Child Neurology Residency Program
Contact Us
Program Coordinator
Stephanie Dela Bretoniere
[email protected]
714-509-3751
Program Leadership
Rachel Pearson, MD
Program Director,
Child Neurology Residency
Adam Kalawi, MD
Associate Program Director,
Child Neurology Residency
Janetta Arellano, MD
Associate Program Director,
Child Neurology Residency
John Crawford, MD
Division Chief, Child Neurology
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the University of California Irvine-CHOC Hospital (UCI-CHOC) Child Neurology Residency Program!
We’re proud to train the next generation of Child Neurology leaders in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Please click below to learn more about our team and training at UCI-CHOC.
Program Overview
UC Irvine Health School of Medicine offers a five-year ACGME-accredited, combined Pediatrics and Child Neurology Residency Program.
Our categorical program includes two years in the UC Irvine-CHOC Pediatric Residency Program, followed by three years of training in adult and child neurology. Applications should be submitted to the Child Neurology Residency Program only. Candidates invited for interviews will meet with faculty representatives of the Pediatrics Residency Program and the Child Neurology Residency Program. There are two positions open each year.
Since opening in 1964, CHOC has grown into a world-class pediatric healthcare system with two hospitals and multiple primary and specialty care centers. Now part of Rady Children’s Health, CHOC continues to provide exceptional pediatric care for children and families across Orange County. Get an inside look at what makes CHOC so special.
How to Apply
The Child Neurology Residency Program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Applications are accepted only through NRMP’s Electronic Residency Application Service, also called ERAS®.
To apply for the Child Neurology Residency, simply submit an application to the UCI Child Neurology Residency Program — a separate application to the pediatrics residency program is not needed.
Residency applicants must provide:
- A dean’s letter (MSPE) from your medical school.
- Three letters of recommendation. We prefer one letter from a neurology faculty member who worked closely with you as well as two letters from a faculty member of your choosing.
- Personal Statement
- Medical school transcript
- USMLE Step I score (required)
- USMLE Step II CK and CS scores or COMLEX Level 2 score is required to begin the residency training programs. Submitting score reports prior to the rank list deadline is highly. We also prefer applicants who passed their USMLE or COMLEX examinations on the first attempt.
Application Deadlines
The deadline to submit ERAS applications for the Child Neurology Residency Program is December 1. However, we recommend applying by early October, as interviews begin that month and availability may be limited. Once your completed application is submitted, it will be forwarded to the selection committee for review.
- Selected applicants will be contacted to arrange interviews.
- All interviews are scheduled through the Thalamus website.
- Questions? Please email [email protected]
Didactics
Weekly Schedule
Monday
Morning Report — 8–9 a.m.
Tuesday
Neuroradiology Conference — 8 a.m. (2nd and 4th week of each month)
Thursday – Didactic Half Day
Case Conference — 12–1 p.m. (three times per month)
Journal Club — 12–1 p.m. (monthly)
Faculty-Led Lecture Series — 1–2 p.m.
Professor Rounds — 2–3 p.m.
Fellows’ Core Curriculum Series (monthly)
Friday
UCI Neurology Department Grand Rounds — 8–9 a.m.
Epilepsy Surgery Conference — 1–2 p.m.
Additional Conferences
- Division-Wide Research Meeting (quarterly)
- Pediatric Stroke Case Review (quarterly)
- Child Neurology Morbidity and Mortality Conference (quarterly)
- Multidisciplinary Concussion/Traumatic Brain Injury Meeting (quarterly)
- Tumor Board
Didactic sessions occur weekly unless otherwise specified.
Please visit: UCI Education-Benefits
Naman Shah, DO
Class of June 2026
Grace Kim, MD
Class of June 2027
Sophia Falmagne, MD
Class of June 2027
Hasmik Verdyan, MD
Class of September 2027
Quynh Kieu, MD
Class of June 2028
Aysha Arshad, DO
Class of January 2029
Darcy Engelhart, MD
Class of June 2029
Isra Sabir, MD
Class of June 2029
Himani Aligreddy, DO
Class of June 2030
Hanh Pham, DO
Class of June 2030
Michael Kung, MD, 2025 Headache Medicine Fellowship, at University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
Monica Chisholm, MD, 2025
Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship at UC-Irvine and CHOC, Orange, California
Divya Gupta, MD, 2024
Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Stanford, Palo Alto, California
Maggie Schweig Kanin, MD, 2024
Neuromuscular Fellowship at UCLA, Los Angeles California
Zurisandai Gonzales, MD, 2023
Neuromuscular Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Janetta Arellano, MD, 2022
Pediatric Subspecialty Faculty (PSF), CHOC, Orange, California
Tuong-VI Tran, MD, 2022
Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship at UC-Irvine and CHOC, Orange, California
David Adams, MD, 2021
Epilepsy Fellowship at UC-Irvine and CHOC, Orange, California
Genevieve Cruz, MD, 2021
Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Santa Barbara, California (private practice)
Virginia Liu, MD, 2020
Epilepsy Fellowship at UC-San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Desiree Levyim, MD, 2019
West Hills Neurology Clinic, West Hills, California (private practice)
Rachel Pearson, MD, 2019
Sports Neurology and Neurotrauma fellowship at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
LeAnn Hoang, MD, 2018
Progressive Neurology & Sleep Medicine Associates, Riverside, California
LeAnn Hoang, MD, 2018
Progressive Neurology & Sleep Medicine Associates, Riverside, California
Clinical Faculty
Rachel Pearson, MD
Program Director, UC-Irvine Child Neurology Residency Program
Adam Kalawi, MD
Associate Program Director, UC-Irvine Child Neurology Residency Program
Janetta Arellano, MD
Associate Program Director, UC-Irvine Child Neurology Residency Program