Overview

Basic Rotations

Residents will spend three months on Neurology; nine months in elective time; at least three years in Clinical Neurological Surgery, with increasing responsibilities; and twelve months as Chief Resident.

PG Year 1: 6 months General Surgery, 3 months Neurology, 3 months Neurosurgery
PG Year 2: Clinical Neurological Surgery
PG Year 3: Clinical Neurological Surgery, 3 months Neurocritical Care
PG Year 4: Clinical Neurological Surgery, 3 months Neuroradiology/Neuropath, 3 months Interventional Neuroradiology
PG Year 5: Co-Chief Clinical Neurological Surgery
PG Year 6: Chief Resident Clinical Neurological Surgery

See Curriculum Schedule (.pdf)

Conference and Teaching Schedule

Conferences include: weekly Neurosurgery Grand Rounds, Neuropathology Conference and Neuroscience Seminar Series. Other sessions include monthly journal club, spinal biomechanics, cadaver dissection, neuro-oncology conferences and epilepsy surgery conferences.

Operative Experience

The Department of Neurosurgery runs a busy operative schedule. Residents are present in all cases based on their level of experience. The residents will be exposed to the range of operative techniques. Dr. Ewend's tumor service is highly competent with endoscopic methods, computer assisted and open removal of tumors. Dr. Perry's pediatric service offers diagnosis and surgical management of pediatric central nervous system disorders. Dr. Hadar offers expertise in brain mapping and the surgical treatment of seizure and movement disorders. Dr. Jaikumar is a general neurosurgeon with a special interest in complex spine. Dr. Sasaki-Adams offers expertise in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery.

The adult and pediatric neurosurgical services are based in the Neurosciences Section of the University of North Carolina Hospitals. This includes a 16 bed Neurosciences ICU with a neurocritical care service that provides 24/7 management of all patients in this unit. The Neurosurgical Oncology Program utilizes the General Clinical Research Center of the hospital for adjuvant therapy of malignant gliomas and collaborates closely with the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Neurosurgery, in conjunction with the Department of Neurology, coordinates the management of patients who are candidates for epilepsy surgery. There is also an active, combined program in neuro-oncology and cranial base surgery with the Department of Otolaryngology. A new facility recently opened for the UNC Spine Center, a large multidisciplinary practice encompassing surgical and nonsurgical management of spinal disorders. For those with a strong interest in research, a large multidisciplinary neurobiology program at UNC-Chapel Hill provides opportunities for neurosurgical residents to obtain advanced degrees or conduct research under the direction of basic scientists in developmental neurobiology, neuropharmacology or neurophysiology.

Neurosurgery case volume at UNC.

Research

Optional research experience in neurological surgery is designed to complement the clinical program and provide laboratory experience. It will prepare the resident for subsequent independent investigation.  Current research includes:

Cerebrovascular: Health Services research of cerebrovascular disease; epidemiological studies of clinical outcome following intracerebral hemorrhage; cost effectiveness of subarachnoid hemorrhage management.

Epilepsy: Efficacy of Vagal Nerve Stimulation for epilepsy; mechanisms of seizure suppression; cost effectiveness analysis.

Neuro-Oncology: Clinical and laboratory studies of brain tumor immunology and trials of experimental immunotherapy, involving both the targeting of chemotherapy with antibodies and in-vitro amplification of anti-tumor lymphocytes.

Vacation

15 business days per year.

Call Schedule

Residents will take in-house call once every 3-4 days.  Our residency program adheres to the ACGME duty hour guidelines.