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Vascular Neurology Fellowship Columbia - Program Details

Premier neuroscience services

Prisma Health adheres to a vision to provide the most advanced neurology and neurological surgery treatments available to the residents in South Carolina.

Our stroke center is an integral part of the neuroscience service, catering to the needs of stroke/TIA patients in the state of South Carolina. Through recruitment of the best and brightest neurologists and neurosurgeons, investment in the most advanced equipment and technology, participation in cutting-edge research, and education of the next generation of stroke physicians, Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia are committed to offering the area’s premier neuroscience services. 

Facility information

The 16-bed medical Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSICU) at Prisma Health Richland Hospital is operated by a director who is board certified in neurointensive care.

The hospital has three board-certified neurointensivists, four neruointerventionalists and one fellowship-trained interventional neuroradiologist, who serve as the core faculty involved in fellowship training. Additionally, the stroke center has an active telestroke program using the latest state of the art telemedicine equipment for the purpose.

The Prisma Health Neurology outpatient vascular neurology clinic has four vascular neurologists, one registered nurse and three stroke research liaisons.

Located at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, the clinic has twelve exam rooms, ultrasound, one clinical research room, and patient check-in/check-out. Fellows will share an office with neurology residents, rotating fellows and medical students that features a conference room for teaching and designated faculty offices.

Additionally, there are strong collaborations with the in-campus Arnold School of Public Health, including the world-renowned Aphasia Treatment Center.

The McCausland Brain Imaging Center is a shared resource of the University of South Carolina and Prisma Health Richland Hospital, featuring a Siemens 3T MRI, fully equipped for functional brain imaging with 24/7 availability. The 3T MRI is used for both clinical and research purposes. The center is conveniently located adjacent to the Emergency Department, making it optimal for acute stroke imaging research.

The Prisma Health Richland Hospital Stroke Center is the only Joint Commission-certified Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center in the Midlands region of South Carolina. The Stroke Center consists of a 28-bed area designated on the 10 West telemetry stroke unit. The units are located in the main hospital, which also houses the emergency room and a helipad geared to transport patients from across the state. The Center serves as the core for the multi-department comprehensive program and sees over 1400 stroke/TIA patients annually (highest in the state of South Carolina). The program serves as a NINDS funded strokenet site for several national and international stroke studies such as the POINT, DEFUSE3, and PREMIERS. Stroke Center faculty members are board certified in vascular neurology and the hospital's vascular laboratory is Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL)-certified, allowing for readings and interpretations of both transcranial doppler and carotid ultrasounds. In addition to the McCausland Center amenities, Prisma Health Richland Hospital has two 1.5 T MRI’s and two CT scanners that have 24/7 coverage in close proximity to the ED for prompt screenings, and ultrasound capabilities (IACVL accredited vascular laboratory). As an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, there is access to inpatient rehabilitation services at Encompass Health, a shared site for the center.

Conference information

  • Vascular M&M case and neuro imaging case conferences – held bi-weekly on Wednesday a.m. from 7–8 a.m. in 3 Medical Park, Ste 270 via Zoom.
    • M&M case conference – 1st Wednesday.
    • Neuro imaging case conference – 3rd Wednesday.
  • Vascular noon conference – lectures are held weekly on Wednesday, noon–1 p.m. Fellows’ attendance is logged; fellows are required to attend at least 80 percent of all conferences. A fellow may be excused from attendance for educational, vacation and sick leave.
  • Case conference/vascular grand rounds – case conference is held 1st Thursday of each month and Grand Rounds are held weekly (2nd and 4th Thursday, noon–1 p.m.) and are attended by all rotating house staff and faculty. Visiting lecturers are frequently featured.
  • Vascular journal club – journal club presented by the vascular fellow held monthly on the 3rd Wednesday, noon–1 p.m., facilitated by vascular faculty. 
  • Neuroscience didactic lectures – basic science didactic lectures are held monthly on the 1st Wednesday of every month, noon–1 p.m., facilitated by the faculty from the UofSC Neuroscience Department and Prisma Health/UofSC School of Medicine Columbia Neurology Residency Program. Fellows will be required to present one case conference and one grand rounds conference during the PGY-5 fellowship year.