The Fellowship in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry at The Mount Sinai Hospital

The Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry (BNNP) fellowship program at Mount Sinai provides a guaranteed one-year clinical training in the assessment and management of behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry disorders. These disorders include Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, Lewy body disease, frontotemporal dementia including behavioral variants and primary progressive aphasias, cognitive and behavioral manifestations of neurological illnesses including epilepsy, movement disorders, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, among others. The program includes training in advanced BNNP diagnostic and treatment modalities, such as neuropsychological testing, novel imaging techniques and neuropathology, as well as expert mentorship for the development of a focused clinical practice or a career in research, be it in the private or academic setting.Fellows have the opportunity to follow patients over the course of their illness and collaborate with other neurology subspecialties, psychiatry, social work, neuropsychology, diagnostic neuroradiology, neuropathology, and the National Institute on Aging-Designated Alzheimer Disease Research Center. In addition, fellows may be responsible for inpatient consultations, home visits, education of residents and medical students, didactic lectures at the rotating divisions. Protected research time within the fellowship ensures the learning of research methodology and early development of a research track record.

Fellows receive a dedicated one-to-one mentorship from faculty as well as from the program director and the director of neurobehavioral education. Mentorship will cover topics ranging from patient care to career development.

Following completion of the program, fellows are eligible to apply for the certification examination by the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties in Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry.

A second year of fellowship may be possible and determined on a case-by-case basis, subject to availability and to fellows’ individual career development. 

Fellows are provided with the opportunity to rotate in multiple services in the Mount Sinai Health System. The curriculum is flexible and is based on a fellow's background and interests. Some of the rotations include:

• Epilepsy
• Geriatric psychiatry/Consultation Liaison psychiatry
• Geriatric Medicine and Palliative care
• Movement disorder
• Neurocognitive rehabilitation medicine
• Neuro-infectious disease
• Neuromodulation
• Neuropathology
• Neuropsychology
• Neuroradiology
• Other neurology or psychiatry subspecialties

In addition to the above rotations, each fellow is expected to engage in longitudinal experiences that include weekly behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry clinics. Additional clinical training is available during ad-hoc Saturday clinics staffed by an attending, designed for fellows interested in additional clinical exposure. Fellows will also engage in weekly participation in patient research evaluations at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and within the Sinai ALLFTD site. Finally, fellows will have at least four months of protected time for research and electives.

A wide range of clinical conferences and didactics are available. A specific didactic program will be devised for each fellow depending on the rotation. Opportunities include:

• Weekly division and interdisciplinary conferences with patient case presentations and discussions
• Weekly Grand Rounds, Department of Neurology
• Biweekly Neuropsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry Journal club.
• Bi-weekly Movement Disorder Video Conference
• Monthly ADRC Clinicopathologic Conference

Many research opportunities exist at Mount Sinai. Throughout the course of the fellowship, fellows are encouraged, with faculty support, to pursue individual interests and either develop new research or become involved with current ongoing research. Our physicians work with the National Institute on Aging-Designated Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADRC) to conduct clinical research and are engaged in laboratory research to understand the causes of these disorders and develop novel therapies. The Deane Center is also a participating site of ALLFTD study which offers national-scope research opportunities in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

The faculty of the Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry fellowship program are dedicated to supporting our students and fellows.

Arnabh Basu, MD
Emmanuel During, MD
Fanny Elahi, MD
Estevana Isaac, MD
Joanne Festa, PhD
Sam Gandy, MD, PhD
Ana Pereira, MD
Georges Naasan, MD
Laili Soleimani, MD
Tianxu Xia, MD

In addition, other faculty members within the ADRC and across the department of neurology are involved with the education of fellows in BNNP.

The Icahn School of Medicine usually selects 1 fellow each year. To be considered, you should have completed an ACGME-accredited neurology or psychiatry residency program or equivalent and be eligible for licensure in the State of New York.

Fellows must be eligible for licensing to practice in New York State in order to participate in the program.

To apply please submit the following to the program director and coordinator:

• Application form
• Curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation relevant to this training position
• Personal statement

Applications will be reviewed by the selection committee throughout the year. We strongly recommend you send in your application 15-20 months (about a year and a half) before your intended start date. For example, to start July 2025, you can start sending in a completed application package by the Fall/Winter of 2023). We will conduct interviews with selected candidates soon after we receive the applications.