of assigned epilepsy faculty.
• Pediatric Epilepsy Rotation: Conducted at Children’s National Medical Center, this rotation involves both a pediatric EMU experience and outpatient clinic exposure.

Fellows in this program are affiliated with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and are eligible for board certification in epilepsy upon completion of their fellowship 1.

Educational Didactics

The program places great emphasis on ongoing education through a robust didactic curriculum. Key components include:

• Epilepsy Board Review Course: A three-day comprehensive course designed to assist fellows in their preparation for the ABPN Epilepsy Board Examination. This course is free of charge for fellows.
• Monthly Epilepsy Seminar Series: Featuring renowned experts in the field, this seminar series fosters discussion and learning surrounding contemporary epilepsy topics.
• Lecture Series: A structured series that covers EEG basics, antiseizure medication, neuroimaging in epilepsy, and various related clinical topics.
• Journal Club: Held bi-weekly, this club encourages discussion on recent research findings pertinent to epilepsy.
• Management Conferences: Weekly conferences conducted jointly with Children’s National Medical Center bolster multidisciplinary learning among participants.
• EEG Teaching Sessions: Scheduled every other Tuesday, these sessions are designed for both residents and fellows to enhance their diagnostic competencies.

Participation in external conferences, including the annual American Epilepsy Society meeting, is encouraged to aid in professional development 1.

Application Process

To apply for the epilepsy fellowship, candidates must have completed an ACGME accredited neurology residency and be board-eligible by the start of the fellowship. Applications are processed through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Attention to detail in the application process is critical to ensure full consideration of candidacy 1.

Visa Support and Competitiveness

The program is committed to supporting international graduates and offers visa sponsorship for J-1 and H-1B visas, which are common for fellows from outside the United States. This aspect ensures that a diverse cohort of fellows can join the program, contributing to a rich training environment.

The Epilepsy Fellowship at George Washington University is known to be highly competitive. It welcomes applications from both U.S. graduates and international medical graduates (IMGs) who have demonstrated strong academic performance and clinical excellence.

Unique Aspects of the Program

The fellowship uniquely positions its fellows at the forefront of epilepsy research and community involvement. Not only do fellows engage in direct patient care, but they also have the opportunity to select research and quality improvement projects supported by the faculty. This aligns academic interests with hands-on practice and residency teaching, enriching the training experience in a supportive and professional environment 2.