Headache Medicine

Department of Family and Community Medicine

  • Course Information

    Course Number: RFCM606

    Prerequisites: Completion of the Phase 2 Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and Neurology clerkships

    Length of Time: 2 or 4 weeks

    Phase Availability: Phase 2 and Phase 3

    Credit Type: Physician Assessed Patient Facing (PAPFE) or Open

    Call: No

  • Contact Information

    Program Director: Jeffrey Royce, MD, FAAFP

    Coordinator/Scheduling: Allison King (aking75@uic.edu)

    Location: UW Health Neuro and Headache Center (1340 Charles St, Suite 400, Rockford, IL 61104)

Narrative Description: This 2- or 4-week course will provide students with an opportunity to work alongside a headache specialty clinic in order to better understand the scope of diagnoses which lead to headache, therapeutic interventions available to treat headache, and the key history and physical exam findings associated with different headache presentations. This is an outpatient elective. Students will primarily work with Dr. Royce, but will also collaborate with the rest of the members of the practice and learn about interprofessional care of patients with headache.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the course students will be able to:

  1. Perform an accurate and appropriate neurologic examination.
  2. Identify and describe the significance of key findings on examination.
  3. Describe the pathophysiology, clinical course, and management of patients with headaches.
  4. Create differential diagnoses for new consult patients and be able to identify “red-flag” symptoms of headaches.
  5. Identify when a patient is a candidate for a procedural treatment of their headaches and participate in the procedure, if indicated.

Learning Activities: Students will participate in the care of headache patients in an outpatient clinic setting. The student will have the responsibility of taking histories, performing physical examinations, and participating in formulating and administering the plan of care with the attending. The student will also be involved in documenting the clinic visit and outcomes. Students will see patients independently and alongside Dr. Royce based on their level of training. Students will be expected to become proficient at the headache workup and examination and practice injection skills. Students will be expected to prepare and present a journal club article.

Method of Assessment: Students will be assessed by Dr. Royce using the standard 2- or 4-week clinical elective assessment form provided by UICOM based on the length of time they are registered for the course.

Required Reading:

  • Narrative review of peripheral nerve blocks for the management of headache. J. Stern et al. Headache Currents, in Headache 2022;62:1077-1092
  • Expert consensus recommendations for the performance of peripheral nerve blocks for Headaches. A. Blumenfeld et al. Headache 2013;53:437-446
  • Method of injection of Onabotulinumtoxin A for chronic migraine. A Blumenfeld et al. Headache 2010;50(9):1406-1418

General Scheduling:

  • Students will typically work with Dr. Royce in an outpatient setting Monday through Friday from 8:00-5:00pm.

Additional Resources:

  • The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition. Cephalalagia 2018 Vol. 38(1) 1-211

Miscellaneous Information: None