Academic Department of Neurology - Lubbock

“We’re just enthusiastic about what we do.”

Steve Jobs

February 1, 1985  

Welcome to the website of the Department of Neurology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Lubbock. The department was created in 2009 and our Neurology Residency Program was accredited by the ACGME in a record seven (7) months. Our current accreditation extends to 2025.

We pride ourselves in having experienced, knowledgeable and successful Neurology faculty members. As a department, we all share a common vision of what an excellent Neurology Residency should
be like. We structured our program to foster a one-to-one interaction between faculty and residents.

The clinical rotations and conference schedules were also designed with that goal in mind. The clinical  material is superb. The Department of Neurology at TTUHSC SOM is the only academic neurologic center in the Texas South Plains, an area larger than New England. Our residents see everything from the common “bread-and-butter” neurology to the most unusual and challenging neurological cases.

Procedures are a very important part of the practice of Neurology. In years past, neurologists performed arteriograms and myelograms to name a few. Did you know that there has been a trend over the years where many departments of neurology have lost the ability to either perform or interpret various neurodiagnostic procedures? This is an unfortunate trend that ultimately will affect residency training. Because of this situation, some programs are having difficulty providing adequate exposure to procedures such as EMG/NCV, non-invasive carotid studies, TCD, sleep medicine, and even lumbar punctures.

At Texas Tech Neurology, we strive to offer all neurodiagnostic procedures including diagnostic ultrasounds and TCD, tilt table testing, autonomic testing, neuro- ophthalmology (Humphrey visual testing, OCT), and the various modalities of EEG, EMG and EPs performed in our department by our faculty, technicians and residents. By performing the exams and having unrestricted access to these procedures, our faculty and residents are able to answer the relevant neurological questions that are specific to each of our patients. We believe this intense, unrestricted exposure will give all of our residents the ability to be fully competent in performing and interpreting these various neurodiagnostic procedures by the end of their training.

In addition to providing excellent clinical and neurodiagnostic training, our residency program offers opportunities for residents to become involved in clinical research. There are many opportunities to learn about research methods and to participate in research projects with the various clinical and basic science departments at TTUHSC.

We are looking for bright, inquisitive and hardworking residents who share the same vision as we do. Our goal is to train individuals to be thoroughly competent in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disease. If you feel this is what you are looking for, please contact me at 806.743.3832.

Mirla Avila, M.D.
Interim Chair
Department of Neurology – Lubbock
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

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Welcome to the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, also known as physiatry, is the specialty charged with the diagnosis, management, and prevention of conditions related to disability.

Our teaching sites include TrustPoint Rehabilitation of Lubbock, Covenant Medical Center, Texas Tech Physicians Neurology Clinic, the Department of Veterans Affairs Lubbock Community Outpatient Clinic.

My desired goal as division chief is to foster a culture inquiry, growth, integrity, and accountability and to train the next generation of PM&R physicians to help their patients to achieve the best possible quality of life.

– John Norbury MD