Fellowship Programs in Behavioral Neurology

We sent a behavioral neurology fellowship questionnaire to each of the training directors of 160 neurology residency programs throughout the world, seeking information about programs offering advanced training in behavioral neurology (or similar fellowships in cognitive neurology, neurobehavior, or cognitive neuroscience). Response rate was 100%. Thirty-four respondents reported active fellowship programs in behavioral neurology, and 28 additional respondents indicated that a behavioral neurology fellowship was planned. Nine of the 34 programs (26.5%) defined themselves as exclusively or predominantly concerned with dementia and age-related neurobehavioral disorders. Directors of the 34 active fellowship programs estimated that their combined programs had graduated 199 fellows and were currently training fifty. Most fellowships concentrated on outpatient clinical training, with teaching required by 78.1% and research required by 81.8%. Specialty certification for behavioral neurology was favored by over 75% of behavioral neurology fellowship training directors but by only 30% of training directors in residency programs without behavioral neurology fellowships. Behavioral neurology training programs have grown dramatically in response to an increased recognition of the academic interest in and the clinical needs for these services.