Our Residents
A Letter from the Residents
Greetings from Rochester, NY!
We are thrilled that you are considering application to the neurology residency program at the University of Rochester. As chief residents, we have experienced the program's diverse strengths, and we would like to share with you our enthusiasm for the program with the hope that you will find it as exciting and rewarding as we have.
Resident education is the top priority in our program. We have dedicated teaching on all rotations, including daily noon conferences, taught by both clinical and research faculty, and weekly bedside teaching rounds, neuro-imaging, neuro-oncology, and neuro-pathology conferences. As residents, we have several unique opportunities to hone our own teaching skills through precepting the medical school neuroscience course, entitled "Mind, Brain, Behavior," and during the annual trip to Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. This emphasis on teaching (and Poland!) is championed by Dr. Jozefowicz, who is widely recognized as a national and international leader in neurologic education.
The outstanding education we get is because of our excellent faculty support. We work alongside experts in all the major subspecialties with national and international renown, and as you will see they love to teach. There is a very collegial atmosphere at Rochester, from faculty hosting monthly journal clubs at their home to group mindfulness sessions, faculty and residents work closely together. As an incoming intern you will be assigned a faculty mentor to help guide you through your years as a resident to help with making career choices and finding potential research avenues. All our residents go on to do a fellowship in one field or another, most choosing to stay at the University of Rochester though they now have the potential to match anywhere they desire.
Beyond the teaching emphasis, the excellent professors, and the diverse clinical and research opportunities, you will find residents who enjoy their training and working together. We work hard, but are there for each other should any circumstance arise. Throughout the year there are departmental and individual get-togethers, including a summer welcome picnic, a department holiday party, and frequent happy hours at local restaurants.
Rochester is a unique place to live and work. Not only can you afford to buy your own house on a resident salary, there are activities for all tastes. Some of our favorites include seasonal festivals, such as the Jazz and Arts festivals, catching a play at the Geva, wine touring around the Finger Lakes, biking along the canal, apple picking, skiing, snowshoeing, or excelling in the local or intramural sports leagues. This past year, our intramural soccer team won the med center league!.
As you contemplate that very first step in your residency training, we encourage you to apply to the University of Rochester. We look forward to the showing you around our city and sharing more about our program. We are confident you will be pleased with what you find.
Sincerely your chief residents,
Ajay Abad
ajay_abad@urmc.rochester.edu
Rachel Biemiller
rachel_biemiller@urmc.rochester.edu
Deana Grattan Bonno
deana_grattan@urmc.rochester.edu
Michael Manchak
michael_manchak@urmc.rochester.edu
Michele Scully
michele_scully@urmc.rochester.edu
Roople Unia
roople_unia@urmc.rochester.edu
