1. Saudi neurology board
Dr.Hessa Alotaibi
Head of neurology unit –KFH
Chairperson of saudi neurology training program –western area

2. I want to be a doctor !

3. I want to make a
difference.
Social
responsibility.
Help people.
I’ve got a high grade.
Challenging field .
Family wish.

4. When dreams come true.. What comes next?

7. Student :
When I arrived here at medical school I just wanted to be
a doctor. I didn’t know anything about specialties.

8. Resident :
Deciding on a career in medicine was
easy, choosing a specialty was agonizing.

9. Residency

10. Residency
Residency is the defining period in a
physician’s life
A stage for personal maturation and
professional growth
Time of intellectual challenge and
emotional stress.

11. Residency
A major transitional stage during
which the graduated medical student is
transformed into a practice ready physician.
Wischnitzer

12. Why Neurology as a Carrier
?

13. Fear

14. Neurophobia
Neurophobia is a longstanding problem, it
has only recently been given the name.
In 1994, Jozefowicz, an American neurologist,
described it as “a fear of the neural sciences
and clinical neurology” held by medical
students and doctors.

15. Fear
Fear : thought to arise due to activity of cells in the
amygdala,
an almond-shaped brain structure located in the medial
temporal lobe.

17. Why Diagnosing Untreatable
Diseases ???
Even stroke is treatable. (venous, arterial)
MS, CVT, CNS infections, Headache.
Movement disorders
The patient and the caregiver have the right to be
educated about the disease.

18. It is possible to be a
simple minded
neurologist.

19. Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to
be understood.
~Marie Curie

20. Neurology is Fun
Listen
Perform to the
Neuro patient
exam
think
and
localize
Confirm your localization
by investigations

21. Saudi Board in Neurology

22. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a fast-
growing country which had made vast
improvement in all sectors of social,
educational, technical and health
services.

23. Great Demand
Disorders of the nervous system constitute
one the major causes of mortality and
morbidity in Saudi Arabia .
It is estimated that the Kingdom currently
need and will continue to need neurologists
for decades.

24. Number of neurologists per 100 000 population
N=106

25. Number of neurologists in WHO regions

26. The Goal of the Saudi Board
of Neurology :
The ultimate goal is to establish an excellent
training program.
Certify competent independent neurologists
capable of handling neurological problems

27. To promote the interest in the various neurological
subspecialty areas, e.g.
 Neurophysiology,
 Neuropathology,
 Movement disorders
 Epilepsy
 Stroke
 Neuromuscular Disorders.

28. DURATION:
Four years of full-time residency training in
Neurology.

29. Objectives

30. Objectives :
Know the diagnosis and treatment of common
neurological disorders.
Obtain neurologically oriented clinical history
perform a competent general physical and
neurological examination.
Formulate a reasonable and comprehensive
differential diagnosis.

31. Recognize emergency situations and
manage them effectively.
Select relevant investigations and
interpret their results accurately.
Perform medical diagnostic and
therapeutic procedures especially in case
of neurological emergencies.

32. complete and accurate medical records.
Evaluate the effects of the treatment of
neurological diseases on the body as a whole.
Predict prognosis and plan prevention,
including appropriate counseling.
Know how to uncover the less common
neurologic disorders by whose primary illness
lies in other areas (e.g. internal medicine of
psychiatry)

33. Teach junior colleagues, medical students,
interns and paramedical staff.
Identify appropriate preventive measures for
potentially dangerous Neurological diseases.
Recognize faults and breakdowns of
diagnostic and therapeutic instruments
Act as leader and counsel to junior members
of staff.

34. Admission Requirements:

35. Admission Requirements:
1. hold certificate of Medical degree from a
recognized University.
2. Successful completion of rotating internship.
3. Three letters of recommendation.
4. Passing the Saudi Council For Health Specialty
Admission Examination.
5. Submit a letter of consent to join the program with
full sponsorship from the employer.
6. Pass an Admission Evaluation (Personal Interview)

36. Sign an undertaking to abide by the rules
and regulations of the neurology training
program and the SCFHS
Registration as a trainee at the Saudi Council
for Health Specialties.

