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Neurosurgery Pathway |
The Departments of Neurosurgery at
The website http://www.neurosurgerywins.org/career/index/html
is a useful guide for students considering neurosurgery as a career choice. It
provides a wealth of information as well as useful links to other sites.
Students should take no more than three courses in Neurosurgery; the residency in
Neurosurgery will amply supply training in that direction. Rather, the student
is encouraged to explore all other fields of medicine since many interface with Neurosurgery
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Sites and
Personnel
Pathway Co-Directors:
Allegheny General Hospital
Jack Wilberger, M.D.
Telephone: (412) 359-6200
Fax: 412-359-
jwilberg@wpahs.org
Coordinator:
Julie Young
(412) 359-4764
e-mail: Jyoung1@wpahs.org
St Christopher’s Hospital for
Children
Joseph Piatt Jr., M.D., F.A.A.P.
Section of Neurosurgery
TEL (215)
427-5196
FAX (215) 427-4638
e-mail:
jhp23@drexel.edu
NEUROSURGERY TEACHING SITES
The Neurosurgery course in the discipline-based pathway
will be available at two locations:
Description
of Pathway
Click here for a summary
table of the Neurosurgery Pathway.
The primary goal of the senior year discipline-based Neurosurgery
pathway is to provide a framework for students to structure their senior year
in preparation for a future career in Neurosurgery. Neurosurgery programs
currently range from 5-7 years following an internship year. Neurosurgery is a
far-ranging discipline in which the practitioner sees young and old patients
with both systemic and localized diseases, as well as patients with conditions
necessitating surgery. Therefore, the Departments of Neurosurgery encourage
students to take electives that will expose them to the many and varied
conditions that they will be encountering in caring for future patients.
The pathway includes the four required courses and several elective
opportunities. The required Medicine Sub-internship and Neurology must be taken
at "home," and all other courses may be taken at "home" or
"away" sites. No more than three (3) four week elective courses may
be taken at "away" sites by
The required subinternship
in Medicine and the Neurology course are
The Pathway recommends that the student selects two
additional Neurosurgery Electives.
These are listed under "Recommended Elective"
The remaining electives are “Free Electives” although
there are several electives that are suggested as complimentary for students
interested in Neurosurgery.
Anesthesia is a discipline which is closely allied to
Neurosurgery. The student should be exposed to the techniques of intravenous
sedation, regional anesthesia, and general anesthesia. The rotation should
provide the student with extensive exposure to airway management and clinical
pharmacology.
Infectious Diseases is a medical subspecialty which
will familiarize the student with the treatment of sepsis, acute and chronic
infections, and surgical infections. The student will become familiar with the
use of antibiotics, as well.
Otolaryngology is a rotation where the student should
learn to do a proper head and neck examination, and become familiar with
complaints and conditions relating to the ears and sinuses, both of which have
considerable overlap with the central nervous system.
Endocrinology is a field of medicine wherein the
student will become familiar with diseases that also often affect the central
or peripheral nervous system. A familiarity with endocrinologic
diseases will greatly enhance the students understanding of related neurosurgical
diseases.
Radiology is a rotation where the student will become
familiar with imaging techniques used in neurosurgical disorders e.g. reading
Cat Scans and MRIs as well as plain films. Ability to read and interpret these
studies will be very helpful in future neurosurgical training.
Required
Rotations In Neurosurgery
This is a four week course that should familiarize the student with the
broad scope of neurosurgical practice, both medical and surgical. The
student is required to complete their required Neurology rotation before taking
a Neurosurgery elective. The student should become familiar with
neurosurgical terms and common surgical nervous system diseases, as well as
with Neurosurgical findings in systemic diseases. The rotation will be structured
as a subinternship so that the students is actively
involved in patient care and functions as an integral member of the
neurosurgical care team in all settings including critical care units,
operating rooms, the emergency department and the outpatient clinics.
All students are required to create a presentation on
a subject of their choice in Neurosurgery which will be evaluated by faculty.
Textbooks And Learning Resources
- Handbook
of Neurosurgery. Greenberg, M (ed) 6th
Edition, Thieme
- Neurosurgery.
An Introductory Text. Black, P (ed.)
- Essential
Neurosurgery. Kaye, A (ed)
3rd Edition. Blackwell Press
- The
ICU Book. Marino,P (ed) 2nd Edition. Williams and Wilkins
- Clinical
Neurology and Neurosurgery. Q&A. Mckhann, G
(ed). Thieme
Evaluation
Evaluation Of Student
Performance
Each student will be evaluated by the
attendings with whom the student spends the most time during the elective. The
Pathway Directors will review and sign all evaluations. All students will receive feedback at the
midpoint and at the end of their rotation.
Evaluation Of Pathway
At the conclusion of the Neurosurgery
rotation, all students are required to complete a final evaluation on line assessing
the quality of their experience. These critiques will be shared with the
Neurosurgery faculty and will help to revise the rotation as needed. Students
will also be asked at the end of the year to evaluate the pathway and
rotations.
The provisions of The
Student Handbook of
Revised 04/25/08 -- Specific questions or comments about the content of
this page may be directed to the Division
of Clinical Education