Neurosurgery residency training at the University of Minnesota is a 6 year program following a one-year internship. The training is designed to provide residents with increasing clinical and surgical responsibility over the course of their training. Graduates prepare for an academic neurosurgical career, a high-quality practice in a private sector, or further training in a subspecialty fellowship.
Applications for PGY-2 positions beginning July of 2009 can be made through the San Francisco Match Program. The application target date for the 2007 match is August 29, 2007. Match results are available January 24, 2008.
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 1 (PGY-1) - Internship
The goal of the PGY-1 year is to learn the basics of evaluation and managing patient care in a clinical and surgical setting. Emphasis is placed on preoperative and postoperative management of the surgical patient, multidisciplinary approach to the complicated patient, and emergency room evaluation.
The PGY-1 rotations involve:
*Three months of neurology at Hennepin County Medical Center
*Two months of critical care medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
*One month of neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
*Six months of general surgical training at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 2 (PGY-2)
The goal of the PGY-2 year at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview is to begin learning the basics of neurosurgery. This includes obtaining the presenting neurologic history, performing the examination, and formulating an appropriate managment plan. The resident will learn and become proficient at the basic neurosurgical operations and will assist in more complex procedure.
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 3 (PGY-3)
The PGY-3 resident will spend six months at Hennepin County Medical Center learning the basics of neurosurgery for trauma while learning diagnosis and treatment of some specialty areas such as peripheral nerves and complex spine. Three months will be spent at the Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis in pediatric neurosurgery. The resident will spend the other three months on neuropathology, rotating between the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview; VA Medical Center; and Henepin County Medical Center.
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 4 (PGY-4)
Residents spend a portion of PGY-4 studying epilepsy surgery at Abbott Northwestern Hospital (MINCEP) and the remainder of the year conducting research.
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 5 (PGY-5)
PGY-5 is spent doing laboratory research of a special competence for 12 months.
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 6 (PGY-6)
PGY-6 is spent as a senior resident at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview for six months, and as a chief resident at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center for six months.
POSTGRADUATE YEAR 7 (PGY-7) - Chief Resident
The final year is spent as a chief resident at Hennepin County Medical Center for six months, and as chief resident at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview for the last six months.