The teaching program in Neurological Surgery is based at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. The Medical Center handles a large volume of emergencies, and referrals of complex, specialized problems are received from all over the northern inland portion of the state.

The residency program is structured to fit the needs and goals of the individual. It is six (6) years in length beyond the PGY-1 year. The program consists of two initial basic years of residency (PGYII and PGYIII) in which the trainee is introduced to the general disciplines of neurosurgery. The PGY-IV and PGY-V years are the intermediate years which include elective courses and research . The GY-VI and PGY-VII years are the final two years spent in senior residency. In the sixth year the individual becomes an instructor in the department and is provided the opportunity to develop his or her expertise in an area of clinical or research interest.

Additional clinical teaching is provided at the Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Sacramento. Kaiser-North, Sacramento is one of the most active in the Kaiser system and contributes a large volume of elective patients, similar to those seen in the community practice of neurological surgery. Time is also provided for each resident to develop a research project independently or in cooperation with faculty members. During this period the resident utilizes the department’s laboratories in Davis and/or Sacramento.

Overall, the residency is designed to provide the trainee with increasing responsibility for the care of the neurosurgical patient. Under the supervision of more senior residents and the attending staff, the beginning resident evaluates the neurosurgical patient on admission to the hospital and in the outpatient clinic, selects what may be appropriate diagnostic studies, and formulates a treatment plan. He or she serves as an assistant during operations. He or she becomes familiar with the care of the seriously ill patient while working in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit. Procedures such as the placement of skeletal tongs, ventricular catheters, and subarachnoid bolts are performed under supervision.

The resident will spend one year in the laboratory developing and completing a research project with the guidance of the faculty. Here the objective is to provide the resident with an appreciation of how the scientific method is applied to the clinical and to basic research in neurological surgery. As a result, it is expected that the resident will become more critical in his or her reading of the scientific literature. Laboratory benchwork is planned so that resident acquires a research technique that he or she may continue to explore throughout his or her career. While in the laboratory the resident learns the fundamental skill of microneurosurgery. Upon the completion of the project, residents are encouraged to present the results at national conferences and to publish their research in a peer-reviewed journal.

Six months of the residency are spent on related services: three months on the clinical neurology service and one month each on the neuroradiology, neuropathology and neuro-ophthalmology services. While on these services, the resident’s knowledge of diseases affecting the central nervous system increases. He or she becomes familiar during this time with diagnostic procedures which may be used for the benefit of the neurosurgical patient.

The time on the neurosurgical service at Kaiser Foundation Hospital is divided into two six-month segments in which the resident first rotates as a junior resident and then returns as a senior resident. During this time, the resident is exposed to a large volume of patients requiring elective neurosurgical operations. Supervised, he or she assists or performs such procedures as the excision of herniated lumbar discs, the insertion of ventricular shunts, and the repair of cranial defects.

The trainee will serve as the Chief Resident for one year. Under the supervision of the attending staff the chief resident performs such operations as the neurovascular decompression of cranial nerves and the excision of intramedullary neoplasms. He or she performs or serves as first assistant to the attending neurosurgeon for procedures such as the clipping of intracranial aneurysms, and the excision of cerebellopontine angle tumors.

Throughout the residency the trainee attends departmental teaching conferences. He or she participates by presenting patients and topics relevant to neurosurgery.

In the Spring quarter of each year the Neurosciences Core course is presented by the School of Medicine.  Faculty of the Department of Neurological Surgery present lectures and conduct laboratory sessions.  The second year resident may attend these session to refresh himself or herself on neuroanatomy and neurophysiology.