MEL 8678: Vascular Neurology

Drs. Rossitza Chichkova and David Rose (Tampa)

Drs. Jay Varrato, Adam Edwards, Hassam Yacoub, Christian Schumacher, Frank Zheng, and Megan Leary (LVHN)

This elective is designed to give fourth-year students more extensive exposure to the practice of Vascular Neurology. Under the supervision of clinical faculty, students will have the opportunity to evaluate patients with known or suspected stroke syndromes in hospital and ambulatory clinical environments. Students will round with the Stroke Team in the hospital on the Vascular Neurology Service and see patients in the outpatient stroke clinics under the supervision of a Vascular Neurology Attending. The elective will provide students with a better understanding of the dimension of Stroke, which is a leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Students will also get exposure to interventional neurology as it pertains to the management of ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage and gain experience in critical care neurology as it pertains to the management of patients with ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

LVHN

The student must meet with the faculty member with whom they plan to work and/or Dr. Varrato to plan the elective prior to scheduling.

Objectives

1. Recognize the heterogenous nature of stroke syndromes and be able to differentiate them from non-stroke mimics
2. Apply principles of evidence-based medicine to cerebrovascular diagnosis and management
3. Evaluate the proper use of laboratory and neuroimaging studies in cerebrovascular diagnosis 
4. Appreciate the diagnostic and management algorithms in acute stroke intervention
5. Understand the principles of management of acute ischemic stroke
6. Understand the principles of management of acute hemorrrhagic stroke
7. Identify risk factors and treatment strategies for primary and secondary prevention of stroke

Learning Outcomes

Students will see patients at Tampa General Hospital and the South Tampa Center for Advanced Health Care. Upon completion of this elective, students should understand the principles of diagnosis and management of patients who have vascular neurological disorders.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated by the course director at the end of the course, based largely on clinical evaluations completed by all residents and faculty who work with them.