Our Stats

• 10-bed Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at UAB and 1 bed at the VA, with a plan for expansion to 28 beds in a brand-new facility by mid-2025
• 32 continuous video EEG machines at UAB and Four EEG machines at the VA
• Five ambulatory EEG machines
• Two surgical intracranial EEG machines
• 80-90+ surgical cases performed annually

Rotations

Sample Year 1 Rotation

EMU: Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
Fellows will be alternating weekday calls with the on-service attending and 1-2 weekend calls per block. The EMU team will also consist of 1-2 residents, 1-2 Advanced Practice Providers, and 1 EEG Reader/Pruning technician.

LTM: Long term monitoring (ICU continuous video EEG)
Fellows will be reading EEGs with the on-service attending. Two-half days of outpatient EEG clinics at UAB per week during this rotation. Fellows will have one half-day of outpatient clinic at Cooper Green Hospital during one LTM block.

VA: Veteran’s Administration Medical Center
During non-EMU rotation, fellows have 1 day of EEG reading at the VA hospital per week.

COA: Children's Hospital of Alabama
Fellows will rotate through a combination of pediatric EEG reading, inpatient EMU, and outpatient clinics.

Elective
Fellows can choose any epilepsy or epilepsy-related subtopic. Possible electives include, but not limited to: Pediatric outpatient, Advanced surgical treatment, Neuroradiology, Neurocriticalcare, Neurosurgery, Epilepsy subspecialty Clinics, and Research. Research can be conducted during this rotation at 70%. Additional research time can be accommodated per the fellow’s request. Vacation can be taken during this rotation.

Learn more about our clinical facilities

Call Schedule

While on EMU, fellows are expected to be present from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Overnight and weekend calls only occur while on the EMU service, alternating call with the attending on service. The attending physician will always be on backup to provide necessary supervision.

Epilepsy Subspecialty Clinics

Dr. Larry VerHoef has an additional board certification in Neuroimaging through the United council of neurological subspecialties that allows him to read MRI scans as the physician of record, much like a neuroradiolgist. He also has a background in engineering, MRI physics, and Image processing. He has secondary appointments in biomedical engineering and neurobiology. Fellows interested in research and neuroimaging can schedule elective time with Dr. VerHoef.

Dr. James (Thom) Houston runs a monthly Concussion Clinic, which is dedicated to complex concussion cases and prolonged post-concussion syndrome. The goal of the clinic is to address multiple common symptoms related to PCS. We have multiple resources to ensure a comprehensive approach to treatment including specialized optometry services, vestibular therapy, cognitive/speech therapy, and neuropsychological counseling.

Dr. Zennat Jaisani heads the Neuromodulation Clinic, managing neurostimulation devices such as RNS, VNS, DBS for refractory epilepsy patients. We have a significant patient population with RNS and DBS that are managed in this clinic. A NIH-funded research trial for efficacy of RNS in LGS patients and evaluation of bilateral thalamic RNS efficacy in Idiopathic generalized epilepsy patients is underway and these patients are managed in the specialty neuromodulation clinic. This clinic at our level 4 tertiary center serves population in adjoining states of TN, MS, FL, GA besides the state of Alabama. Residents and fellows rotate in this clinic to gain understanding and develop skills in managing these patients. 

Dr. Jennifer DeWolfe has a Women with Epilepsy Clinic devoted to family planning, contraception, pregnancy, breast-feeding, catamenial seizures, bone health, hormone-related concerns, and post-menopausal issues in women with epilepsy. The Women with Epilepsy clinic is the only one in Alabama, enjoys a robust collaboration with High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine, and draws from a large multi-state catchment area. Dr. DeWolfe is also board certified in Sleep Medicine, which is an optional elective rotation dedicated to neurophysiologic and polysomnographic monitoring and neurologic sleep disorders including parasomnias, sleep-related movement disorders, hypersomnias, sleep-related breathing disorders, and the interaction of sleep disorders and epilepsy. 

Dr. Ashley Thomas heads the Epilepsy Genomics Clinic, which is a referral-based consultation clinic that utilizes a multidisciplinary approach, with all patients seeing an epileptologist in conjunction with a genetic counselor. The epileptologist takes a thorough seizure and neurodevelopmental history and performs a neurological examination, while the genetic counselor obtains a syndrome-specific family history, explains genetics concepts and inheritance patterns.  The genetic counselor then discusses testing options and the associated risks, benefits, and limitations with patients and their families as well as sets reasonable expectations, obtains informed consent for the testing, and addresses the psychosocial implications of genetic testing. A plan for genetic testing is determined together by the epileptologist and genetic counselor and then coordinated between the genetic counselor, the patient’s insurance company, and the genetic testing facility.  The identification of certain genetic diagnoses can result in precision medicine approaches, such as the recommendation of specific treatment modalities that would not otherwise be offered to patients, such as targeted anti-epileptic drugs for the exact genetic channelopathies identified through genetic testing.

Drs. Quynh Vo and Omar Tamula collaborate with Drs. Kathryn Lalor and Katherine Thaggard, from Pediatric Neurology, to run the Epilepsy Transition Clinic. We facilitate a standardized and streamlined process for young adults with epilepsy transferring care from pediatric to adult health care. We also participate in the transition multidisciplinary clinic (STEP) for patients with more complex medical needs. Fellows rotating will learn about topics relevant to young adults with epilepsy.

Dr. Tyler Gaston is the Director of the Neurobehavioral (NBT) Clinic at UAB and the VA, providing 12-week structured, multi-modal, and disease-specific treatment for Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) and Epileptic Seizures. The clinic serves to improve recognition and treatment of patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

Education

• Boot camp - a lecture series during the first month of fellowship, aimed at familiarizing fellows with reading and interpreting EEGs, as well as epilepsy diagnosis and management. 
• Noon conference - held on a weekly basis covering various topics in epilepsy across the lifespan.
• Journal club - held once a month during noon conference where fellows present seminal journal articles or articles with new research findings.
• Epilepsy surgical conference - held twice monthly to discuss cases of refractory epilepsy undergoing pre-surgical workup and interventions.
• Grand rounds - held weekly with lectures covering topics of interest in neurology.

Mentoring

Each fellow is paired with a faculty member based on area of interest to guide professional development. Fellows meet with their mentor quarterly for advice regarding career development and any other interests or concerns.

Research and Quality Improvement

Fellows are expected to participate in scholarly activity and quality improvement projects. The UAB Epilepsy Center has vigorous research program that has grown dramatically in recent years with multiple active NIH funded researchers. We have multiple faculty members with ongoing projects, a UAB Quality Academy Program, or fellows can create their own projects.

Areas of research expertise include the following:

• Functional imaging of Psychogenic Non-epileptic seizures
• MRS-thermometry as a measure of neuroinflammation in epilepsy
• Ultra-high resolution imaging of the hippocampus
• Cannabis in the treatment of epilepsy
• Hippocampal morphology and memory
• Epilepsy epigenetics
• Effect of exercise on memory in epilepsy

Benefits

Fellows at UAB receive salary that is commensurate with their level of training, ensuring they are competitively compensated for their dedication and work. Comprehensive insurance coverage is available at a low cost, ensuring fellows and their dependents have access to health, dental, and vision care without undue financial burden. An annual educational allowance of $1500 is provided to fellows, which can be used for purchasing books, attending a conference, or other educational needs, supporting their academic growth. 

Salary & Benefits