{ Neurosurgery University of Tennessee Health Science Center Student Interest Group in Neurosurgery

 Surgical subspecialty that deals with disorders of the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves  Neurosurgery is a very young field relative to others (Founded in the early 1900’s)  Lots of high-end technology, very non-forgiving at times, very rewarding at times, espirit de corps  Small field (95 training programs, 1120 academic neurosurgeons in U.S.A.) What is neurosurgery?

 Attend college, enter medical school  After medical school (4 years) and obtaining a M.D. attend a 7 year residency program to be a trained as a neurosurgeon The path to Neurosurgery

 Reasons why I chose this field:  Interest in Anatomy  Interest in Technology  Interest in how the CNS works  Interest in working with hands/surgery  Small field with lots of possibilities for change Why Neurosurgery?

 Semmes-Murphey  Very historic group, original faculty trained under Harvey Cushing  Very clinically heavy program  Covers 5 hospitals (Methodist, VA, Med, Baptist, Le Bonheur)  One of the premier training programs in the southeast UT

 Boards + Research  Showing interest in your home program  Polishing your interest in the specialty, answering your own questions about is this right for you Med Students Years 1-2

 Research, Clinicals, Away rotations and home rotation in Neurosurgery  Typically 1 home rotation, 2 aways some do 1 home 1 away, others do 3 aways  Always good to have your home program on your side even if you don’t stay (other programs call your chair to ask about you)  Plan for $5-10,000 of extra expense in 4 th year (Step 2 + aways + interviews + trips) Med Students Years 3-4

 Where do you want to live?  Cost of living?  Family?  Program, operative experience, research experience, reputation  Chances of you matching at an away  Apply early via VSAS!!!!!! (March-April-May of 3 rd year) Choosing Aways

 Southeast  If you are heavy into research UVA if you are not you may not have a great chance to match there  Emory – Solid Program, good group  Miami – Solid Program, good group  Vandy – Solid program, not as much open vascular than Memphis, lacking in some areas—good city, good research, connection to JHU  UAB- good research program, well known faculty  Of course UT (but this is your home SubI and everyone should do that)  Northeast  MGH, Penn, JHU, Columbia  Better have solid scores, letters, and lots of research or you are wasting your month rotating there  Pitt, NYU  Good operative programs, would recommend these if you want to move to the northeast  Southwest  Barrow, FANTASTIC ROTATION, you get to do tons, overall a great program and great rotation setup  USC, heard good things about this place  Northwest/Midwest  Mayo-great program if you like MN and the cold  SF---not for the faint of heart!  UW– great program!!  Cleveland Clinic Programs I recommend

 If you have great scores, research  Choose 2 places you would want to match (don’t go to a safety)  If you don’t have great scores, research I recommend choosing 1 program you’d love to go to, and another that is in the middle  Most people match at SubI’s or home institutions  Get good letters! How I would recommend choosing aways

 Work hard  First to be there, last to leave  Always on best behavior can’t have bad days– this is a month long interview  Friendly, amiable, hang out with residents after hours get to know everyone  Never, ever try to show arrogance, or show someone else up (be nice to other rotators, they will be your colleagues!)  You can hurt yourself more than you can help yourself often when doing SubI’s (keep that in mind) SubI’s

 Tier 1: (harder to get interviews from)  Barrow, JHU, Columbia, MGH, Cleveland Clinic, Penn, UCSF, Mayo, Emory, WashU, UT!!  Tier 2:  NYU, Pitt, Uwash, USC, UTSW, Baylor, Miami, UCLA, UAB, Vanderbilt, Yale, Dartmouth, Utah, Cornell, Northwestern  Tier 3: (easy to get interviews from)  Everywhere else Applying

 How many?  Depends on you, how competitive you feel you are and your anxiety level  If your super competitive apply to 20, do 10 interviews  If your not as competitive apply to more and take what is given then cancel as you go to the ones that overlap Applying

 Be prepared!!!, ANYTHING on your CV is fair game, have a standard answer for why nsgy, why medicine, etc. what you want to do with your career and so on  Most interviews happen in Nov/Dec/January  You will get interview invites in October to early November  Be quick to respond, most are on a rolling basis with wait lists!  Have fun!!!! Make sure to stay well hydrated from all the boozing! Make friends!  LEARN, this is the only chance you may have to meet some of the greats in this field one on one with their undivided attention Interviews

 Gut feel  Pros Cons  Case Load  Location  Stability, chairmen  Covers all specialties  Camaraderie  Resources, Benefits  Placement of previous graduates  Commitment and personality of program director & Chair Ranking

 PARTY!  Let your top programs know you’ll be ranking them highly, stay in touch  What’s a real job?  Moving in out etc.  Have fun the remainder of 4 th year!!!! Post Ranking