Neurological Residency Program Rotation Schedule

The Neurosurgical Surgery Residency Program at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, is designed to offer residents all the necessary opportunities to achieve their professional goals within the field.

PGY1 Clinical Training

The PGY1 year is spent completing six months of neurosurgery with at UH Cleveland Medical Center. The other six months are spent in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSU) and other general neuroscience rotations (neuroradiology, neurotology, neurology). At the completion of the year, the resident should be able to see consults and manage patients as a junior resident.

PGY2 Clinical Training

The PGY2 neurosurgery residents in their second year of training spend most of their time on the clinical service at UH Cleveland Medical Center, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and an apprenticeship functional rotation. Residents are exposed to a variety of cases and surgical skills are developed. Attention is given to developing intensive care and floor service management skills and clinical decision making.

PGY3 Clinical Training

During the PGY3, the year is spent on the clinical service at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Further development of patient management is encouraged and surgical responsibilities are increased. The residents will also spend time at the Louis Stokes Veterans Administration Medical Center, as well as a three-month rotation in Endovascular Neurosurgery and Stereotactic Radiosurgery at UH Cleveland Medical Center.

PGY4 Clinical Training

The PGY4 year is spent on the clinical service at University Hospitals main campus, our west side community hospitals and UH Ahuja Medical Center. Residents are considered senior clinical residents at this level and are given increasing responsibility in service management. Operative responsibilities are further increased and lead operative roles in complex surgical cases are provided under supervision.

PGY5 and 6 Clinical Training

Residents spend the time in PGY5 and PGY6 in a basic science laboratory, performing clinical research or completing an enfolded fellowship. Residents are afforded 18 months for academic and translational research or enfolded clinical fellowships/specialized training. Limited weekend chief coverage is expected. Six months of this time will be spent as the academic chief resident, assisting with administrative as well as some clinical duties.

PGY7 Clinical Training

PGY7 residents spend their year as chief resident at University Hospitals, as well as at UH Ahuja Medical Center where complex neurosurgical cases are being performed. Successful completion and passing for credit of the written examination of the Primary Examination of the American Board of Neurological Surgery is required prior to this year. Residents who opt to pursue a CAST accredited fellowship may complete their chief resident time as a PGY6 and their fellowship as a PGY7.