Neurology Residency - Chattanooga Campus

The University of Tennessee College of Medicine - Chattanooga Department of Neurology works in conjunction with the Erlanger Health System's Neuroscience Institute to treat adult and pediatric patients with a variety of neurological disorders ranging from common to complex. As the region’s only certified academic Neurosciences Center, we provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care, giving our patients access to more specialty and subspecialty services than any area health system. Our neurology specialists use the latest advancements in imaging technology to accurately diagnose and develop individualized treatment plans, providing the best possible outcomes for our patients.  

ACGME awards Initial Accreditation for our Neurology Residency Program (April 4, 2023)

The University of Tennessee College of Medicine - Chattanooga, Erlanger Health System, and Dr. Yassin-Kassab are pleased to announce that our campus has been approved to establish a Neurology Residency Program in Chattanooga with three residents at each level of training.  The PGY-1 level will begin July 1, 2025 as a Preliminary Medicine Internship. Individuals who match into the program will begin their formal Neurology training as PGY-2 Residents as of July 1, 2026.  The program will participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Main Match 2025.  Interested candidates must apply for our Neurology Program via the AAMC ERAS System with one integrated application to the Neurology Residency for our institution (ACGME Program #1804700002).   Those applying to our program must understand that if they apply and match with our Neurology Program, they will be committing to a PGY-1 Preliminary Medicine position at our institution starting July 1, 2025 and a PGY-2 Neurology position at our institution starting July 1, 2026.  Interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom for both PGY-1 and PGY-2 positions during the same interview slot.  Once interviews have been concluded and Match Rank Lists are due from applicants, those who want to be matched into our Neurology Program should identify our program on their Match Rank List as NRMP ID# 1689180C0.

Our Neurology Residency is a three-year program beginning at the PGY-2 level of GME training but includes an approved Preliminary Medicine year of training at the PGY-1 level.  The Neurology Residency will have a total of 12 positions when at full complement which includes three PGY-1 positions, three PGY-2 positions, three PGY-3 positions, and three PGY-4 positions.  Individuals must go through the AAMC Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) and must be willing to enter the PGY-1 level of training as of July 1, 2025, and the PGY-2 level of training as of July 1, 2026.  Also, applicants would submit a Rank List through the NRMP Main Match, and rank our Categorical Neurology Program (which includes the Preliminary PGY-1 level of training).

Candidates will be considered who will have successfully graduated from medical school and who have passed USMLE Steps 1, 2 CK, and 2 CS on first attempts.  International Graduates must have certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).  Also, applicants must be US Citizens, have a Permanent Resident Visa (i.e., "Green Card"), or must be willing to apply for a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa in conjunction with the Program and the ECFMG.  The University of Tennessee College of Medicine does not sponsor Residents or Fellows on H-1B visas. 

View our Neurology Residency Curriculum and Block Schedule.

View more detailed information for Neurology applicants.

Neurology Residency Mission Statement:
The Neurology Resident Training Program of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine - Chattanooga aims to graduate competent physicians capable of providing superb and up-to-date medical care for large and diverse communities in terms of neurological disorders and diseases.  These physicians should be very comfortable providing neurological medical care and consultations both in acute urgent or chronic settings, in inpatient care facilities such as hospitals, medical centers, emergency rooms, and intensive care locations, or in outpatient clinic locations. 

Clinical care provided is expected to remain always within current guidelines, so part of the mission of this training program is to focus on continuous medical education during and after graduation, and staying current with medical societies, clinical trials, and relevant legislative bodies.  Erlanger Health System and its adult hospital (Baroness Erlanger Hospital) -- the primary clinical training site -- has a medical mission that is in alignment with the training program mission above.  It has been, since established, a safety net for all community members in the Chattanooga area.  Its level one trauma center and comprehensive stroke center status are the only ones found in the region.  With a draw are from three different states (Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina), it provides both the inpatient and outpatient population needed for the training program, as well as the complexity to understand and learn about complex acute management and continuity of care.

Neurology Residency Program Aims:

1. Provide a perfect environment for learning by exposing Residents to a wide variety of neurological cases in the community.  Erlanger Health System is the main and largest tertiary medical care center in the region.  It has the only comprehensive stroke center in the Chattanooga and surrounding community and has received the highest annual recognition from the American Heart Association in the fields of stroke care over the last six years.
2. Provide a rich schedule of didactics, both in person and virtual learning to expand and refine knowledge, ethics, professionalism, and patient care.
3. Provide education in specialized care in neurology through several available neurological subspecialty clinical practices with the same main training site including headache, stroke, epilepsy, neuromuscular, movement disorders, sleep medicine, dementia, and multiple sclerosis.  These are available both on the inpatient and outpatient fronts.
4. Focused, scholarly teaching to enrich the culture of staying current with medical advances, guidelines, and literature through critical analysis of journal articles and society memberships.
5. Provide opportunities for research, quality and patient safety project participation, leadership, and teaching through the duration of the program while providing relevant mentors for residents based on their individual interests, supervised teaching, and scholarly work, including administration (such as in the role of a Chief Resident).

Neurological Care and Treatment provided at Erlanger:  
Led by the Department of Neurology Professor and Chair, Mounzer Yassin-Kassab, MD, MS, our Neurology faculty provide the following neurological care and treatment at Erlanger:  

• Neurovascular Disease (Stroke)
• Neuromuscular Medicine
• Movement Disorders
• Memory and Aging
• Neurosurgery and Spine
• Sleep Disorders

Our faculty and board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and are fellowship trained in their neurological subspecialties.  The Neuroscience Institute is the region's only certified comprehensive stroke center -- the sixth busiest in the nation -- and attracts specialists from across the world to learn next generation techniques.  It also sponsors the region's most comprehensive program for treating back pain with the most cutting edge neurosurgical techniques and the region’s only epilepsy monitoring unit.