Neurosurgery Residency Curriculum
The faculty and staff of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOM-P) are dedicated to providing excellent training to our residents via a competency based educational focus that ensures strict attention to learner performance in reaching specific curricular goals and objectives.
Competency Based Goals and Objectives Heading link
The program is dedicated to prepare and train physicians who are driven and motivated by excellence in the process of becoming competent and safe neurosurgeons. The program hopes to instill the principles of honesty, integrity, decency, objectivity, responsibility, and accountability in achieving his or her goals.
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Patient Care
- Become proficient in interviewing patients and their families.
- Develop and carry out patient management plans for the treatment of fluid and electrolyte disturbances, poor nutrition, and sepsis.
- Counsel and evaluate patients about the multiple traumatized patient.
- Perform a physical examination on general surgery patients and trauma patients.
- Become proficient in performing arterial line placement, central venous line placement, and Swan Ganz catheter placement.
- Learn to become a team member, especially related to trauma team.
Interpersonal Skills
- Develop the skills to understand the patients and their family’s concerns about various operative procedures.
- Develop the listening skills to become an empathetic physician.
Professionalism
- Learn to be respectful of the patients and their family, and auxiliary healthcare personnel.
- Begin to develop the ethics of which patients should be operated on and which should not.
- Be sensitive to cultural, age, and gender issues and relate to trauma patients and general surgery patients.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Learn to do a medical search via the Internet.
- Learn the common statistical methods used for medical studies.
- Develop skills in searching the medical literature and using the information to better treat patients.
- Analyze a series of patients that you have cared for with a common problem, e.g., chest contusion, fractured ribs, etc., to see how you could have improved their care.
- Facilitate the learning of the medical students and nursing staff.
Systems-Based Practice
- Learn the cost of commonly performed procedures, lab tests, and diagnostic tests.
- Compare the cost of care for a certain group of patients with a common disorder, e.g., postop fever.
- Learn how the general surgery department interacts with other departments and the administrative structure in the hospital.
- Become advocates for the patients in their journey through the healthcare system.
Medical Knowledge
- Pulmonary
- Understand the physiology of ventilation and gas exchange.
- Know the indications for and types of mechanical ventilation.
- Learn how to manage ARDS, ventilator-assisted pneumonia.
- Learn the criteria for weaning a patient from the ventilator.
- Cardiovascular
- Understand the physiology of the cardiac circuit including cardiac output and stroke volume, cardiac index and vascular resistance.
- Learn the physiology and hemodynamic monitoring including the concepts of preload, afterload, and cardiac output, and how they are measured in a clinical setting.
- Learn how to manage and what drugs to use for preload and afterload and contractility.
- Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid-Based Balance
- Understand the concepts of body compartments, H2O and electrolyte distributions.
- Understand the difference between osmolality and tonicity.
- Learn how to accurately assess the fluid and electrolyte requirements in the postop and critically ill patient.
- Understand the correct amount of volume resuscitation.
- Know the different types of resuscitative fluids, colloid vs. crystalloid hypertonic fluid resuscitation and when RBL transfer is indicated.
- Know how to diagnose and treat hyponatremia, SIADH, cerebral salt wasting syndrome, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, hypernatremia, hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia.
- Learn how to diagnose and treat respiratory alkalosis, respiratory acidosis, metabolic alkalosis, and metabolic acidosis.
- Metabolic and Nutritional
- Learn how to evaluate patient nutritional requirements and status.
- Know the Harris-Benedict equation for estimating basal energy expenditure.
- Become proficient in ordering the different methods of feeding – enteral and parenteral.
- Infectious Disease
- Understand the pathogenesis and prevention of systemic infection in the critically ill patient.
- Know the diagnosis and treatment for sepsis, pneumonia, sinusitis, UTI, and CNS infections.
- Learn about antibiotic prophylaxis.
- Multisystem Injury Management
- Know how to resuscitate the multiple injury patient.
