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NEUROLOGY .. Appointment Location Phelps Memorial Hospital Pediatric Neurology Associates 755 North Broadway, Suite 540 Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 Phone: .914-358-0188 Phone:. 914-358-0190 Fax:...... 914-358-0189 Fax:...... 914-358-0199 Directions

What is Pediatric Neurology?

Our pediatric neurologists treat children and adolescents which have neurological problems, developmental, learning, attention or hyperactivity disorders, as well as seizures, headaches, tumors or other problems of the brain, nerves and muscles. The combined use of sophisticated non-invasive testing, in addition to close cooperation with pediatric neurosurgeons and other specialists, enables patients to receive a coordinated approach to all types of neurologic problems.

Ronald Jacobson, MD knows that even a neurological exam can be fun. He demonstrates his method to medical student Julie Grimes and his patient, six year old Cyrus Arjomand.

Dr. Jacobson directs New York Medical College's selective in pediatric neurology. A selective describes part of the curriculum that's somewhat elective, but with a list of options from which 3rd year medical students must choose. Dr. Jacobson says, "It is enriching to spend two weeks in a row with the same student. What captured my interest and opened my heart was how much I enjoyed learning from my students. They bring a high degree of personal insight to our interactions."

Dr. Jacobson's students join him in seeing patients at his faculty practice in Sleepy Hollow, NY. "Outpatient issues in neurology tend to be much more diverse than what students would encounter in hospital rotations," he says. "In the selective we often have an hour-plus to get to know the patients and explore these issues in depth." He makes sure the students get a thorough grounding in the basics, but he also reaches beyond medical matters to discuss ethical concerns, and will often factor in the parents' perspective for a rich assessment of each patient's condition.

What does the condition mean for a child, his life, his family? How do parents feel about sending a child with seizures back to schoool? What if a child has debilitating headaches and can't leave the house? "We're able to go way beyond textbook descriptions," he says. Each student selects a patient's case - often a highly specific condition that spans multiple fields - and develops a PowerPoint presentation. "The students become my teachers," Dr. Jacobson says, praising both their research skills and their computer savvy. These PowerPoints are professional enough to use as formal teaching tools. I'm assembling an entire library of them," says Dr. Jacobson.

Julie Grimes, Class of 2012, enrolled in pediatric neurology last summer to gauge her interest in the field. Observing Dr. Jacobson treat a broad spectrum of neurological conditions was "enjoyable, educational and inspiring," she says. "He was always so focused and attentive. Since then, I have made a concerted effort to incorporate those valuable conversational skills into my own interactions with patients." In selecting a topic to present, Grimes chose that of an 8 year old boy who had complained of fainting during baseball practice. "His father noted that, unlike the other boys, his son did not sweat," she says - suggesting a disorder of central thermoregulation. "When I mentioned this, Dr. Jacobson smiled and pulled a textbook off his shelf, opened to a dog-eared page, and handed it to me." It wa a chapter on pediatric disorders of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that he wrote in 1999. "At that very early stage in my third year," she says, "the experience of thoroughly researching a specific topic relating to patient care was a transformative one." For her, the selective "has been truly one of the highlights of my time at New York Medical College."

(The above photo and article are courtesy of Chironian magazine, which is a semi-annual publication issued by the Office of Public Relations, New York Medical College. Story by Melissa Pheterson. Photography by William Taufic. Copyright 2011 New York Medical College.)

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Ronald Jacobson, MD, Chief of Pediatric Neurology, discusses the importance of "the search for truth about autism" with Jim Dolan of ABC 7's Eyewitness News on Jan. 5, 2011.