ECU Health Medical Center is welcoming its inaugural class of neurology resident physicians, marking the start of a new residency program aimed to advance neurological care and bring providers to eastern North Carolina. The neurology residency is a four-year program, with the first year focused on internal medicine and the remaining three years dedicated to neurology. According to Program Director Dr. Jay Ferrara, the residency is designed to provide comprehensive training across the full spectrum of neurological care.
Dr. Jay Ferrara
“There is a nationwide shortage of neurologists, and eastern North Carolina is no exception,” said Dr. Ferrara. “This program is a critical step in addressing that gap and ensuring that patients in our region have access to high-quality neurological care. We are incredibly excited to welcome this first class of residents to ECU Health.”
Dr. Ferrara also emphasized the broader impact of academic medicine on patient care.
“When patients come to an academic medical center like ECU Health Medical Center, they benefit from being in a learning environment,” Dr. Ferrara said. “Residents, faculty and team members are constantly engaged in education, research and collaboration. That culture of continuous learning ultimately improves outcomes for patients.”
Dr. Georgios Sioutas
In the inaugural class of neurology residents are Drs. Arash Hosseini, Sisi Chen and Georgios Sioutas.
Dr. Arash Hosseini
Dr. Hosseini, originally from Lumberton, North Carolina, completed his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended Campbell University for medical school before matching with his first-choice residency at ECU Health.
Inspired early on by his father, a psychiatrist, Hosseini developed a fascination for the brain and its unexplored complexities.
“Compared to other organ systems, the brain is still very much uncharted territory,” Dr. Hosseini said. “That mystery is what excites me. We’re going to see incredible breakthroughs over the next couple of decades, and I want to be part of that progress.”
The decision to join ECU Health’s new neurology residency program was a carefully considered one. Hosseini was drawn to ECU Health as an academic medical center and as the only Level I Trauma Center in eastern North Carolina. Dr. Hosseini couples matched with his fiancée, Dr. Kelli Devlin, who is starting her first year in ECU Health’s OBGYN residency program, and ECU Health offered both the ideal opportunity to grow their careers together in North Carolina. His long-term goal is to remain in the state, ideally serving rural communities like the one he grew up in.
“Lumberton is a place where health outcomes have historically been poor,” Dr. Hosseini said. “For me, being able to see that growing up was really important, and it emphasizes to me how important it is to be able to provide care to these communities. A lot of people in rural areas don’t have access to care or information and resources they need. To be able to provide that health care is super important and something that I know would go a long way in their lives.”
Dr. Sisi Chen
Joining Dr. Hosseini in the first-ever neurology residency class is Dr. Sisi Chen. Originally from China, Dr. Chen graduated from medical school there before moving to the United States in 2012. She gained valuable clinical and research experience at several institutions, including the University of Cincinnati and Mayo Clinic. Prior to matching at ECU Health, she completed a year-long clinical fellowship in neurocritical care at a hospital in New York.
“When I interviewed with the faculty, they were very enthusiastic in building a new program and had a really positive attitude,” said Dr. Chen. “Especially since we only have three residents for the first year, I’ll have the opportunity to really learn from the attending and have the opportunity to help really shape the program.”
Dr. Ferrara is excited to see the program develop and grow.
“This first class of residents is laying the groundwork for the future of our program and will drive positive change in neurological care across eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Ferrara. “As we grow, we are excited to train more future neurologists to help our region gain access to the care they need, close to home.”