- airway and breathing
- treating shock
- transfusion
- hypothermia, coagulopathy, and metabolic acidosis
- Learn how to insert and manage Swan Ganz catheter.
- Know about abdominal compartment syndrome.
- Know about stress ulcer prophylaxis.
- Colonic ileus.
- Acute cholecystitis.
- DVT and pulmonary embolism.
- Renal failure and renal replacement treatment.
- Learn how to sedate, chemo paralyze, and control pain.
- Know how to resuscitate the multiple injury patient.
- Withholding and Withdrawing Life Support in the ICU
- Understand the complexity of withholding and withdrawing life support.
- Know the legal aspects.
- Know why and how life support is withheld and withdrawn.
- Learn how to resolve potential conflicts between patients and healthcare professionals.
- Declaration of Brain Damage
- Understand the concept of brain death.
- Know the clinical criteria for establishing brain death.
- Learn how to interpret the confirmatory tests.
- Know the specific problems of diagnosing brain death in children.
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Patient Care
- Develop a caring and respectful behavior when dealing with patients with common neurological problems such as multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s disease.
- Develop skills in interviewing families when the patient is incompetent, stuporous, or comatose.
- Develop the knowledge base to make informal decisions about the treatment of common neurological problems, especially when they overlap with neurosurgery.
- Develop and carry out patient management plans, especially in stroke.
- Counsel and educate patients and families about the long-term problem associated with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, stroke, etc.
- Refine and master the neurological examination.
- Develop the skills in performing lumbar puncture and interpreting EMG, NCV, EEG, Goldman visual fields, and funduscopy.
- Learn about stroke prevention.
- Learn how to work within a team of neuroscientists, e.g., neurosurgeon, neurologist, neuropathologists, nurses, etc.
Medical Knowledge
- Understand the different types of dementia and how to differentiate them.
- Classify the seizure disorders and know the pharmacology of commonly used anticonvulsants.
- Learn the different types of aphasia and where the typical lesion occurs in the CNS.
- Learn the workup and evaluation for a patient with ALS and how cervical spondylosis might mimic this disease.
- Learn about Parkinson’s disease and the current treatment options, both medical and surgical.
- Learn the common stroke syndromes.
Interpersonal Skills
- Develop the skills to understand the patient’s and their family’s concerns about the effects of having a stroke.
- Develop the skills to understand the patient’s and family’s concerns when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Professionalism
- Become familiar with the various organizations that have been developed to help patients with chronic disabilities, e.g., MS Society, etc.
- Learn how to communicate with families of patients with common neurological problems such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, etc.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement:
- Learn about various multicenter prospective randomized trials for stroke, both medical and surgical.
Systems-Based Practice
- Learn about the efforts being made to limit the costs of caring for patients with stroke.
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Patient Care
- Perform and document a comprehensive neurosurgery history and physical examination.
- Understand the indications for and interpret the meaning of laboratory studies and imaging.
- Develop patient care plans appropriate to a patient’s presenting problems or postoperative course in consultation with the chief resident or attending surgeon.
- Establish and implement effective patient care plans.
- Counsel patients on the risks, goals, limits, and alternatives to simple neurosurgical procedures and more complex procedures under the supervision of the chief resident or attending surgeon.
- Perform selected surgical procedures under direct supervision.
- Assist in major surgical procedures and perform those portions of such procedures, under supervision, that are appropriate for his or her level of training.
- Work with healthcare professionals composing the neurosurgery team and other members of the healthcare team from other disciplines.
- Be able to insert an ICP monitor.
- Be able to insert a ventriculostomy.
- Know the common landmarks, such as Keen’s point, Kocher’s point, etc.
- Understand the anatomical landmarks, the surgical incision, and components of carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Know the anatomy of the cubital tunnel and be able to perform the procedure.
- Know the skin incision and burr hole positions for a trauma craniotomy.
- Know how to perform burr holes or twist drills for chronic subdural hematoma.
