A Past Resident's View

An Open Letter to Neurology Applicants

I chose to be a neurology resident at Duke because, as an applicant, I found there to be an infectious thirst for learning and love of teaching among the residents and faculty in the program.  I knew that I could learn the practice of clinical neurology at any residency program, but I wanted to be in an environment where neurologists were able to practice with both skepticism and passion -- to appreciate the limits of our clinical knowledge and to expand those limits with new understanding.  I have found that environment here at Duke. To me, the main objective of residency is not to "learn neurology" but rather to learn to be a great neurologist.  The former could be accomplished by reading textbooks.  The latter is an art and depends upon having great mentors.  I have found these mentors at Duke, and because they have shared with me both their curiosity and their passion, I have become the kind of neurologist I entered residency hoping to become.

Each attending neurologist here has particular areas of expertise, strengths, and his or her own clinical style.  The common thread uniting the faculty, however, is a passion for sharing their own expertise with the housestaff, so that each resident can find and develop his or her own areas of interest and clinical style.

As I've progressed through residency, I've gained confidence and have been able to practice with more and more autonomy.  But I have also known that other residents and faculty (even faculty who are not on call) are always available to help me work through challenging situations and hone my skills.  It is by "putting our heads together" that we are able to provide the best care for our patients and further our own understanding of their diseases.  At Duke, this collaborative work quickly morphs from a student-teacher relationship to one of collaboration and mutual life-long learning. The enthusiasm for this collaborative way of working, teaching, and learning is what makes Duke a great place to become a neurologist.

I'm glad you're interested in neurology, and I wish you the best wherever you choose to do your residency. I hope you'll consider coming to Duke.

Sincerely,

Dave Sommer, MD MPH
Graduating Class of 2008