Our Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship program at the University of Iowa offers rotations in EEG, EMG, sleep, intraoperative monitoring, pediatric EEG, and EMU. This program offers a broad exposure to clinical neurophysiology, but rotations can be tailored to the goals of the fellow. We offer different tracks for residents who want to focus more on EEG, EMG, intraoperative monitoring, or pediatrics, but can also offer a comprehensive general training in EEG and EMG for neurology residents who plan to go into general neurology or work as a hospitalist. See the sample block schedules to get a sense of possible rotations.

During an EEG rotation, fellows are exposed to adult EEG in the inpatient and outpatient settings, including continuous bedside ICU monitoring and quantitative EEG. In recent years, the UIHC EEG lab has performed EEGs on over 2000 people a year and monitored over 1500 people on continuous video EEG. This rotation also includes exposure to intraoperative monitoring, as well as evoked potential and Wada studies. Residents typically do two days of home call on weekdays during this rotation. You will also have one half day of epilepsy clinic. Over 5000 people were seen for epilepsy at UIHC last year.

During the EMU rotation, fellows participate in video EEG monitoring including presurgical evaluations and intracranial EEG monitoring at a Level 4 Epilepsy Center, which provides the highest level of epilepsy care available in the US.  In recent years, we have done around 20 epilepsy surgeries a year and monitored over 600 patients a year. Fellows will be exposed to stereo-EEG, laser thermal ablation, deep brain stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, stereo-EEG guided radiofrequency ablation, and ictal SPECT injections. Fellows typically do two days of home call on weekdays during this rotation. You will also have one half day of epilepsy clinic.

During the Pediatric EEG rotation, you will round on patients in the pediatric EMU and read EEGs for neonates, infants, and children. You will also participate in presurgical evaluations including intracranial EEG monitoring and learn about neonatal ICU EEG monitoring, low carbohydrate diets for treating epilepsy, and pediatric epilepsy syndromes. Fellows typically do two days of home call on weekdays during this rotation. You will also have one half day of epilepsy clinic. Over 2000 pediatric patients were seen for epilepsy at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in recent years.

During the EMG rotation, the fellows gain expertise in nerve conduction studies and EMG, including repetitive nerve stimulation and single fiber EMG. In addition, fellows have the opportunity to participate in specialized clinics including ALS Clinic, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Clinic, and Myotonic Dystrophy Clinic. In recent years, the UIHC EMG lab has performed EMG and neve conduction studies in over 1000 patients a year.  Fellows typically do not have call during this rotation. You will also have one half day of neuromuscular clinic.

During the intraoperative rotation, you will perform cranial nerve and peripheral nerve EMG monitoring, EEG monitoring during vascular cases, electrocorticography and cortical stimulation, SSEP and MEP monitoring, and pedicle screw stimulation studies. In recent years, the UIHC EEG lab has done intraoperative monitoring in over 1000 patients a year. Fellows typically do two days of home call on weekdays during this rotation. You will also have one half day of epilepsy clinic.

During the sleep rotation, fellows participate in polysomnography and multiple sleep latency testing and gain expertise in treating sleep disorders in the adult and pediatric rotation. In recent years, the UIHC sleep lab has performed over 2000 studies a year. Fellows typically do sleep clinics during this rotation and do not have call.

Weekly didactic courses include Epilepsy Surgery Conference, Neuromuscular Lecture Series, Epilepsy Lecture Series, Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Case Conference, and Sleep Fellowship Case Conference. Mentorship is provided for research and career development.