- Know the anatomy and be able to perform a lumbar laminectomy for disc.
- Be able to perform a muscle and nerve biopsy.
- Be able to position a patient for a lumbar laminectomy and understand the postoperative complications from poor positioning.
- Know the common causes for intraoperative shock and the appropriate treatment.
- Know how to insert the Mayfield head holder, shave the head, and address associated problems.
- Perform a lumbar puncture.
- Insert tongs and place in a jacket.
Medical Knowledge
- Recognize all of the common cervical and lumbar radicular syndromes, understand the pathophysiology of herniated discs, lateral recess stenosis, and spinal stenosis, describe how these syndromes are similar and different from each other, and know the common medical problems that may mimic them. Know the different ways each can be treated, what is considered conservative therapy, and when surgery is indicated. Be able to recognize the cauda equina syndrome.
- Know the common presentation and physical findings of the compressive neuropathies, e.g., carpal and cubital tunnel. Know when conservative therapy is indicated and what conservative therapy entails. Understand the similarities and differences between carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome. Know which syndrome has a higher surgical success rate. Know the common mimickers of these syndromes.
- Understand the pathophysiology of closed head injury. Know the typical history and physical findings of a patient with a concussion. Understand in detail the anatomical basis for the herniation syndromes. Understand and be able to manage patients with increased intracranial pressure (including ventilator management).
- Understand the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury. Know the types of cord injuries, complete, incomplete, central cervical cord, Brown-Sequard, anterior spinal artery, and explain the anatomical basis of each. Know the dermatomal and myotomal levels of important cord levels. Know how to evaluate and treat the acute spinal cord injury. Recognize when emergency surgery is indicated.
- Be able to recognize the history and physical findings of a patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Be able to recognize the common sequelae of subarachnoid hemorrhage and the treatment, including vasospasm. Be able to recognize the common stroke syndromes and types of aphasia.
- Know the common types of brain tumors, their presentation, and natural history.
- Be able to treat common neurological emergencies such as status epilepticus, hyponatremia, and diabetes insipidus.
- Demonstrate a solid foundation of knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology related to inpatient neurosurgery patients.
- Correctly interpret basic laboratory and radiological studies.
- Demonstrate a growing familiarity with classic and current aspects of the neurosurgical literature.
- Demonstrate a foundation for clinical neurosurgery problem-solving and decision-making.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Demonstrate an ongoing and improving ability to learn from errors.
- Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from studies related to common neurosurgical problems.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Provide compassionate care as determined by patients, families, colleagues, and ancillary staff.
- Work effectively as a member of a healthcare team.
- Communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals on consulting services.
Professionalism
- Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to patients’ culture, age, gender, and disabilities.
- Demonstrate integrity and a commitment to patients that supersedes self-interest.
System-Based Practice
- Understand the practice of neurosurgery, including its interactions with other healthcare organizations.
- Advocate for quality patient care and assist patients in dealing with system complexities.
- Practice cost-effective healthcare and resource allocation through evidence-based medical practice that does not compromise the quality of care.
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Patient Care
- Perform comprehensive neurosurgery history and physical examinations, with a focus on spinal, pediatric, and radiosurgery cases.
- Interpret laboratory studies and imaging findings specific to neurosurgery, with an emphasis on spinal, pediatric, and radiosurgery cases.
- Develop advanced diagnostic and patient management skills, including active participation in outpatient neurosurgical clinics for pediatric and radiosurgery cases.
- Create and implement effective patient care plans, considering the risks, goals, limits, and alternatives to neurosurgical procedures in spinal, pediatric, and radiosurgery cases.
- Provide counseling to patients, discussing the risks, benefits, and alternatives to neurosurgical procedures, with a particular focus on spinal, pediatric, and radiosurgery cases.
- Perform selected surgical procedures under direct supervision, including assessing patients’ suitability for surgery, participating in patient positioning, prepping, and draping, and carrying out various neurosurgical procedures such as burr holes, laminectomies, ventriculostomies, carpal tunnel release, craniotomies, cervical disk removal, and cranioplasty.
