Mini-Fellowship in
Concussion, TBI & Vascular Incidents
Advanced Clinical Diagnosis & Management Program
Administered by The Academy of Chiropractic
42 CE and CME Credits | PACE Recognized | SUNY Buffalo Medical – Cleveland University–Kansas City Chiropractic Approved
Elevating Trauma Diagnosis Through Neurology & Vascular Expertise
The Mini-Fellowship in Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Vascular Incidents is an advanced postgraduate clinical training program designed for doctors who want to master the diagnosis, triage, and clinical management of head and neck trauma following motor vehicle collisions and other traumatic events.
This immersive program is taught by Candice Perkins, MD, a board-certified neurologist with specialization in vascular neurology, who brings deep clinical expertise in brain injury, cerebrovascular pathology, and neurological trauma care.
Participants gain a clinical framework for identifying and managing concussion and traumatic brain injuries while recognizing dangerous vascular complications that require urgent intervention.
Understanding Concussion, TBI & Vascular Trauma
Concussion exists on the spectrum of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and frequently occurs in motor vehicle collisions, falls, and blunt trauma events.
However, head trauma can also produce life-threatening vascular injuries, including:
• Carotid artery dissection
• Vertebral artery dissection
• Intracranial hemorrhage
• Vascular compromise of brain structures
These conditions may initially present with subtle neurological symptoms and can be easily missed without a structured diagnostic approach.
Modern trauma care requires physicians to distinguish between:
• Mild traumatic brain injury (concussion)
• Moderate to severe TBI
• Acute vascular incidents requiring emergency referral
This Mini-Fellowship provides the clinical diagnostic framework and imaging decision-making protocols necessary to identify these conditions early and manage them appropriately.
Academic Leadership
Candice Perkins, MD
Neurology | Vascular Neurology
Education and Training
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
Weill Cornell Medical College
Neurology Residency
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Fellowship – Cerebrovascular Disease / Vascular Neurology
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
Dr. Perkins has served in clinical and academic roles affiliated with several major hospital systems, including:
• NYU Langone Hospitals
• Stony Brook University Hospital
• New York-Presbyterian / Queens (New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens)
These institutions include major regional stroke centers and tertiary neurological care facilities, where she has participated in the diagnosis and management of cerebrovascular disease, traumatic brain injury, and neurological emergencies.
Dr. Perkins provides direct clinical instruction and case-based neurological analysis, guiding participants through the vascular anatomy of the brain and neck, neurological injury mechanisms, and trauma-related diagnostic strategies.
Mini-Fellowship Institutional Recognition
The program is administered by The Academy of Chiropractic and formally recognized by:
State University of New York at Buffalo
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Office of Continuing Medical Education
Cleveland University–Kansas City
College of Chiropractic and Health Sciences
Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards
PACE Approved Continuing Education
Successful completion awards 42 Chiropractic and Medical Continuing Education Credits.
Why This Mini-Fellowship Matters
Traumatic brain injury and vascular trauma are among the most misunderstood and under-diagnosed injuries in trauma care.
Doctors managing trauma cases must be able to:
✔ Recognize concussion vs. more serious TBI
✔ Identify neurological deficits and red-flag symptoms
✔ Understand vascular injury risk following trauma
✔ Determine when advanced imaging is medically necessary
✔ Coordinate specialist referral and emergency care when required
✔ Document neurological findings using evidence-based clinical standards
This Mini-Fellowship bridges the gap between basic concussion knowledge and real-world trauma management.
Graduates develop clinical confidence in diagnosing brain injury, identifying vascular emergencies, and managing patients within a multidisciplinary trauma framework.
Program Structure
The fellowship is delivered through three rigorous training phases designed to develop advanced clinical competence.
Pre-Requisites:
1. Trauma Qualification
2. MRI Qualification
PART 1
Advanced Research & Competency Testing
24 Hours | 15 Research Articles | 15 Examinations
Participants complete structured review of 15 contemporary peer-reviewed research studies covering the science of traumatic brain injury and vascular trauma.
Core topics include:
• Concussion pathophysiology
• Traumatic brain injury mechanisms
• Neurovascular injury following trauma
• Carotid and vertebral artery dissection
• Brain perfusion and vascular compromise
• Neurological examination protocols
• Brain anatomy and meningeal structures
• Blood vessel anatomy of the neck and brain
• Imaging indications in trauma care
• Clinical triage of neurological symptoms
• Evidence-based concussion management
Each research article is paired with a structured competency examination.
Average study time per module: 1 hour 36 minutes.
Research materials are continually updated to ensure alignment with current peer-reviewed scientific literature.
PART 2
Live Neurology & Clinical Evaluation
8 Hours | Case-Based Neurological Training
Under direct instruction by Candice Perkins, MD, participants engage in interactive clinical case analysis involving:
• Concussion presentations
• Traumatic brain injury scenarios
• Vascular trauma cases
• Neurological deficit recognition
• Emergency referral decision-making
Participants learn to recognize:
• Neurological symptom patterns
• Brain region injury correlations
• Vascular warning signs
• Red-flag clinical presentations
• When advanced imaging is required
This phase provides real-world diagnostic reasoning training used in trauma and neurological care.
PART 3
Scholarly Case Report Publication
10 Hours | Peer-Reviewed Submission to British Medical Journal (BMJ) Group
Participants must author a clinical case report demonstrating how concussion, TBI, or vascular injury was identified and managed through clinical evaluation and imaging.
The case report must demonstrate:
• Diagnostic reasoning
• Neurological findings
• Imaging utilization
• Treatment decision-making
• Patient outcome analysis
Publication standards require:
• Compliance with BMJ Case Report Guidelines
• Inclusion of diagnostic imaging when applicable
• Maximum 20 references
• Peer review submission to the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Group
Research instructions:
https://primaryspinecare.net/index.php/research-instructions
The candidate must serve as primary author.
What Graduates Gain
✔ Advanced expertise in concussion and traumatic brain injury diagnosis
✔ Clinical ability to identify vascular trauma emergencies
✔ Evidence-based neurological examination protocols
✔ Confidence in advanced imaging decision-making
✔ Peer-reviewed case publication experience
✔ 42 CE Credits (PACE Approved)
✔ University-recognized certification
✔ Advanced clinical credibility in trauma and neurological injury care
Tuition
$3,000