Residency Curriculum

• The program recently received ACGME/RRC approval to increase the training program from a six year program to a seven year program effective July 1, 2012. The educational rationale for this request was to implement an additional training year focused on research and will be incorporated into the educational rotations. The current rotations for the program are:

     o The PGY-1 currently spends four months on the Neurosurgery service, two months on Neurology (wards and consults), two months on Neuro-ICU, one month each on Trauma,    Otolaryngology, Orthopedic Surgery and Anesthesiology.

     o The PGY-2 year is spent at the University of Kansas Hospital / Medical Center rotating equally between the two teams of faculty (Blue Team = Dr. Camarata, Dr. Nazzaro, Dr. Ebersole, and Dr. Chamoun.....Crimson Team = Dr. Arnold, Dr. Hylton, Dr. Rendel and Dr. Stepp)

     o The PGY-3 year has two rotations outside the University of Kansas Hospital / Medical Center. One is for one month at North Kansas City Hospital which offers a community neurological surgery experience, and the other is at Children's Mercy Hospital for three months which offers a dedicated pediatric experience. The remainder of the time is spent split between the Blue and Crimson teams.

     o The PGY-4 year has a six month research block followed by one month rotation on NeuroPathology and then one month rotation on Neuroradiology. Followed by four months on the Neurosurgery Service. It is expected the resident will sit for and pass the Written Primary Board Examination.

     o The PGY-5 year serves as the Senior Resident for the service on the Blue and Crimson services except for a one month rotation at North Kansas City Hospital and three months at Children's Mercy Hospital as a chief resident.

     o The PGY-6 is the Chief Resident year is mainly spent at the University of Kansas Hospital completing required surgical cases and administering service coverage. He/she can go to any approved hospital training site to fulfill surgical case requirements or personal interests on a prn basis.

Conferences - A comprehensive academic calendar has been instituted and includes:
• Annual Basic Suture Techniques /Skills and Instrument lab
• Annual Skull Base Lab
• Quarterly Microvascular Labs (with prn lab time available throughout academic year)
• Monthly M&M Conferences
• Monthly Journal Club
• Monthly Didactic Lecture (faculty)
• Monthly NeuroCritical Care Conference
• Monthly NeuroPathology Conference
• Monthly NeuroRadiology Conference
• Monthly Core Competency Conference
• Bi-Weekly Surgical Anatomy and Approaches Conference
• Weekly Grand Rounds
• Weekly Case Presentations (in collaboration with Neurology)
• Weekly Professor Rounds
• Weekly Tumor Boards
• Weekly Board Review/Prep
• Daily Neuroradiology rounds