University of Pennsylvania Health System Program

Neurology Analyst Verified · Oct 3, 2026

University of Pennsylvania Health System Program

University of Pennsylvania Health System Program is a residency program specializing in Neurology, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, directed by Laura A. Stein, MD, MSEd and coordinated by Vanna Hing. and holds an accreditation status of Continued. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at pennneuroresidency@uphs.upenn.edu or (215) 662-2625. IMGPrep analysts have verified and compiled this program’s IMG acceptance rate, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 score requirements, Visa Sponsorship Policy, graduation year cutoff, and ECFMG certificate requirements — available to IMGPrep subscribers.

Program Identity & Fit

Penn Neurology is a large, academically dominant program embedded within one of the nation's top NIH-funded medical schools, training primarily at the flagship Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania alongside CHOP (pediatric neurology), Penn Presbyterian (neurocritical care/trauma), the VAMC, and Pennsylvania Hospital (home to dedicated Parkinson's/Movement Disorders and ALS centers). Research is structurally central: the department holds an NINDS UE5 grant funding physician-scientist development, roughly a quarter of faculty run independent laboratories, and a formal Research Track offers residents dedicated lab time from a "Spring Forward" pre-residency start through up to 24 consecutive PGY-4 elective weeks. Career development is highly systematized, with named tracks in Research, Medical Education, Global Health/Health Equity, and Quality Improvement, each culminating in a mentored Capstone project, reflecting a program that values residents with a defined scholarly or programmatic focus rather than purely clinical service. The majority of graduates pursue fellowship (two-thirds remain at Penn), with the remainder matching to other top academic centers, underscoring an academic/fellowship-oriented pipeline rather than community practice.

Who it fits

An applicant with a demonstrated academic or research trajectory (publications, a defined scholarly interest such as basic/translational neuroscience, global health, medical education, or QI) who is seeking a structured, mentored pathway toward subspecialty fellowship and academic neurology.

Research intensity

Central - a dedicated Research Track, NINDS UE5 grant, protected lab time, and T32-supported fellowship funding make research infrastructure core to the program's identity, though non-research scholarly tracks are equally structured.

Career orientation

Mixed - Academic Medicine, Fellowship, Physician-Scientist

Important

One letter of recommendation must be from Neurology, with a fourth from Internal Medicine encouraged but not required; the personal statement is expected to address personal challenges or endeavors that have shaped the applicant.

Choose Specialty / Choose Another Program

Neurology

Deadline

Accreditation Status Continued

SCORE

USMLE STEP 1

USMLE STEP 2

SCORE NOTES

VISA POLICY

VISA

GRADUATION CUT OFF

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

ECFMG CERTIFICATE

PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT

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CURRENT RESIDENTS