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Thank you for your interest in Tufts Medical Center Neurology Residency and Fellowship Training Programs. This is a wonderful time to be going into our field and there are vast opportunities available for residents completing our program. Whether one chooses an academic, community or laboratory investigative career, we strive during your three brief years of neurology residency training to provide the clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to be a world-class neurologist prepared for the career of your choice. All future success follows from a firm grounding in clinical work and the ability to think like a neurologist. Our neurology residency and fellowship programs stand out because of highly committed bedside teaching and a regular schedule of formal rounds that allow for the transmission of experiential knowledge that cannot be acquired from published sources. We pride ourselves on our professional and mature residents and continue to feel close and loyal to them well beyond their years with us in Boston. It is evident when we encounter a graduate of the program at a national meeting that we have met our goal of turning out master clinicians. We, and the over 40 full-time academic faculty of Tufts MC Neurology have built the program around training and, as our residents and graduates can attest, they are always genuinely dedicated to the house staff and their professional education. We look forward to hearing about your interest in neurology as a career and hope that Tufts will be the program that best suits your views and goals.
Joshua Kornbluth, MD Medical Director, Neurosciences Critical Care Unit Program Director, Neurology Residency and Neurocritical Care Fellowship Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine
The mission of the Tufts Neurology Residency Training Program is to train superior clinical neurologists. It is our intention to train individuals who will succeed in their professional lives, in any endeavor that they will choose: patient care, research or teaching. We provide this training within a collegial atmosphere of mutual respect, maintaining a constant focus on the well-being of our patients. We are able to do so because of the strengths of our more than 40 faculty members in our two institutions:Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Lahey Health. These physicians have diverse sub-specialty interests and skills, but they all share a desire to provide in-depth and personal training with a unified philosophy regarding the value of clinical medicine. We focus on developing neurology clinical skills throughout all the 3 years of neurology residency with a balance bedside teaching and formal lectures, nurturing graduated autonomy throughout your training. The location of our institutions and the reputation of our staff allow for resident exposure to the full spectrum of neurologic problems. Our residents gain extensive experience in community neurology and in outpatient clinical settings while continuing to receive ample exposure to our traditional strengths of tertiary care and neurologic intensive care.
Our program is ACGME-accredited and offers 7 positions through the NRMP (“The Match”). We may offer 1-2 of those positions for highly qualified candidates with government sponsorship, typically through the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM).
Neurology residency program offers the option for our residents to complete their preliminary medicine year with us at Beth Israel Lahey Health. These positions do not require a separate interview, though you must apply for the preliminary programs in the match, and it must be ranked on the supplemental drop-down list on NRMP (#3130140P1 Med-Prelim/Neurology - Tufts Lahey Clinic-MA). View the preliminary medicine training programs at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.
The goal of the PGY-2 year is to develop strong clinical skills that will be the support for further learning and refining of neurological skills. Resident will have exposure to a broad spectrum of neurological disease with both common and uncommon presentations. Our program offers a robust curriculum in which our residents are exposed early to inpatient and acute care neurology to build a solid foundation in clinical examination, pattern recognition, diagnosis and management. Our residents rotate through two sites during the PGY-2 year: Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Lahey Health. At Tufts Medical Center, residents spend time on the neurology inpatient service, night float, and outpatient rotations. The exposure to both typical and atypical presentations of neurologic conditions is made even more interesting by a weekly live patient conferences led by Dr. Thomas Sabin at Tufts MC and by Dr. Gross at Lahey Hospital. Residents also rotate through the Neely Neuroscience Critical Care Unit where they are exposed to complex and critically ill neurological and neurosurgical patients. At Beth Israel Lahey Health, residents rotate through the inpatient, consult and night float rotations. The ward and consult services consist of a senior and junior resident that work together. During PGY-2 year residents will have 9 weeks of continuity clinic, with a 5+1 system and additional 4-5 weeks of elective rotation. They will have opportunity to rotate in outpatient clinic and gain exposure to different neurology subspecialties. Time spent on various rotations varies slightly year to year depending on the total number of residents. A typical schedule includes the following
During the PGY-3 year residents will expand their knowledge in neurology with increasing time spent in outpatient and elective rotations and at the same time will apply the knowledge learned during their first year by transitioning in to a leading role in the consult service. This year includes main rotation in neurophysiology with 4 weeks of dedicated EEG rotation and 4 weeks of Neuromuscular Medicine/EMG rotation. In addition the residents will have 8 weeks of elective rotation where they will be able to further broaden their knowledge in neurology and at the same time explore possible future career and fellowship plan. They will have the opportunity to lead the consult team at Lahey and supervise not only junior residents but also other residents that rotate on our service such as anesthesia and internal medicine residents. At the end of the year, the PGY-3 residents will step up to more senior role and will serve as senior resident on the ward services at Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Lahey Heatlh. They will continue to have 8-9 weeks of continuity clinic with a 5+1 system as well as 4 weeks of vacation. During this year the residents with rotate on the pediatric neurology department with both outpatient and inpatient’s responsibility.
