Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because we care for a high volume of patients, which enables residents to gain knowledge and experience.
• Because we are a tertiary hospital with leading departments in the different areas that make up residents’ essential training.
• Because you will have the opportunity to see complex pathologies and to use ground-breaking diagnostic methods and treatments.
• Because our training programme provides different options to adapt to the personal initiative and vocation of each resident; from the most patient-facing roles to those more focused on research in collaboration with different laboratories from the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute; one of the most important in the country.
• Because we have a demanding programme with all the necessary resources for professional advancement in academic neurosurgery and all its components.
• Because our objective is to stimulate the personal growth of future neurosurgeons who wish to work in centres where research and education are not optional extras, but form an integral part of the department.

Healthcare activity in neurology combines writing medical histories, diagnostic data collection, correct use of complementary exploratory procedures, and accurate clinical and aetiologic diagnosis, as well as choosing appropriate palliative treatments. We also emphasise the role of the relationship between resident doctors and patients in the basic areas of Neurology.

A large number of medical conditions and neurological illnesses can result in critical emergency situations, such as strokes and lupus. With this in mind, from the second year the duty shifts in neurological emergencies become a key aspect of residents’ work, and are always carried out under supervision. Neurologists are also required to carry out a rotation in neurological outpatient care.

Research studies are part of the practical work that neurologists must deepen and develop, with particular emphasis on ethical competence when carrying out research.

Neuroscience research should be done under supervision of a tutor, and requires solid training in scientific methodology as well as in bioethics and scientific communication.

Summary of Rotations for Residents

During the first year, the training pathway focuses on clinical training through rotations in different departments, including the Emergency Department, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, and related areas. In addition, during the first year residents may already begin their training in Neurology through a rotation in the outpatient Neurology Unit and inpatient care at a tertiary-level center with complex and diverse pathology.

During the second year, the program provides a deeper exposure to inpatient Neurology. Residents rotate through the Stroke Unit and the Neurology inpatient ward, where conditions such as neuroimmunological and neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and headaches, among others, are managed. In addition, residents complete specific rotations in Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology.

During the third and fourth years, residents follow a specialized training pathway that includes rotations and collaboration with the different subspecialty units within our department: the Epilepsy Unit, Clinical Neuroimmunology Unit, Memory Disorders Unit, Movement Disorders Unit, Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Headache Unit, Clinical Neurophysiology, and Pediatric Neurology. During each subspecialty rotation, residents are offered the opportunity to participate in research projects that facilitate and encourage attendance at both national and international conferences.

In the final months of specialized training, residents complete a final rotation in the Neurology inpatient ward, which allows them to further develop and consolidate their knowledge and to work with a certain degree of autonomy. In addition, a two-month external rotation at an international center with a high level of scientific activity is encouraged. Recent destinations have included the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (Newcastle, UK), Cooper Neurological Institute (Philadelphia, USA), and the French National Reference Center for Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes and Autoimmune Encephalitis (Lyon, France).

There are also other departments or institutions where residents may undertake optional rotations if they wish, including Pathology, Immunology, research areas of the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), and the Intensive Care Unit.

Regarding on-call duties, during the first year residents undertake general medical emergency shifts (approximately four per month), and from the second year onward they undertake Neurology on-call shifts (approximately three per month) with continuous on-site supervision by an attending physician. During on-call activity, the hospital is a referral center for the evaluation and management of stroke, status epilepticus, and suspected acute myelopathy.

Thus, completing residency training in the Department of Neurology at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital guarantees comprehensive and well-rounded training in Neurology. The program is full of stimulating challenges and opportunities, offering excellent resources in a pleasant environment and alongside outstanding professionals.

Why should I specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because our expertise and high number of patients underscore the fact that we are a leading hospital for the treatment of neurological disorders.
• Because we offer the chance to take part in applied research.
• Because residents have the chance to work under supervision when treating complex neurological conditions, both on the wards and in critical cases in the Accident and Emergency Department.
• Because residents are encouraged to attend conferences and training sessions to develop new approaches.

The Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Department was accredited as a teaching unit in 1995 and is one of the first to receive accreditation in Spain. Some of our former residents now hold important positions in hospitals throughout Spain. Being part of Catalonia’s biggest hospital, with a technology park that is updated constantly, allows us to offer state-of-the-art training in all the areas of the speciality: radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, radiodiagnosis, and radiation protection in healthcare. It is unique, thanks to its extensive experience in advanced radiation oncology techniques in adult and paediatric patients, along with the scope of the radiation protection operations it carries out within the hospital, in both clinical and research facilities. The department has a laboratory where the hospital’s radiation detectors can be calibrated.

Additionally, the Vall d'Hebron Campus offers the possibility of actively participating in national and international research projects and clinical trials linked to its two research institutions, the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology and the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute.

Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because you will be at Catalonia’s largest hospital and you will be able to work side by side with professionals representing most of the medical specialities. You will have the opportunity to see complex pathologies and to apply ground-breaking diagnostic methods and treatments that use the latest technology.
• Because the department has experienced specialists who will help you throughout your training period.
• The number of patients who pass through the centre offers great potential for learning and gaining experience in less common techniques.
• Because we are a leading centre in paediatrics, and you will be able to see radiation oncology treatments and molecular therapy in children.
• Because our training programme can adapt to the initiative and vocation of each resident, with more emphasis on patient contact or research according to their needs. 
• Because the Department encourages scientific training, you will have the opportunity to do your doctoral thesis.
• Because the Department is accredited by ISO 9001:2015, you will be trained in handling quality management systems. 
• Because thanks to the hospital’s ties with research institutions, you will be able to participate in clinical trials and research projects.
• Because the Department has the resources to finance your participation in training activities.