Anuja Patil was one of four neurologists who completed an observership through the IAN-AINA program! Hear more from Anuja about her experience below!

I completed the course from 17th June to 31st July of this year at Creighton University, Omaha under the mentorship of Dr. Sanjay Singh.

I would like to express the overall experience under following heads:

1. Academics and clinical experience: it was a great opportunity to get to attend the out-patient clinics as well as the in-patient rounds. I got to observe the step by step and thorough evaluation of the newly diagnosed as well as the refractory epilepsy cases, their long term video EEG monitoring and subsequent analysis of the recorded EEG and semiology data and its correlation to the clinical and imaging details. During the stay I also had the opportunity to attend two Wada tests and understand their protocol and clinical implications. I got to attend the patient management meetings and know the nuances in decision making for further management of the cases. I also got to experience manipulating the VNS settings in the OPD patients. The DBS for refractory epilepsy and witnessing the ex-ablate procedure was one of the best experience I had there. During my stay, I could also work upon few research projects that will expectedly help me gain curricular merits.

I am sure this will help me in more better evaluation and subsequent management of the cases in my future clinical practice. Also it encourages me to follow the protocols and thorough evaluation techniques as adapted to the service setup back home.

2. Logistics: managing the stay and overall expenditure was feasible with the timely help from AINA providing the financial assistance. I really appreciate their promptness.

3. Personal view: this is a much wanted experience that I think every practicing neurologist in India wishes for... an opportunity to learn beyond our boundaries, getting to experience the clinical and research methods first hand is highly valued. But lack of exposure or failure to gain mentorship, the possible time constraints for private as well as government employed practitioners and financial inadequacies for some make it difficult.

This is a really encouraging step by the IAN-AINA co-ordination and will definitely merit many more neurologists in our country.

Limitations: the duration seems a bit short for the amount of clinical experience we get during the observership. But the thoroughness of evaluation and novel techniques that we get to see do make it up for this shortcoming.

I once again thank IAN and AINA for granting me this opportunity.