- Gain proficiency in evaluating CT scans of the head and spine films for trauma patients.
- Learn and practice repair techniques for myelomeningocele and craniosynostosis.
Medical Knowledge
- Understand the normal and abnormal development of the central nervous system.
- Recognize different types of spinal dysraphism and associated brain anomalies.
- Identify and perform appropriate workup and treatment for spinal dysraphism, including surgical approaches.
- Understand the physiology and pathophysiology of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and absorption.
- Recognize the physical findings and symptoms of hydrocephalus and different treatment options.
- Manage pediatric head and spinal cord injuries, as well as SCIWORA syndrome.
- Gain knowledge about common pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors, their operative approaches, and postoperative therapies.
- Familiarize oneself with the workup and treatment of suspected child abuse cases.
- Learn about different causes of stroke in children.
- Recognize and treat chronic subdural hematoma in children.
- Understand treatment options for epilepsies and spasticity.
- Possess a solid foundation of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology related to inpatient neurosurgery patients, focusing on spinal, pediatric, and radiosurgery cases.
- Stay updated with the neurosurgical literature, particularly in the areas of spinal, pediatric neurosurgery, radiosurgery, and critical care.
- Demonstrate proficiency in interpreting basic and advanced laboratory and radiological studies.
- Develop skills in neuropathology, including the ability to recognize various types of tumors, differentiating metastatic from primary tumors, and interpreting special stains and immunoperoxidase stains.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Learn from errors and incorporate lessons into future practice.
- Develop educational goals for specialized elective fields and participate in research projects to contribute to the neurosurgical knowledge base.
- Stay up-to-date with scientific studies and contribute to the improvement of neurosurgical knowledge through participation in clinical studies.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Provide compassionate and patient-centered care, taking into account patients’ cultural backgrounds, age, gender, and disabilities.
- Collaborate effectively as part of a healthcare team, particularly in outpatient specialty clinics.
- Actively participate in multidisciplinary conferences focused on specific neurosurgical fields.
Professionalism
- Demonstrate integrity and prioritize patients’ well-being over personal interests.
- Engage in ongoing professional development, including submitting research for peer review and actively participating in professional meetings.
System-Based Practice
- Understand the practice of neurosurgery and its interactions with other healthcare organizations.
- Advocate for quality patient care and assist patients in navigating complex healthcare systems, especially in outpatient settings.
- Practice cost-effective healthcare and evidence-based medicine without compromising the quality of care.
- Gain knowledge of different practice opportunities, practice types, healthcare delivery systems, and medical economics.
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Patient Care
- Fulfill on-call responsibilities and serve as a backup for the Unity Point Health Methodist resident.
- Participate in radiosurgery cases and conferences.
- Follow the established objectives set by the advisor during the elective year.
Medical Knowledge
- Successfully pass the ABNS primary exam.
- Demonstrate an advanced familiarity with the neurosurgical literature.
- Evaluate and synthesize hypotheses related to basic scientific investigations.
- Radiosurgery:
- Learn the process of placing the radiosurgery base ring on patients.
- Understand the advantages and disadvantages of radiosurgery.
- Familiarize oneself with typical doses used for treating conditions such as meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, and metastases.
- Gain knowledge about functional applications of radiosurgery, including Parkinson’s disease and trigeminal neuralgia.
- Participate in the planning phase of radiosurgery treatment, including learning about merge technology (MRI & CT) with the radiation oncologist.
- Present any treatment-associated morbidity at M&M conferences.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Continuously develop the ability to learn from errors.
- Demonstrate a strong work ethic and dedication in a basic science research environment.
- Cultivate problem-solving skills for designing, implementing, analyzing, and reporting relevant basic science research in the clinical field.
- Establish research habits, including familiarity with relevant research literature.
- Become an integral part of a research team.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Communicate effectively with all members of the research team.
