Residency Program

Thank you for your interest in the Neurological Surgery Residency Program at UCSF. The central objective of our Residency Program is the training of academic neurosurgeons. While providing a residency program that meets the demands and realities of a changing health care environment, we select residents who have the aptitude and desire to enter full-time academic neurosurgery. The Department of Neurological Surgery has a large full-time faculty representing a wide range of interests and backgrounds. These include state of the art clinical care, as well as translational and basic research programs. We consider the training of academic neurosurgeons a responsibility and our contribution to the vitality and advancement of our discipline.

The Department of Neurological Surgery offers three appointments each year in a 6-year program consisting of:
 
4 months of general patient care
3 months of neurology
12 months of laboratory research
53 months of clinical neurological surgery

Year-by-year Description of the Residency Program
 
Residents in the Department of Neurological Surgery fall under the supervision of the Graduate Medical Education division. For details involving terms, benefits, and conditions of appointment, see the Housestaff Information Booklet.

Sites
Residents rotate through four sites during training: 
 • Moffit/Long Hospital at the University of California, San Francisco (M/L)
 • San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH)
 • San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center (SFVAMC)
 • Children's Hospital [&] Research Center Oakland (CHRCO)

Evaluation
The Program Director meets with junior residents on clinical rotations individually every 12-14 weeks to review their progress, evaluations, and publications. Other residents meet with the Program director every 6 months for a similar review. An evaluation performed at the end of each year determines if the resident will advance to the next phase of training. The primary (written) examination given by the American Board of Neurological Surgery is taken for self-assessment in the third year, and must be taken for credit by the fourth year. A grade at or above the 60th percentile is required for completion of this program.

How to Apply
Applications should be received by the Department eight months before the starting date of residency. The Residency Training Program in Neurological Surgery uses the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS), www.aamc.org/students/eras/start.htm, and the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). For information about registering, please visit their Web site, www.nrmp.org, or call them at (866) 617-5834. UCSF applications or the Universal Application will not be accepted.

A passing score on USMLE Step II (CS and CK) is required for all trainees beginning a UCSF GME program June 2010 and later. To meet this requirement, programs must rank only candidates who have passed USMLE Step II (CS and CK).

Contact Information
For additional information, e-mail the residency program coordinator, Mario Mercurio, at mercurio@neurosurg.ucsf.edu