The PGY-4 year gives residents the opportunity to broaden their clinical experience with elective rotations as well as consolidate and own their clinical skills while overseeing the ward services at Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Lahey Health. This year prepares our residents to perform as independent neurologists with strong leadership skills; the senior resident will be responsible for the inpatient service under the supervision and support of the attending physician. In addition, they will complete the required rotation in pediatric neurology and psychiatry. This is in addition to 8-9 weeks of continuity clinic and 4 weeks of vacation. There is an additional 8-9 weeks dedicated to elective time to dedicate to refine their clinical skills and complete research projects.
In addition to our weekly didactics we instituted monthly gathering where one of our faculty members will host a journal club at his/her place. This has shown to be a great experience for learning and socializing outside the work environment with great quality topics discussed, amazing food provided by the faculty and invaluable time spent together to relax. Unfortunately, this has been on hold due to the COVID pandemic.
David E. Thaler, MD, PhD, FAHA Chairman, Department of Neurology Associate Professor of Neurology Director, the Comprehensive Stroke Center 617-636-5854
Joshua Kornbluth, MD Medical Director, Neurosciences Critical Care Unit Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 617-636-4948
Emiliya Melkumova, MD Director of Stroke Consult Services Associate Director of Neurology Residency Assistant Professor of Neurology, Tufts University School of Medicine 617-636-4948
Jayashri Srinivasan, MD, PhD, FACP Chair, Department of Neurology Associate Professor of Neurology, Tufts University School of Medicine Lahey Clinic & Medical Center 41 Mall Rd. – Dept. of Neurology Burlington, MA 01803 781-744-8630
Maria Mazzola, MD Lahey Clinic & Medical Center Assistant Professor of Neurology, Tufts University School of Medicine Associate Program Director 41 Mall Rd. – Dept. of Neurology Burlington, MA 01803 781-744-8630
Joseph D. Burns, MD Lahey Clinic & Medical Center Associated Program Director Associate Professor of Neurology, Tufts University School of Medicine 41 Mall Rd. – Dept. of Neurology Burlington, MA 01803 781-744-1270
Yasaman Adibnia, MD Medical School: Istanbul Bilim Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Internship: Lahey Clinic
Firas Bounni, MD Medical School: University of Damascus Faculty of Medicine Internship: St. Mary Medical Center Program
Marc Daou, MD Medical School: Université Saint-Joseph Faculté de Médecine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Alibay Jafarli, MD Medical School: Azerbaijan Medical University Internship: Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center Program
Ivanna Joseph, MD Medical School: Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute Internship: Lahey Clinic
Aya Shnawa, MD Medical School: Jordan University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Ehsan Tadayon, MD Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences School of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Naman Bareja, MD Medical School: Maulana Azad Medical College Internship: Lahey Clinic
Rafail A. Chionatos, MD Medical School: University of Crete Faculty of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Arsalan Hashemiaghdam, MD Medical School: Tehran School of Medical Sciences Internship: Lahey Clinic
Nazanin Sheibani, MD Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences Internship: Internship: Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Nikita Srinivasan, MD Medical School: Rural Medical College of Pravara Medical Trust Internship: Lahey Clinic
Camelia Valhuerdi Porto, MD Medical School: Facultad de Ciencias Medicas Matanzas 'Juan Guiteras Gener' Internship: Lahey Clinic
Wenzheng Yu, MD Medical School: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Internship: St Elizabeth's Medical Center
Maryam Bahadori, MD Medical School: Tehran School of Medical Sciences Internship: Lahey Clinic
Elliott Delgado, MD Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Alana Fretes Burgos, MD Medical School: Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Asunción Internship: Lahey Clinic
Amr Jijakli, MD Medical School: Alfaisal University College of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Sharanya Ramakrishnan, MD Medical School: Grant Medical College Internship: Lahey Clinic
Diamler Vadlamuri, MD Medical School: University of Queensland School of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic
Our Neurology team is always looking for ways to improve medicine. Right now, our researchers are studying neuromuscular diseases, stroke, and fatigue in patients with high grade glioma. To view all of our on going research, visit our webpage.