- Utilize strong communication and interpersonal skills to actively participate in and lead research projects.
- Effectively communicate research results through written and oral presentations.
Professionalism
- Exhibit a commitment to academic and scientific integrity by participating in department-sponsored educational forums on basic and clinical research.
- Engage in ongoing professional development by submitting research for peer review to journals and national meetings.
System-Based Practice
Demonstrate an understanding of different practice opportunities, practice types, healthcare delivery systems, and medical economics.
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Patient Care
- Perform comprehensive neurosurgery history and physical examinations at a senior level and document them appropriately.
- Understand the indications for various laboratory studies and imaging and interpret their results.
- Develop patient care plans at a senior level.
- Take a leadership role in a healthcare team under the supervision of an attending surgeon, implementing effective patient care plans.
- Counsel patients on the risks, goals, limits, and alternatives associated with neurosurgical procedures.
- Perform complex neurosurgical procedures (cranial and spinal) independently or with minimal supervision, including but not limited to:
- Resection of gliomas, meningiomas, and metastatic tumors through craniotomy and dural opening.
- Pterional craniotomy with minimal supervision.
- Removal of posterior fossa hematoma.
- Posterior fossa craniectomy and microvascular decompression under supervision.
- Debridement of compound depressed skull fracture with guidance.
- Exposure of the anterior cervical spine, disc removal, and nerve root decompression.
- Carpal tunnel release and ulnar nerve transposition with limited direction.
- Pituitary exposure via a transsphenoidal approach with assisted guidance.
- Stereotactic biopsy with limited supervision.
- Understanding the indications and drawbacks of cervical, upper thoracic, or lumbar sympathectomy.
- Carotid endarterectomy with assistance and knowledge of its indications.
- Debulking of metastatic spinal tumors and planning for necessary stabilization.
- Understanding the indications and arguments for spinal stabilization.
- Knowledge of spinal fracture classifications and implications.
- Understanding the advantages and limitations of spinal instrumentation systems.
- Performing ventriculoscopic third ventriculostomy.
- Closure of myelomeningocele with guidance.
- Release of simple tethered cord.
Medical Knowledge
- Attain a level of knowledge exceeding the passing standard in the ABNS primary examination.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of neurosurgery-related anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
- Exhibit an advanced familiarity with neurosurgical literature.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Demonstrate advanced ability to learn from errors.
- Apply evidence-based approaches to patient care at a senior level.
- Critically appraise scientific studies in the neurosurgical literature at a senior level.
- Identify areas of inadequate or inaccurate neurosurgical knowledge and actively participate in clinical studies to enhance the general understanding of neurosurgery.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Provide compassionate inpatient and outpatient care as determined by patients, families, colleagues, and auxiliary health professionals, acting as the primary provider of care at UPHM.
- Function effectively as the leader of a healthcare team in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Professionalism
- Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to patients’ cultural, age, gender, and disability-related needs, particularly when caring for the indigent and underserved.
- Exhibit integrity and a commitment to patients that supersedes self-interest, serving as the primary neurosurgeon at UPHM.
- Actively engage in ongoing professional development by submitting research for peer review to journals and national professional meetings.
System-Based Practice
- Understand various practice opportunities, practice types, healthcare delivery systems, and medical economics by participating at a chief level in different delivery settings.
- Advocate for high-quality patient care and assist patients in navigating complex healthcare systems, especially in the context of providing care to the indigent or underserved.
- Practice cost-effective healthcare and allocate resources based on evidence-based medical practice without compromising quality of care.
- Understand practice management issues, including patient processing, evaluation and management coding, procedural terminology, and other reimbursement process related issues in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
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Patient Care
- Gather accurate and essential information about presurgical patients directly or by managing junior residents.
- Understand indications for laboratory studies and imaging and interpret their results.
- Devise patient care plans at the level of an independent neurosurgeon under appropriate supervision from attending surgeons, while also guiding junior residents.
