Residency is a time to learn through immersive experience, to develop independence, and to formulate a vision for your own path as a child neurologist. The program at WashU provides all of these elements: a busy clinical service of diverse and complex patients through the age spectrum, daily teaching from experts across the field of neurology, opportunities to teach medical students and fellow residents, and the chance to join research projects. Friendships I formed with my co-residents through call nights, shared holiday dinners, and outings in and around St. Louis have lasted well beyond my time at WashU, and faculty mentors have become not only colleagues, but friends. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity during my 5th year to travel to Myanmar with Dr. Mar to join her research project and to teach in Yangon Children’s Hospital, and for the mentors in both pediatric and adult neurology who helped me to develop my interests in neuromuscular diseases and neurogenetics.
Alex Fay MD,PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, UCSF
My name is Alexa Craig and I am the first graduate (2012) of the unaccredited Neonatal Neurology fellowship program at Washington University/St. Louis Children’s Hospital. I did my Child Neurology training at the University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Hospital. When I left St. Louis to come home to Maine to build a Neonatal Neurology Program, everyone in St. Louis wondered if my NICU even had electricity. All jokes, aside, the fantastic training and mentorship I received from my fellowship year in St. Louis was the key to success in all aspects of my career. Coming from a program as highly regarded at the WashU program allowed me to be viewed as an authority in my field and opened doors for program building and research. I am now employed 50% for clinical neonatal neurology and cerebral palsy and 50% for research with active studies ongoing to try to decrease health care disparities for newborns delivered in rural community hospitals. I have become a regional expert in neonatal neurology and have had a KL2 career development award and several loan repayment program awards. I truly believe that all this evolved from the fabulous training I received from the WashU Pediatric Neurology Department.
Alexa K. Craig, MD MSc MS
Neonatal and Pediatric Neurology
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Tufts University School of Medicine
I was lucky enough to find WashU through another alumnus of the pediatric neurology program. He fondly recalled his collegial relationships with faculty and strongly encouraged me to apply because of the breadth of the faculty expertise. I am certainly glad I listened to his advice! Clinical rotations prepared me for a broad variety of situations. I honed my ability to interpret research–particularly as it relates to caring for patients, which has always been my primary passion. While the rigor of the training is undisputed, what I value most about my experience at WashU is that I was challenged to grow in a *supportive* environment. I know I can still always reach out to my old mentors if I ever need it (and I certainly have) I will always be grateful for my WashU “family.”
Kit Meddles, MD, Rocky Mountain Pediatric Neurology & Sleep Medicine
Pediatric Neurology residency training program graduates (’93 to present)
Kristin Guilliams, MD
Assistant Professor in Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine
Medical school: University of Virginia
Christina Gurnett, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine
Medical school: University of Iowa
Jamika Hallman-Cooper, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
Medical school: University of Rochester
Jason Helis, MD
Attending Pediatric Neurologist, Maine Medical Partners
Medical school: Eastern Virginia Medical School
Andrew Hershey, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology
Director of the Headache Center
Director of the Division of Neurology University of Cincinnati School of Medicine Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Medical school: Washington University
David Hinkle, MD, PhD
Private Practice
Medical school: Vanderbilt University
Katherine Holland, MD, PhD
Associate Professor Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation
Assistant Professor in Neurology, University of Cincinnati
Medical school: Washington University
Chrysanthy Ikonomidou, MD
Professor of Pediatric Neurology, University of Wisconsin
Medical school: Georg August University, Gottingen, Germany
Laura Jansen, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Washington and Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle
Medical school: St. Louis University
Swati Karmarkar, MD
Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Pediatric Neurologist, Texas Children’s Hospital
Medical school: Lady Hardinge Medical College, India
Benjamin Kay, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Washington University in St. Louis
Medical school: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Nino Kerashvili
Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Medical school: David Tvildiani Medical University