Number of Fellows
1 per year
Length
1-2 years
Accreditation
Non-ACGME
Salary Level
PGY 5 Level
Program Overview
The goal of this fellowship is to provide trainees with a comprehensive one- to two-year experience focused on developing expertise in the diagnosis and management of patients with Neuroimmunological/Autoimmune Neurology disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In addition to clinical training, fellows will have structured opportunities to engage in research tailored to their interests, culminating in the execution and completion of a scholarly project by the end of the fellowship.
Clinical Training
Fellows will train under the supervision of expert neurology attending physicians specializing in Neuroimmunology/Autoimmune Neurology. The clinical curriculum includes in-depth exposure to the diagnosis and treatment of a broad spectrum of Neuroimmunological conditions such as:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder
- Neurosarcoidosis
- Autoimmune Encephalitis (including rare subtypes)
- MOGAD
Fellows will gain experience in prescribing and monitoring advanced immunotherapies, including immunomodulators and immunosuppressants. Training will also include participation in multidisciplinary academic activities such as neuroradiology, inpatient consult service, Encephalitis clinic and Neurosarcoidosis clinic.
Academic and Educational Activities
Fellows play a leadership role in coordinating academic forums, including:
- Bimonthly Neuroimmunology-Neuroradiology Case Conferences: presentation and discussion of complex cases.
- Bimonthly Neuroimmunology Academic Conference/Journal Club: critical review of recent literature, guest speaker sessions and updates on evolving practices.
- Once yearly Research Day: we coordinate one morning of presentations on available clinical research opportunities and updates on active clinical studies currently done by the team.
Fellows will contribute to medical education by teaching residents and medical students in the clinic and participating in scheduled Friday lectures. They will also present targeted lectures to psychiatry residents.
Research and Scholarly Work
Under the mentorship of designated faculty, fellows will develop and execute a clinical or basic science research project in a neuroimmunology-related area of their choosing. By the end of the fellowship, fellows are expected to present their findings as a poster or abstract at a national conference and to submit their work for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Professional Development
Fellows are required to:
- Attend weekly grand rounds
- Participate in at least one national meeting annually
- Present at academic conferences
- Contribute to the academic environment through education and scholarship
Teaching Staff for the NeuroImmunology fellowship program includes:
- Neil Lava MD
- William Tyor MD
- Diana Vargas Vives MD
- Julien Cavanaugh MD
- Spencer Hutto MD
- Lucas Felipe Bastos Horta MD
- Gabriella Bou MD
- Conor Kelly MD
Facilities: Emory Brain Health Center, 12 Executive Park Drive, NE; and Emory University Hospital, 1364 E Clifton Road, NE, Grady Memorial Hospital, CHOA.
Clinical and Research Components
The fellowship is structured to provide a balanced integration of clinical training and research. In the first year, approximately 80% of the fellow’s time is dedicated to clinical education, with the remaining 20% allocated to research. During the second year, the focus shifts, with 50–70% of the time devoted to research activities and 30–50% to clinical responsibilities. This distribution is personalized based on the fellow’s interests and performance in the first year.
Clinical duties involve the daily outpatient care of patients with a wide spectrum of Neuroimmunological/ Autoimmune Neurology disorders, including:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)
- Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Disorder (MOGAD)
- Neurosarcoidosis
- Autoimmune Encephalitis
- Systemic autoimmune diseases affecting the central nervous system
In the first year, clinical training is conducted primarily under the supervision of attending neurologists, while fellows also begin managing their own supervised primary continuity clinic.
Didactic Curriculum and Teaching Methods
To ensure fellows achieve the program’s educational goals, the curriculum incorporates a comprehensive set of didactic and scholarly activities, including:
- Bi-monthly Neuroimmunology-Neuroradiology Video Conferences
- Bi-monthly Neuroimmunology Academic Conferences
- Bi-monthly Journal Clubs
- Weekly Neurology Grand Rounds
- Monthly Research Laboratory Meetings
In addition, fellows attend key national and international conferences such as CMSC, ECTRIMS, ACTRIMS and AAN, and are expected to present at least one poster or abstract during the course of their two-year fellowship.
Contact Us
For additional information about this fellowship, please contact our Fellowship program coordinator Pamela Mitchell.
Diana Vargas Vives, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Program Director, Neuroimmunology Fellowship Program
Email
Emory Neuroimmunology Fellowship participates in the SFmatch application process.