The Neurosurgery Residency Program requires a seven-year commitment.

An integral part of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, the Barrow Neurological Institute, encompasses six divisions:  Neurological Surgery, Neurology, Neuro-anesthesiology, Neurobiology, Neuropathology, and Neuroradiology.  The objective of the BNI is to foster excellence in patient care, education and research.  These goals are pursued vigorously by the staff of the Division of Neurological Surgery with nineteen full-time, board-certified Neurosurgeons, twenty-two residents, five Clinical Fellows and several Research Fellows.

The Residency Program in Neurological Surgery is rigorous and fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.  Four applicants will be selected each year through the Neurosurgical Match Program.  Successful applicants are prepared to assume both academic and clinical leadership roles in Neurosurgery.

The internship will be under direction of the Neurosurgery Department of Barrow Neurological Institute. During the PGY-1 year, rotating three months on neurology services at the Barrow fulfills the first Neurosurgery Board requirement.  Five years are dedicated to the Neurosurgery Residency Training, including rotations in neuropathology, laboratory research (12 months), or electives in addition to the core neurosurgical training.  An additional post-graduate year is devoted to further laboratory research or other electives.

Residents develop their clinical skills by caring for patients in need of the entire spectrum of neurological surgery:  trauma, cerebrovascular, spine, neoplastic, functional, and pediatric.  The breadth of clinical experience available to residents is reflected by the volume of patients at the Barrow.

Academic activities are an integral part of the program.  Residents are encouraged to participate in ongoing research in either the Microsurgical, Cerebrovascular, Pediatric, Pain, or Spinal Injury Neurosurgical Laboratories and to design their own research projects.  Residents can also participate in a wide range of basic neuroscience laboratories in the Division of Neurobiology.  Residents are expected to prepare papers for publication and presentations at both national and international meetings.  A full-service publications office is available to assist with publications.  Regularly scheduled clinical and research conferences feature experts whom provide a constructively critical forum for residents to present their work.

The clinical and research environment of the Division of Neurological Surgery is further enriched by four fellowships.  Clinical fellowships include a six month research rotation,  active participation in resident teaching and are available to applicants with an interest in sub-specializing who have finished their residency.  Two one-year cerebrovascular/skull base fellowships offer comprehensive hands-on experience in skull base procedures, extra and intracranial vascular surgery.  Two spine fellowships furnish experience encompassing all spinal disorders. 

Medical students are invited to apply for four-week neurosurgery electives during their early senior year.