Clinical Neuroscience Institute Thrives with Robust Academic Programs

By Jason Merritt, vice president, Premier Physician Network and Neuroscience Service Line

For more than 15 years, the Premier Health Clinical Neuroscience Institute (CNSI) has partnered with the Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine (BSOM). In December 2023, Premier Health and Wright State University (WSU) announced an affiliation agreement, aligning to advance academic medicine, improve community health, and bolster the regional workforce and economic development. As part of this collaboration, Bryan Ludwig, MD, chair of the Clinical Neuroscience Institute, now serves as the endowed chair of the Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine Department of Neurology. His leadership has led to recruitment, creation of top-notch training programs and improved access for patients in the region. 

The CNSI provides an inclusive training environment for providers of all backgrounds, and the creation of sub-specialization required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has led to a comprehensive CNSI teaching program. The neurology residency program continues to see increasingly robust interest to join the program, with hundreds of highly competitive medical students applying from across the country for four positions per year. Dr. Ludwig hopes to recruit several outstanding candidates from BSOM. Dr. Ludwig has partnered with Premier Health and WSU to create several new neuroscience fellowships over the past three years. Of the 16 current residents, three senior residents are contracted for future neuroscience work within the health system. In addition, four residents have accepted fellowship spots in 2024, with five fellows anticipated in 2025.  Despite this programmatic growth, the need for neurologists is great in Dayton, highlighting the importance of continued growth and retention of our current fellows and residents to support succession planning and create the next generation of physicians in our community.

Numerous national, regional, and local research trials were born from the WSU and CNSI, benefiting patients and residents. Partnering with the basic neurosciences and WSU engineering programs has resulted in grant awards, recruitment of academic talent, and numerous publications. Additionally, the CNSI has distinguished itself from other programs with research trials of novel patient therapies.

Academic partnerships support our award-winning Comprehensive Stroke Center, Center of Excellence in Multiple Sclerosis, Level 4 Epilepsy Center, Brain Mapping Center, Comprehensive Headache Clinic, TeleStroke / TeleNeurology platforms, and a respected 36-bed Neurocritical Care Unit, to name only a few. 

With the exciting Wright State University affiliation, the CNSI is well positioned to offer novel treatments using the latest technology to provide high-quality care for our patients, learners, and community.

Back to the January 2024 issue of Premier Pulse