Introduction and Goals
The neurosurgical rotation for neurology residents is a month-long required rotation that occurs during the PGY-1 year. The goals are threefold:
- To provide neurology residents with an introduction to the indications for, limitations of, and possible complications of, neurosurgical treatment
- To provide the resident with additional experience in:
- Neurocritical care
- Surgical and endovascular management of cerebrovascular disorders
Objectives and Evaluation Matrix
As with all of the neurology rotations, the specific objectives are reflected in the entrustable professional activities and individual milestones listed below. These form the basis for the end-of-rotation evaluation. (Please see the section End-of-Rotation Evaluations above for the list of milestone abbreviations).
| Rotation Objectives | ||
| Upon completion of the curriculum, residents will . . . | ||
| # | Description | Milestones |
| 1 | Describe how to manage intracranial hypertension in traumatic brain injury | PC1, PC2, PC3, PC5, PC6, PC8, MK1, MK2 |
| 2 | Describe how to rule out cervical spinal injury in trauma patients | PC1, PC2, PC3, PC5, PC6, PC8, MK1, MK2 |
| 3 | Describe how to manage acute subarachnoid hemorrhage | PC1, PC2, PC3, PC5, PC6, PC8, MK1, MK2 |
| 4 | Explain the risks and benefits of revascularization for asymptomatic carotid disease | PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, PC5, MK1, MK2, PL1, IC1 |
| 5 | Describe the non-operative management of degenerative spine disease and the indications for surgery | PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, PC8, MK1, MK2 |
| 6 | Articulate a basic plan for evaluation of patients with tumors of the brain and spine | PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, PC5, PC8, MK1, MK2 |
| 7 | Communicate effectively with requesting clinical services, nurses, and other members of the patient’s team | SP3, SP4, PR1, IC3, IC4 |
| 8 | Participate in family meetings regarding goals of care and help negotiate conflicts among family members and the treatment team | SP4, PR1, IC1, IC2 |
| Additional Milestones | ||
| Please grade the resident on any of the following milestones you were able to evaluate during this rotation: | ||
| PR2 | ||
Schedule
The resident will be present in the hospital Monday through Wednesday from 5:30AM to 7:30PM and Thursday to Friday 5:00AM to 7:00PM and one weekend day, attend rounds, clinics and conferences according to the following schedule. (Clinics are shown in boldface for clarity). Residents are also welcome to observe in the OR at any time, and may shuttle between the OR and the UW clinics in order to optimize their learning. This should be arranged with the chief neurosurgery resident. Note that scrubs may be worn in the UW clinics, but not the Research Park clinics.
| Monday: | 05:30-07:00 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team followed by Chief Rounds |
| 08:00 -09:00 | Pediatric Neurosurgery Conference – Puletti Room | |
| 09:00 – | Clinic: Drs. Dempsey or Iskandar | |
| 15:00-16:00 | Inpatient Case Conference – Okazaki Room | |
| 16:00 -17:00 | Vascular / Oncology Case Conference | |
| 18:30-19:30 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team | |
| Tuesday: | 05:30-07:00 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team followed by Chief Rounds |
| 08:00 – | Clinic: Dr. Lake | |
| 18:30-19:30 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team | |
| Wednesday: | 05:30-07:00 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team followed by Chief Rounds |
| 07:00-08:30 | Morbidity and Mortality Conference / Grand Rounds | |
| 08:30-09:30 | Neuropathology lecture | |
| 9:30 – | Clinic: Dr. Dempsey | |
| 18:30-19:30 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team | |
| Thursday: | 05:00-06:30 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team followed by Chief Rounds |
| 06:30-07:30 | Anatomy Conference – Puletti Room | |
| 9:00-12:00 | Clinic: Drs. Niemann or Hanna (@ Research Park) | |
| 13:00 – | Clinic: Drs. Baskaya or Brooks (@ Research Park) | |
| 18:00-19:00 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team | |
| Friday: | 5:00-06:30 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team followed by Chief Rounds |
| 06:30–07:30 | Anatomy conference | |
| 08:00 – | Clinic: Dr. Resnick (@ Research Park) | |
| 14:30-15:30 | Neurology Grand Rounds | |
| 18:00-19:00 | Inpatient rounds with Red Team |
Work Hours
Residents will work Monday through Friday from 5:30AM to 7:30 PM and one weekend day each week. The total hours per week is estimated to be 70-80. Residents will adhere to all work hours restrictions required of a neurology resident during this rotation. Residents will log all work hours. Note that while neurosurgical residents have a work hours exemption allowing for up to 88 total hours per week, this exemption does not apply to neurology residents.
Suggested References
Berger, M. S., & Prados, M. (2005). Textbook of neuro-oncology. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.
Greenberg, M. S., & Abel, N. A. (2013). Handbook of neurosurgery. Tampa, Fla.; New York: Greenberg Graphics ; Thieme.
Jennett, B., & Lindsay, K. W. (1994). An introduction to neurosurgery. Oxford; Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Lindsay, K. W., Bone, I., Fuller, G., & Callander, R. (2010). Neurology and neurosurgery illustrated. Edinburgh; New York: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
Wijdicks, E. F. M., & Wijdicks, E. F. M. (2010). The practice of emergency and critical care neurology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Latest revision: 08-22-2022