- Establish and implement effective patient care plans, taking on the primary leadership role in the neurosurgery service under the supervision of an attending surgeon.
- Provide counseling to patients regarding the risks, goals, limits, and alternatives of neurosurgical procedures.
- Demonstrate the ability to perform major neurosurgical procedures independently, with appropriate supervision, including but not limited to:
- Planning and performing craniotomy with intraoperative physiology to identify eloquent brain regions and resect tumors abutting motor or speech fibers.
- Planning and performing craniotomy and clipping simple and complex intracranial aneurysms.
- Formulating treatment plans for intracranial arteriovenous malformations and participating in their surgical resection.
- Understanding treatment options and participating in the transsphenoidal resection of pituitary tumors.
- Understanding and participating in the surgical excision of skull base tumors.
- Assessing and diagnosing cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spinal fractures, performing spinal canal decompressions, and participating in procedures for stabilizing the unstable spine.
- Diagnosing and planning treatment for common peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes.
- Performing peripheral nerve anastomosis with limited supervision.
- Diagnosing, exposing, and participating in the resection of intraspinal tumors.
- Diagnosing and participating in the surgical treatment of posterior fossa pediatric tumors.
- Diagnosing and actively participating in the surgical treatment of spinal dysplastic abnormalities.
Medical Knowledge
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology relevant to all aspects of neurosurgery.
- Exhibit familiarity with the neurosurgical literature that is appropriate for an independent surgeon committed to lifelong learning.
- Manage and lead academic conferences at OSF.
- Actively participate in and lead conferences with a high level of global awareness regarding clinical neurosurgery and understanding of the literature.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Manage and administer the clinical service at OSF.
- Demonstrate an evidence-based approach to patient care at the level of a practicing surgeon.
- Cultivate sound habits of personal scholarship and inquiry.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Assist attending faculty in overseeing the personal, academic, and clinical growth and development of junior residents.
- Instruct and mentor junior residents in all aspects of neurosurgical patient care, including outpatient, inpatient, and ICU settings.
- Interact efficiently and effectively with various healthcare personnel to pursue patient care and service management.
- Demonstrate leadership skills in managing junior residents.
Professionalism
- Show sensitivity and responsiveness to patients’ culture, age, gender, and disabilities.
- Demonstrate integrity and a commitment to patients that prioritizes their interests, serving as the primary neurosurgeon.
- Actively engage in ongoing professional development by submitting research for peer review to journals and national professional meetings.
System-Based Practice
- Understand practice opportunities, practice types, healthcare delivery systems, and medical economics at the level expected of an independent neurosurgeon.
- Advocate for high-quality patient care and assist patients and junior residents in navigating complex healthcare systems.
- Guide junior residents in practicing cost-effective healthcare and resource allocation based on evidence-based medicine without compromising quality of care.
- Understand practice management issues such as patient processing, evaluation and management coding, procedural terminology, documentation of services rendered, and reimbursement processes in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
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Didactic Components
The Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Illinois at Peoria conducts daily conferences and teaching rounds that promote scholarly interaction among residents, visiting professors, and attending faculty.
Clinical Rounds: Conducted twice daily, early morning and again in the evening when all cases are completed in the operating suites. This is the primary duty of the chief and junior residents. Rounding with attendings is conducted at their request, and may be done independently of morning rounds depending on the operating room schedule for the day. Updates on attendings’ patients are often given at the conclusion of conference every morning.
Grand Rounds: This is a shared conference, alternating every other week between neurology and neurosurgery at 8 a.m. on Friday. This is attended by all INI faculty, residents, and nurse practitioners, physical and occupational therapists, and operating room staff.
Neuroradiology: This again is a shared conference between neuroradiology, neuropathology, neurology and neurosurgery conducted at 7 a.m. every Friday. Four to five cases are analyzed in great detail with input from various faculty and residents.
Journal Club: This is conducted monthly at 7 a.m. Key articles are distributed in advance for critical analysis by the residents for further discussion with faculty.
