Program Overview

Neurosurgery - 3 months

Neurosurgery intern rotations. Two months at Ronald Reagan and one month at VA. The intern rounds with team daily, takes care of floor patients, participates in educational conferences, learns bedside procedures and participates in surgery.

Neurocritical Care (NCC)- 3 months

Two months at Ronald Reagan and one month at Harbor UCLA. The intern rounds with neuro-ICU team, learns critical care bedside procedures, participates in educational conferences and participates in surgery. The NCC intern takes once-weekly buddy-call with the PGY2 at Ronald Reagan.

Clinical Neurosciences- 3 months

A didactic and clinical rotation that includes one-on-one didactics in neuro-radiology and neuro-pathology, participation in neuropathology brain cutting, anatomy lab experience, and neuro-ophthalmology didactics. The clinical component of this rotation includes introductory endovascular training at Kaiser and one call shift per week coverage at Harbor UCLA. Most interns take their Step 3 exam during this block.

General Surgery- 3 months

Three one-month general surgery rotations at Ronald Reagan, the VA and/or Santa Monica

Neurosurgery Junior - 12 months

This is a full immersion year on the neurosurgery service at Ronald Reagan. Skills attained throughout the year include the management of the critically ill neurosurgical patient, performance of all bedside procedures, continued development of basic operative neurosurgical technique, development of neurological diagnosis and formulation of treatment plans for all new consultations and emergency room admissions. The year is built around a Q3 call schedule (Operative, Call, Post-call). Case coverage at Ronald Reagan includes the full gamut of neurosurgical practice including trauma, tumor, vascular, spine, pediatric and functional.

Harbor Senior - 4 months

Responsibilities include performing all major neurosurgical operations (both elective and emergent) under attending supervision, supervision and education of interns, management of neurosurgical patients in the ICU and on the wards. This rotation includes exposure to a wide variety of neurosurgery cases, including an extensive experience in cranial and spine neurosurgical trauma. There is both inpatient and outpatient experience.

Ronald Reagan Senior - 4 months

The Ronald Reagan senior performs all major neurosurgical operations (both elective and emergent) under attending supervision. This resident is also responsible for the supervision and education of junior residents and interns, and supervision of the management of neurosurgical patients in the ICU and on the wards. The RR senior focuses on developing increasing confidence in the performance of complex procedures. This is an exclusively inpatient operative rotation.

Santa Monica Spine- 4 months

The resident learns all aspects of basic and complex spine surgery. The resident shares the service and operative cases with the UCLA Spine fellow. There is both inpatient and outpatient experience.

The residents take the ABNS written boards for practice during this PGY3 year.

Dedicated Research Experience - 12 months

The resident engages in the planned dedicated research activity. Detailed information about the research training can be found here. Clinical responsibilities include overnight moonlighting at Harbor. The residents take the ABNS written boards for credit during this PGY4 year.

Ronald Reagan Senior - 4 months

This rotation further builds on the previous senior rotation at Ronald Reagan. The Ronald Reagan senior performs all major neurosurgical operations (both elective and emergent) under attending supervision. This resident is also responsible for the supervision and education of junior residents and interns, and supervision of the management of neurosurgical patients in the ICU and on the wards. The RR senior focuses on developing increasing confidence in the performance of complex procedures. This is an exclusively inpatient operative rotation.

Kaiser Spine Senior - 4 months

A dedicated, high-volume complex spine experience where the resident gains increasing confidence in the management of complex spine pathology including spinal deformity and spinal oncology.

VA Senior- 4 months

This rotation serves as a preparation for future chief-level rotations. During this rotation the resident achieves a level of training and confidence geared toward working in independent practice. The senior resident performs all neurosurgical procedures at the VA, under attending supervision. The senior resident also oversees the intern and medical extenders on the service and is responsible for administrative duties. There is both inpatient and outpatient experience.

Ronald Reagan Chief - 8 months

The resident is expected to achieve a level of training and confidence that would allow them to work in independent practice. The Ronald Reagan chief resident oversees and teaches the UCLA Senior and Junior residents, interns, medical students, and medical extenders on the service. The chief resident is responsible for administrative duties, including case assignments and other responsibilities related to the entire residency. This is an exclusively inpatient operative rotation.

Harbor Chief - 4 months

The resident is expected to achieve a level of training and confidence that would allow them to work in independent practice. The Harbor chief resident oversees and teaches the Harbor Senior resident, a Harbor general surgery resident, interns, and medical extenders on the service. The chief resident is responsible for administrative duties. The resident performs all neurosurgical procedures at Harbor, under attending supervision. There is both inpatient and outpatient experience.

Transition to Academic Practice  - 12 months

The seventh (or final) year of residency training is custom-tailored to the resident's academic and vocational needs. Twelve months must include clinical neurosurgery activity.

• Option A: Clinical Elective Rotations. Composed of clinical rotations ranging from 4 - 8 months in duration. The concept is analogous to the senior year of college, in which the student selects courses to meet their interests. Potential rotations include, but are not limited to:
  • UCLA Brain Tumor Rotation
  • UCLA Skull Base Tumor Rotation
  • UCLA Stereotactic Radiosurgery Rotation
  • UCLA Vascular (open and endovascular) Rotation
  • UCLA-VA Functional Rotation
  • Kaiser Endovascular Rotation
  • Kaiser Pediatric Neurosurgery Rotation
  • Kaiser Advanced Spine Rotation
  • Hangzhou China open vascular Rotation
  • Under specific circumstances, advanced clinical rotations at other institutions may be authorized when these are in-line with the resident's academic career plans.

• Option B: Clinician Scientist Experience. The resident spends their time in a way that emulates an assistant professor position – dedicating a portion of their time to their research and the remainder to clinical work.
• Option C: Enfolded Fellowship. The resident completes a 12-month CAST-approved clinical fellowship in a subspecialty area. In the majority of cases, this training would occur within the UCLA training program. UCLA fellowship opportunities include:
  • UCLA Spine fellowship. Fellowship director: Langston Holly, M.D. CAST-approved
  • UCLA Brain Tumor fellowship. Fellowship director: Linda Liau, M.D., Ph.D. CAST-approval pending
  • UCLA Functional fellowship. Fellowship director: J.P. Langevin, M.D.  CAST-approved
  • UCLA Neurocritical Care fellowship: Fellowship directors: Paul Vespa, M.D., CAST-approval pending. Currently UCNS-accredited. This fellowship would include general neurosurgery trauma call coverage throughout the year.
  • UCLA Interventional Neuroradiology fellowship (one to two years). Fellowship director: Gary Duckwiler, M.D. CAST-approval pending. Currently ESN-accredited.
• Option D: Advanced Degree. Residents who started a PhD as a part of the STAR program during PGY4 continue it and complete it during this time.