Experience/Where we Train
The Epilepsy fellowship program at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center is housed at the University Health Center of the Detroit Medical Center downtown location. The experience consists of intensive training in clinical neurophysiology of the central nervous system as well as broad clinical exposure to the patients with a variety of epilepsy syndromes and related disorders. During fellowship the fellows learn:
- Interpretation of routine EEGs (inpatient and outpatient) and Evoked Potentials
- Interpretation of long-term video EEG recording in Epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU)
- Interpretation of long-term EEG recordings in neurointensive care unit (Neuro ICU)
- Utilization and coordination of special studies in care of patients with epilepsy such as PET scan, Neuropsychological testing, Wada test, advanced MRI technique such as volumetric sequences, MR spectroscopy, and functional MRI
- Pre-surgical evaluation for patients with refractory epilepsy and surgical planning
- Use of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) in management of difficult epilepsy cases and its programming
- Electrocorticography (ECoG) and Intracranial EEG monitoring
- Cortical mapping for eloquent cortex
Outpatient and inpatient experiences
The outpatient clinics are located in the University Health Center (UHC) building located within the downtown medical center complex. The Holden Neurodiagnostic lab performs all EEG testing and is located next to the outpatient clinics on the 8th floor, UHC. The lab provides neurophysiologic testing of central as well as peripheral nervous system for all the patients admitted to many central campus hospitals as well as for all patients seen in the busy outpatient neurology clinics. The hospitals provide neurological care for a large number of patients from the city and to the tertiary referrals to the University Physicians from all over Southeast Michigan and beyond. The inpatient experience also includes rotation on the six bed state-of-the-art Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU), large volume of long-term EEG monitoring in neuro-intensive care units and busy surgical program for epilepsy and brain tumor.
The Adult Epilepsy program works collaboratively with the Pediatric Epilepsy program located in the Children's Hospital of Michigan. The fellows participate in clinics at the Children's Hospital and engage in lively discussions and exchanges during our weekly joint adult and pediatric Epilepsy Case Management conference.
In addition, the fellowship provides ample opportunities to participate in clinical research as well as basic science translational research to the interested individuals. The fellows will also participate in teaching of the neurology residents and medical students.