37. Training Requirements
1. Training is a full-time commitment .
2. Training will be conducted in institutions
accredited by Saudi Board of Neurology.
3. Trainees would be involved in patients
care with gradual progression of
responsibility.

38. Structure of the Training
Program:
This is a four-years program,
It involves a comprehensive curriculum of :
 Lectures.
 Tutorials.
 Seminars.
 Journal Clubs.
 Grand Rounds.
 Bedside Teaching.

39. Training will be offered as
follows:

40. 1) The First Year:
Internal Medicine.
full involvement in patient care under the supervision
.
Learn the basic clinical skills:
 competent history-taking,
 physical examination,
 diagnosis and management of common medical
problems
 good medical record-keeping.
rotations among several wards and medical specialties
to ensure good exposure to general medical problems.

41. The Second Year:
Clinical Neurology training .
Skills in performing thorough history-taking.
Competent physical examination,
Achieve the objective knowledge, skills and
attitudes.
Exposure to various diagnostic procedures:
(CT) and (MRI), (EEG), (EP), (EMG) .
The resident will do on-call service, including call
in the ER, and consultations for other specialties
under the consultant supervision.

42. 3) The Third year:
Clinical Neurology:
6 months
Pediatric Neurology:
3 months.
Neurophysiology:
3 months

43. 4) The Fourth Year:
Clinical Neurology 6 months
 Senior resident involved in teaching and organizing the work of
the other junior residents.
Psychiatry 3 months.
 identify psychiatric presentation of neurologic disorders
Neuroradiology 1 month
Neuropathology 1 month
Electives, 1 month
 Neurosurgery, Neuroophthalmology, or as an introduction to
clinical research.

44. Vacations and Holidays
Four weeks vacation annually
10 days for both Eid holidays and emergency
leave.
Sick and maternity leave shall be
compensated for during or at the end of
training.

45. Oncalls

46. Oncalls :
Average of one every three to four nights
(minimum of 7 calls per month)
24 hours per call ( except when working in
emergency room).
Residents are expected to perform regular
duty the day after call and ensure
continuity of care for their patients

47. Evaluation:
a) End of rotation evaluation:
At the end of each training rotation, the supervising
consultant/team shall provide the training
committee with a written evaluation of residents’
performance during that rotation.
b) In-training examinations:
The program shall incorporate an annual written
examination as part of the evaluation process of
residents and a clinical examination at least for
senior residents.

48. Annual overall evaluation:
This includes:
1. Summation of end of rotation
evaluations for the year (50% of total
mark). 2.Result of annual in-
training examination (50% of total mark).

49. Examinations

50. Examination:
Promotion:
Annual promotion (e.g. R1 to R2) depends on
annual overall evaluation.
Promotion to senior residency depends on
annual overall evaluation, and passing first part
board examination.

51. 3.First Board Examination:
Once per year
After completion of the second year of
training..
A written exam (basic, general neurology)
MCQ
A total of 3 attempts are allowed.

52. Final Board Examination:
After successful completion of training.
It is held at least once a year in one or more
of the training centers.
A maximum of three attempts within a
period of five years after completion of
training.

53. 1-Written part:
Knowledge and clinical judgment.
Only successful candidates in this part are
allowed to site the clinical part.
2. Clinical/ Oral Part:
Clinical skills/abilities and judgment in the
field of Neurology.

54. Certification

55. The candidates who pass the final
Board Examination are awarded
the Saudi Specialty Certificate In
Neurology

56. Subspecialties
Movement Critical Care
Neuro-oncology.
Disorders. Neurology.
Multiple Neuromuscular
Neurophysiology.
Sclerosis. Disorders.
Neuroradiology. Headache.
Invasive
Stroke.
Neuroradiology.

57. Statistics :
Current number of residents :69
Male Residents :33
Female Residents :36