Neuro-Oncology: Neuro-Oncology conferences are held weekly on Monday evenings at 5 p.m. Interesting and controversial cases are presented in the Gamma Knife Center. Those in attendance include neurosurgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, neuroradiology and neuropathology. This conference is attended by residents if the operative schedule allows.
Basic Science: A resident presents a topic, usually of board relevance in a lecture format on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. This is attended by residents and neurosurgery faculty. Topics in the past have included neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and pathology, and neurology.
Pre-operative Conference: Operative cases are discussed and presented by the chief resident every Monday morning at 7 a.m. This is attended by faculty and residents. Residents are expected to have some knowledge regarding operative indications and related surgical anatomy of the cases for the coming week.
Cerebral vascular conference: Weekly conference held on Wednesdays 7:00 AM at the INI Seminar room. Prepared by either PGY5 or PGY4 resident, this conference encourages multidisciplinary participation by the Stroke team, endovascular radiologists, and neurosurgery. The conference is supervised and moderated by the vascular section chief.
Brain Cutting: This combined conference with Neurology is held on a monthly basis given by neuropathology. Interesting cases are drawn from neurology and neurosurgery. This exceptional learning experience, held in a Socratic method format, has proved quite valuable to the residents.
Resident Meeting: Monthly meeting to discuss issues, concerns and resources with the residents.
Peer Review: Held monthly on the second Thursday at 7 a.m., neurosurgery faculty and residents discuss all cases in a non-confrontational, learning environment. This is a valuable conference where alternative approaches are suggested and the relevant literature is reviewed regarding complications.
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Research
It is essential that the department, both faculty and residents are actively involved in research and scholarly activities. We as a department are required to report these activities to ACGME on an annual basis in terms of publications including peer review journal articles, book chapters and presentations. Therefore, residents are required to be involved in research projects during the entirety of their residency. These activities can include and not limited to case reports, retrospective case series, prospective studies, bench research, etc. The INI Research Council must be notified of these activities and its guidelines and policies followed. The pathway to the INI Research Council is through Lee Ann Turner. The residents are expected to present at the monthly Research meeting at least annually their progress on their projects or prior to presentations or manuscripts submissions. All residents in their second year and beyond are expected to submit at least one research paper per year.
Dr. Patrick Elwood Excellence in Research Award: The INI Research Council will recognize an individual resident at the end of the academic year who has submitted the best paper to be considered for publication. The resident who excelled in research will also be rewarded with monetary scholarship and recognition during residency graduation or gathering.
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Independent Study: Recommended Books
Neuroanatomy
- Parent, Carpenter’s Human Neuroanatomy 9th ed, 1996
Neurophysiology
- Kandel and Schwartz, Principles of Neural Science 4th ed, 2000
Neuropathology
- Nelson, Principles and Practice of Neuropathology, 2nd ed, 2003
Neuroradiology
- Osborn, Diagnostic Neuroradiology: A Text/Atlas, 1994
Neurology
- Adams and Victor’s Principles of Neurology, 8th ed, 2005
Neurosurgery
- Greenberg, Handbook of Neurosurgery, 6th ed, 2006
- Schmidek and Sweet, Operative Neurosurgical Techniques, 5th ed, 2006
- Kempe’s Operative Neurosurgery, 2nd ed, 2004
- Mclone, Surgery of the Developing Brain, 4th ed, 2001
- Berger, Textbook of Neuro-oncology, 2004
- Benzel, Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance…, 2nd ed, 2005
Critical Care
- Andrews, Intensive Care in Neurosurgery, 2003
Board Review
- Citow, Comprehensive Neurosurgery Board Review, 2000
- Moore, Definitive Neurological Surgery Board Review, 2004
Research
- Hulley, Cummings, Browner, Grady, and Newman. Designing Clinical Research. 4th Edition. Wolters Kluwer 2013
- Browner. Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research 3rd edition Wolters Kluwer 2012