Welcome to the Department of Neurology at SUNY Upstate. I am sure you will have an enjoyable albeit busy 3 years with us. The entire faculty are eager to teach, your resident colleagues are friendly and capable, and we all work hard to make sure that as a team we provide the best possible care to our patients.

At Upstate, you will find a variety of opportunities to enhance your training. Beyond your required rotations, there are infinite possibilities for electives, either here or at other institutions. We also are committed to providing research opportunities within the context of specific rotations or longitudinally throughout your training. Although our faculty have significant clinical responsibilities, we are heavily involved in clinical research.

Over the last year, our Department had the 3rd most research funding of all the clinical departments at Upstate, even though we are quite small compared to many other departments. You will have opportunities to participate in clinical research in stroke, epilepsy, neuromuscular disease, and MS among other areas. The faculty are also available to work with you on projects related to your own interests, from case reports to more formal studies. Please feel free to meet with me personally or with any other faculty member about research opportunities. We are all happy you are here.

Luis Mejico, MD
Professor and Chair of Neurology

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Luis J. Mejico, MD received his M.D. from the Catholic University of Cordoba, Argentina. He subsequently completed Neurology Residency at Georgetown University and a fellowship in Neuro-Ophthalmology and Neuro-Otology at Johns Hopkins University. He joined the Upstate Faculty in 2000 and has served as Department Chair since 2015. He has extensive experience in all three missions -clinical care, education and research- as well as administrative in areas such as faculty development and mentorship. His personal interests include mountain trekking, Crossfit and reading.   

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Having served as Residency Program Director for 16 years (2006-2022) has been the privilege of my professional life. Over that period, the department established a top-notch stroke service, a full-service Neuro-ICU run by neurologists, a several-fold expansion of the faculty and subspecialty clinics, and significant growth in the residency.

Every step of the way, we worked together to optimize the resident experience and workflow and maximize opportunities for our residents to learn from our rich and diverse patient population. The main reason for our success—resident engagement in program development. Residents are the “boots on the ground” of inpatient neurology. They know where the problems are and can quickly see potential solutions. I found that process of rapid problem-solving exhilarating and remarkably successful. The experience laid the foundation of my interest in physician leadership and sowed the seeds of the Leadership Academy. 

The Leadership Academy recognizes that physicians become de facto leaders the moment they earn their medical degree, leading teams of students, peers and offering direction to patients and their families.  However, medical education provides virtually no formal leadership training. The Leadership Academy is a 3-year curriculum for our neurology residents and faculty.  Monthly interactive sessions teach leadership principles such as developing emotional intelligence, providing effective feedback, mentoring, and conflict resolution. Looking ahead to the next decade, I am excited to grow both our residents and our faculty through the Leadership Academy.

While program development traced the arc of the past 15 years, close one-on-one work with individual residents created its depth and richness for me. We strive to help each resident identify and build strengths while understanding and working on growth areas. Watching young physicians grow from excited but anxious interns into mature, efficient, and confident neurologists and leaders in just a few years never gets old; each young neurologist offers their unique spin on a story told again and again.

In the best education environments, learning occurs in all directions. Not only do faculty teach residents and students, but residents and students also teach faculty and peers teach one another. I learn from our residents every day, and I look forward to many more years of learning neurology with them. I am also eager to continue helping our faculty grow as educators and learners.

Welcome to Upstate Neurology, where you will experience exhilarating growth as you move toward becoming the best neurologist and leader that you can be!

Deborah Young Bradshaw, MD, FAAN
Associate Chair for Education

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Deborah Young Bradshaw, MD is a native of upstate New York. She has been a faculty member since 1990 and served as Program Director from 2006 to 2022. She graduated from Wellesley College and SUNY Upstate Medical University. She completed her neurology residency at Boston University and a fellowship in Electromyography at the Lahey Clinic. Her interests include clinical neuromuscular disease, medical ethics, medical education and creative writing on medical and non-medical subject matter.

Dr. Bradshaw was the recipient of the institution's first "Excellence in Graduate Medical Education Program Director Award" in 2008. This award is given annually by the Graduate Medical Education office to recognize leadership and commitment to the residency program and institution.

Dr. Bradshaw was recognized in 2014 with a national Neurology Program Director Award by the American Academy of Neurology's Consortium of Neurology Program Directors.