Mustafa Al Gburi, MD Medical School: University of Baghdad College of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Neurology Fellowship: Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology at University of Massachusetts
Omniyah Alqassab, MD Medical School: Arabian Gulf University College of Medicine and Medical Sciences Internship: University of Maryland Residency: Tufts Medical Center Neurology Fellowship: Intraoperative Neuromonitoring at Massachusetts General Hospital
Valeria Ariza Hutchinson, MD Medical School: Universidad del Norte Programa de Medicina Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Neurology Fellowship: Neurocritical Care at Mayo Clinic
Maria Gabriela Bartkus, MD Medical School: Universidad de Guayaquil Facultad deCiencias Médicas Internship: Carney Hospital Residency: Tufts Medical Center Neurology Fellowship: Clinical Neurophysiology and EMG at Lahey Clinic
Manizhe Eslami-Amirabadi, MD Medical School: Shaheed Sadooghi University of Medical Sciences & Health Services Internship: St. Agnes Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Neurology Fellowship: Cognitive Neurology at University of California San Francisco
Takahisa Mikami, MD Medical School: Tokyo Medical and Dental University Faculty of Medicine Internship: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Residency: Tufts Medical Center Neurology Fellowship: Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Dylan Jones, MD Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Neurocritical Care Fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine Fatemeh Khadjevand, MD Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Comprehensive Epilepsy Fellowship at Stanford Medicine Martineau Louine, MD Medical School: Université d'Etat d'Haïti Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Neuroimmunology and Neuroinfectious Disease Fellowship at University of California San Francisco Lisa Scott, DO Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Internship: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Vascular Neurology at University of Southern California Yakov Shaulov, MD Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine Internship: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Movement Disorder Fellowship at Northwell Health Peter Tatum, DO Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine Internship: Rowan Inspira Health Network Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship at Dartmouth Health Nefize Turan, MD Medical School: Marmara Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi Internship: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Neurocritical Care Fellowship at Johns Hopkins
Yara Alharbi, MD Medical School: Umm Al-Qura University Faculty of Medicine Internship: Roger Williams Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Epilepsy at University of Illinois Chicago Osamah Alnasser, MD Medical School: King Saud University, Riyadh College of Medicine Internship: St. John Hospital and Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Neuromuscular at Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis Lincoln Darla, MD Medical School: St. John's Medical College Internship: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Clinical Neurophysiology at Brown University Leila Ghaffari, DO Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Internship: St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Neurophysiology at Virginia Commonwealth University Maria Antonietta Mazzola, MD Medical School: Università degli Studi di Palermo Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center What's Next? Fellowship: MS/Neuroimmunology at UMass Medical Center Katie Monigan, DO Medical School: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Epilepsy/Neurophysiology at Massachusetts General Hospital Ashley Weng, MD Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Clinical Neurophysiology at New York Presbyterian/Cornell
Anas Alamri, MD Medical School: King Saud University, Riyadh College of Medicine Internship: University of Maryland Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Epilepsy at Stanford Healthcare, Palo Alto, CA Mohammed Al Dulaimi, MD Medical School: University of Baghdad College of Medicine Internship: St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Vascular Neurology at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
Mohamed Ridha, MD Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Vascular Neurology at University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH Jose Rodrigues-Moreno, MD Medical School: Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí Facultad de Medicina Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Neuromuscular Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA Avinash Sagi, MD Medical School: Kakatiya Medical College Internship: Berkshire Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA Sonali Sharma, MD Medical School: USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL
Kyung Jung “Paula” Lee, MD Medical School: Korea University College of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Northwestern University, Chicago (Electroencephalogram) Naina Limbekar,MD, MPH Medical School: Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University Internship: St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Brigham & Women’s Hospital (Sleep Medicine) Farid Radmanesh, MD, MPH Medical School:Tehran University of Medical Sciences Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital (Neurocritical Care) Nilufer Yalcin, MD Medical School: Dokuz Eylul Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency:Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Rush University, Chicago (Neurocritical Care)
