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The Department of Neurosurgery has many opportunities for interested medical students. One rotation focuses on third-year medical students as an option during the surgery clerkship. Opportunities also exist for fourth-year medical students who are considering or pursuing a career in neurosurgery.Medical Student Education at UNC Health

Third-Year Medical Students

The third-year rotation serves as a general introduction to neurosurgery in which students take part in rounds, follow patients, participate in clinic and in the operating room. Our residents and faculty are eager to teach and provide the students with multiple small didactic lectures on general neurosurgical topics. This two-week rotation is an option during the elective portion of the required eight-week surgery clerkship. Contact Stacey Owen by E-mail stacey_owen@med.unc.edu or phone (919) 966-4781 with any questions.

Fourth-Year Medical Students

The Neurosurgery Acting Internship and Advanced Practice Selective programs allow interested students to participate in clinical service at a higher level than the third-year rotation. These four-week rotations are

Neurosurgery Residency Skills Lab - UNC Neurosurgery

strongly encouraged for any fourth-year medical student interested in pursuing a neurosurgical residency. Students on this rotation are fully integrated into the resident patient care team and are active in all aspects of the clinical service. Each student will be expected to prepare a short presentation on a topic of his or her choice that will be presented during a grand rounds session towards the end of the rotation.

We welcome both UNC and visiting medical students. Complete applications must be submitted through VSAS via the School of Medicine website. Contact Dr. Carlos David via his assistant, Kelly Lanier at kelly_lanier@med.unc.edu if you have any questions.

Medical Student Interest Group

Medical students of all levels who are considering a career in neurosurgery are encouraged to join the UNC Neurosurgery Interest Group.UNC Neurosurgery Residency This is a student-run group which offers educational meetings, shadowing and research opportunities, community service, and other valuable services for those pursuing the field. Dr. Carlos David serves as the group’s faculty advisor, and several of our residents serve as liaisons to the group and assist with its activities. Joining early in medical school is encouraged for interested students to take full advantage of the group’s offerings for research and shadowing, but all students are welcome. The neurosurgery interest group is an AANS chapter, affording it medical student journal clubs, student resident mentorship dinners, and attendance to AANS meetings.