The Neurosurgery Program at The University of Chicago is geared toward the training of men and women who wish to enter a career in academic neurosurgery. Our goal is to educate a group of physician-scientists who will advance the future of academic neurosurgery and make a lasting contribution to the care of neurosurgical patients. Accordingly, the program offers the opportunity to obtain both outstanding clinical and basic science research experience in an academic medical center located in one of the great American cities.

The residency program is structured as a six-year curriculum after one year as an intern. The internship is divided into a six month block on the general surgery service, a three month block on neurology, and three months of elective time. The second year is dedicated to learning the fundamentals of patient care on the adult neurosurgery ward. Ample opportunity is present to assist and perform operative procedures commensurate with the resident's level of expertise. The third year is spent on the pediatric neurosurgical service, participating in the treatment of surgical diseases of the child's nervous system. In the fourth year, the resident assumes a senior level of responsibility on the adult neurosurgery ward, with an emphasis on advanced spinal operations. The fifth and sixth years are spent in the laboratory, pursuing an independent research project under the supervision of a member of the faculty. The final year is spent as chief resident on both the adult and pediatric services. This year provides extensive experience in the operative management of neurosurgical patients, as well as the responsibility for the day-to-day running of the clinical services. Our goal is to produce mature, responsible graduates who have the requisite surgical skills and intellectual judgment to appropriately treat all aspects of neurosurgical illness.

Currently, one trainee is selected each year. As the program is carried out by 11 full-time University neurosurgeons and several clinical faculty members, there is a high staff to trainee ratio and the individualized needs of each resident are met. Staff assistance and supervision are available at all times. The attending staff and residents work as a team with mutual responsibility for all phases of patient care. Each patient is provided with equal care and attention.

All of the aspects of the training program are carried out at the University of Chicago Medical Center located on the Hyde Park campus. This centralized location provides enormous advantages, including the availability of faculty members with particular expertise to advise and assist in the management of all patients, as well as the opportunity to utilize the facilities afforded by one of the great universities in the country. In addition, clinical, laboratory, library, and conference facilities all occupy adjoining space on the same floor. The pediatric patients are seen in the Wyler Children's Hospital, which is attached to the medical center complex. Neurosurgical patients requiring intensive care are hospitalized in one of the adult or pediatric units located in the intensive care tower in the medical center complex.

The Surgery Brain Research Institute, an integral part of the medical center which houses the neurosurgical staff offices and newly opened Sean Mullan Library and Conference Room, also contains 6,000 square feet of space exclusively developed for neurosurgical research. In addition, there is also the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center. The Section of Neurosurgery has a research area that adjoins the clinical area and with the neurosurgical faculty offices, which occupies 24,000 square feet in the Surgery-Brain Research Institute. The laboratories are well-equipped for channel studies, microfluorometry, blood flow measurement, cellular neurophysiology, molecular biology, pharmacology, microscopy, biochemistry, tissue culture, histology, and animal pathology. Superb operating facilities are available in the building for animal experimentation.

There are strong ancillary services in neurology, neuropathology, neurophysiology (including electroencephalography and video monitoring) and a sleep laboratory. Three full-time neuroradiologists, trained and experienced in interventional neuroradiology, work closely with the neurosurgical service.

A neuroanatomical dissection laboratory adjacent to the residents' offices is available for practicing microdissection and vessel anastomosis, as well as dissection of human material. A well-equipped neurosurgical conference room adjacent to the resident's offices includes an excellent contemporary neurosurgical book collection.

There is an active program of neurosurgical education with mandatory resident participation. Each Wednesday morning is devoted to a series of lectures designed to expose the residents to issues related to neurosurgical patient management. These lectures are carried out by the neurosurgical faculty as well faculty from other departments within the University of Chicago. Neurosurgical grand rounds are held every Wednesday. Moreover, residents get exposed to weekly subspecialty conferences, including a neuro-oncology conference, a pediatric surgery conference, and a spine conference. There are weekly attending rounds and ample opportunity for residents and faculty to interact.

Application Information

For 2008, we will utilize the National Resident Matching Program. For more information, please go to their website: http://www.nrmp.org.  Applicant interviews will be held the fall of 2008.

Requirements:

• Complete Program Application
• Copy of Current CV
• Copy of ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
• Copy of Illinois License (if resident is currently licensed in Illinois)
• 3 letters of recommendation in addition to the Dean's letter
• Copy of Medical School Diploma
• A copy of your current visa (if applicable)

Your CV should include your full name, current address and phone number, date and place of birth, social security number, name of your medical school, date of entry and date of graduation from medical school (dates listed as month/day/year), citizenship, and Visa status.

You may obtain more information about NRMP by visiting their website at www.nrmp.org or by calling 202-862-6077.

Their address is:
NRMP
2450 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20037

International Medical Graduates (IMG's)

Trainees who are not U.S. Citizens or green card holders, must be ECFMG certified and eligible to apply for the appropriate visa before beginning a residency or fellowship program at the University of Chicago Medical Center. We accept: Permanent, H-1B, or J-1 Visas. You should have already taken and passed USMLE Steps I and II. 

Applications are reviewed in early fall. We are aware that your Dean's letter will follow in November. A select group of applicants will be invited for interviews which generally take place in the fall.

You may contact our Residency Coordinator, Mrs. Helen Rice, at 773-702-8544 or hrice@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu if you need any other information regarding our program.