Adeeb Al-Rizaiza, MD Medical School: University of Dammam College of Medicine Internship: University of Toledo Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: University of California, San Diego (Clinical Neurophysiology)
Alexandra Filippakis, DO Medical School: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Internship: St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Brigham and Women's Hospital (Multiple Sclerosis)
Mam Ibraheem, MD, MPH Medical School: University of Baghdad, College of Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Assistant Professor: University of Kentucky (General Neurology) Jayesh Patel, DO Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine Internship: Lahey Clinic Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: University of Washington (Neurocritical Care)
Jeffrey Steinberg, MD Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine Internship:St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Private Practice: PrimaCARE of Fall River (General Neurology)
Lee Sullivan, MD, MPH Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine Internship:St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Residency: Tufts Medical Center Fellowship: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Sleep Medicine)
Abrar Al-Faraj, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA Epilepsy Fellowship Ali Daneshmand, MD Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Neurocritical Care Fellowship Behzad Elahi, MD Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Neuromuscular Care Fellowship Min Kang, MD University of California, San Francisco Neuromuscular Fellowship Samhitha Rai, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA Epilepsy Fellowship
What’s it like to live in Boston? It’s an epicenter for health, science and medical research – where visions are born and discoveries are made. With universities on every corner, intellectuals, scientists and artists mingle to create an exceptional culture.
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It’s the perfect mix of urban culture, a small town feel and outdoor beauty.
Learn more about what it’s like to live in Boston
Residents complete their training at Tufts Medical Center, a world-class academic medical center located in Boston and the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. Tufts Medical Center sponsors nineteen specialty ACGME-accredited clinical training programs.
Tufts Medical Center is a 415-bed robust organization, providing everything from routine medical care to treating the most complex diseases affecting adults and children. Tufts Medical Center is also home to the Tufts Medical Center, a full-service children's hospital dedicated exclusively to all levels of pediatric care.
Tufts Medical Center provides heart, kidney and bone marrow transplants, is a level I trauma center, provides comprehensive neurological and neurosurgical care, and offers cutting-edge cancer treatments. The neurology department houses a comprehensive stroke program and a Level 4 Epilepsy Center. Tufts Medical Center is also home to The Boston Gamma Knife Center, the first and only Gamma Knife Center in Massachusetts and northern New England.
We participate in ERAS/NRMP, and applications must be submitted through these programs. Application materials should be submitted no later than October 15th two years prior to the beginning of the PGY-2 Neurology training year. For example, those wishing to start a Neurology residency in July of 2023 would submit their application before October 15th of 2021. Successful completion of a preliminary year of internal medicine is required prior to beginning neurology residency. We offer our candidates the option of matching into our guaranteed preliminary medicine positions (see below). The following information must be submitted to ERAS by the deadline in order for your application to be considered complete:
To initiate your application and obtain information regarding dates and other key details, visit:
Interviews will be held between the months of October and January
We do offer guaranteed preliminary internal medicine (PGY-1) positions for applicants who match with the Tufts Adult Neurology Residency Program. Six medicine internship positions are available at Beth Israel Lahey Hospital. If you are interested in one of these positions, you must rank the program in the supplemental match list, but you will not be required to interview separately. Alternatively, you can choose to apply to and match with any other PGY-1 preliminary medicine position in the U.S.
International Medical Graduates
We accept foreign graduates who are highly qualified and have competitive USMLE scores. See the Frequently Asked Questions section for more information regarding requirements for IMGs. For more information, visit:
Graduate Medical Education (GME) stipend levels:
2023-2024 PGY2 $78,494.00 PGY3 $81,700.00 PGY4 $85,635.00
For a complete benefits summary, please visit the GME section of our website >
To learn more, contact:
Maddie Cornell, MEd Education Manager, Neurosciences Email: Madison.L.Cornell@tuftsmedicine.org Phone: 617-636-2605
