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While shadowing a neurologist, recent medical graduate Keti Gvazava, MD, became fascinated by neuroanatomy and “the ability of the nervous system to control the whole body.” She knew then that neurology was the field for her.

Now Dr. Gvazava is a member of the inaugural class of neurology residents at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Eastern Virginia Medical School at ���ϲ�����. Sentara is partnering with the medical school to offer the new , which will expand access to neurology care and advance treatment in the Hampton Roads region.

“I love this field very much,” said Dr. Gvazava, adding that the new residency program can help meet the rising patient demand for neurological care.

The new program comes amid a , including a scarcity of specialists such as . It is the fourth neurology residency program in Virginia and the first in Hampton Roads.

“There’s a huge shortage of neurologists, not just locally, but throughout the United States,” said James Wyant, MD, program director and assistant professor of Neurology. “We look forward to training a new generation and shaping the future of neurology care.”

The new program focuses on holistic, compassionate care, Dr Wyant said, adding, “It's pretty rewarding to educate people about the nervous system and how to care for people in a compassionate way."

Neurology deals with disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, including headache and muscle disorders, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and more.

As the population ages, the need for neurological care is to increase.

The new residency will help meet that need, according to Dr. Wyant, by supplying "a ready pool of well-trained residents.”

In addition to bringing neurology residents to Hampton Roads, many of the graduates will likely stay and practice in the area. A by the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that 57% of residents practice in the state where they did their training.

Dr. Gvazava is one of the three inaugural in the four-year program, which received accreditation in April and officially kicked off on July 1. After the first year, the program will welcome four residents per year.

Dr. Gvazava received her medical degree in 2021 in her home country of Georgia. She shadowed doctors last year at , as well as other hospitals around the country. As an international medical graduate, she passed an English language test in addition to the standard medical licensing exam.

Dr. Gvazava likes the academic and emotional support offered to residents in the new program. She is also a fan of Norfolk.

“This is my dream residency because I really like Norfolk,” said Dr. Gvazava, pointing to the city’s natural beauty.

She said she would be happy to continue practicing in the area after her residency.

“The people and doctors are amazing here, as they are very supportive,” Dr. Gvazava said. “I would love to work in the future with Sentara.”

Most of the new neurology residency program training will take place at , with additional training at , , and .

The new residency program comes after Sentara plans to nearly double residency positions in the next six years, significantly increasing the pipeline of future physicians.

In addition to adding residencies and fellowships at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Sentara is working to establish new residency programs in Northern Virginia, the Virginia Peninsula, and Northeastern North Carolina.

are an important phase in a physician’s training. Residents are newly graduated doctors who receive hands-on guidance from experienced physicians in a specialized field of medicine.

You can learn more about Sentara’s neurology care .

By Clancy McGilligan, Sentara Corporate Communications