Training Sites

The training of a neurosurgery resident demands diversity and depth in the clinical exposure.  Therefore the ACGME permits multiple training sites with the provision that the resident's education is well balanced and well supervised.  The University of Minnesota neurosurgery program takes advantage of the five sites of training to not only broaden the exposure to the resident to a wide variety of patients with a full span of neurosurgical disorders.  These five sites include the University of Minnesota Medical Center - Fairview, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minnesota Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Hennepin County Medical Center, and Children's Hospitals & Clinics - Minneapolis.

University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, a major hospital affiliate of the neurosurgical residency training program, provides a major portion of the program with clinical education experience for medical students, residents, and fellows.  There are currently four full-time and two affiliated clinical faculty.  In addition, we have one full time PhD faculty within the Department of Neurosurgery.  Affiliation with Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology, joint ventures with basic scientists in Oncology in the Cancer Center and the Oralfacialmaxillary Departments broaden the scope of neurosurgical exposure.

Hennepin County Medical Center
Hennepin County Medical Center is a Level 1 trauma center with strong affiliations with the University of Minnesota.  It has an emergency medicine residency, and supplies the residents with a full range of cranial and spinal trauma.  Because it serves the diverse patients of Hennepin County who have a diverse background, the residents also are exposed to a wide variety of neurosurgical disorders.


Children’s Hospitals and Clinics - Minneapolis
Children's Hospitals and Clinics - Minneapolis is an integral part of the training program providing a major component of the pediatric neurosurgical education.  The hospital has a full range of pediatric specialists, dedicated emergency room to children, and complete radiologic capability geared particularly to kids.  The neurosurgery service is under the supervision of DR. Mahmoud Nagib, who mentors the residents for both nonoperative and operative patient care.  This complements the pediatric exposure at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview service for the residents.


Minneapolis VA Medical Center
The VA system has always been an integral part of resident education.  It subserves a population particularly susceptible to specific diseases whose pathology and treatment are crucial to the development of a neurosurgeon.  The inpatient service consists of the staff of the University of Minnesota department of neurosurgery.  The outpatient service is headed by Dr. Walter Bailey.  Two physician's assistants and a dedicated neurosurgery nurse complete the neurosurgery team.


Minnesota Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
The MINCEP program is the only NIH funded epilepsy program ongoing since the 1960's.  The program is world-class with some of the largest series of patients having undergone callosotomies, intracranial and extracranial recordings, and clinical trials ever published.  Practically every major textbook written about epilepsy involves the authorship of one or more of its members.  As such, it operates out of a multi-bed monitoring unit in Abbott Northwestern Hospital, with five and a half full time neurologists, two neuropsychologists, plus a large team of technician and dedicated epilepsy nurses.  

Abbott Northwestern Hospital