Residency Program;
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Neurological surgery is a relatively small specialty, with approximately 3650 practicing neurosurgeons constituting about 0.7% of the physicians providing patient care in the United States. About 125 residents finish training each year, with about 135 entering the training cycle each July. Approximately 750 residents are in training at any particular time. The minimum training period is 5 years after 1 year of postgraduate training.

The Neurosurgery Residency Program at The Ohio State University is a seven-year program. The PGY-1 year, under the direction of the Neurosurgery Program Director, is organized with three months of fundamental skill rotations in critical care, trauma and anesthesia; six months of neurosurgery; and three months of neurology. This fulfills the requirements of the American Board of Neurosurgery (ABNS) and the Neurosurgery Residency Review Committee (RRC). PGY-2 and PGY-3 years are spent between The Ohio State University Medical Center (OSUMC) and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. PGY-4 and PGY-5 years are dedicated to research/electives. The first six months are spent rotating on Neuropathology and Neuroradiology. During the research/electives years, residents maintain their clinical experience through Thursday conferences and resident clinic as well as call coverage. PGY-6 year is spent between OSUMC and OSUEast. The OSUEast rotation provides one-on-one training with basic degenerative spinal surgery. PGY-7 year is spent entirely as OSUMC. OSUMC is split into 2 separate services (Hunt and LeFever). One concentrated on vascular and skull base, while the other concentrates on tumor and spine. Each chief resident will spend 6 months per service with one 6 month period as administrative chief. Additional responsibilities include organizing the educational activities for Grand Rounds, maintaining monthly call schedules including all time away for resident vacations, presentations at conference, etc.

Applications for the PGY-1 position in the Neurological Surgery Training Program are accepted exclusively through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).  The deadline for receipt of completed applications is November 1st.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Application through ERAS
2. Must be eligible for either a training certificate or a permanent medical license through the State Medical Board of Ohio
3. Step 1 score preferably above 220
4. Interest and/or experience in research

International medical graduates are eligible if he/she presents the following:

1. Must have received a currently valid ECFMG certificate or have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in Ohio or have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school.
2. Must have spent an equivalent of 12 months in an LCME-accredited or AOA-accredited clinical training program
3. Non-US citizens must meet one of the following:
   • Permanent Resident Status with a work authorization prior to being appointed to a position in a residency program
   • Be eligible for a J-1 Visa through the ECFMG Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program.  Application for the J-1 Visa will be completed after the match.
   • Applicants may be eligible for an H-1B Visa if they are
     • a medical student at an LCME/AOA accredited US medical school on an F-1 student visa or;
     • a trainee in a GME training program at another institution on an H-1B Visa

Qualified applications are reviewed by the Program Director and the faculty. The following are taken into consideration for a candidate to be offered an interview: preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. Applicants will either be offered an interview or sent a rejection letter after their application is reviewed.

Most of our Neurosurgical faculty, the Program Director and residents interview all applicants. At the end of each individual interview, the interviewing faculty member or resident rates the applicant by completing an evaluation form. We interview residents on a Thursday between November 1st and December 22nd. At the end of the interview process, the Program Director develops a composite list of all applicants in order by their score. A review session, attended by the entire faculty to rank the applicants is then held. The final rank list is completed by the Program Director and Chairman. The results are available the third Thursday in March.

In addition, The Ohio State University Neurosurgery Residency program will adhere to the following Society of Neurological Surgeons match guidelines for student and resident recruitment:

1. Only one trip for interview visit required or encouraged per department.  Second or more visits allowable but must be unofficial.
2. The host department cannot pay travel and accommodation expenses.  Exception could be made if hospital has facilities to house visiting medical students during clerkships but not for interview visits.  Hotel discount rates can be arranged.  Payment for meals and social events with residents and faculty are permitted.
3. Student applicants must not be contacted or pressured at rank time to inquire how they plan to rank a recruiting program.
4. Advanced commitments for ranking must not be made.
5. No applicant can be accepted for residency training outside the match. 
6. Openings that occur unexpectedly between match times may be filled individually without waiting until the next match.  There is an ERAS web site bulletin board listed as Find A Resident that may be useful.

Matched applicants must fulfill the requirements for appointment to the faculty of The Ohio State University as Clinical Instructor Housestaff and to the medical staff of University Hospitals as a member of the Limited Medical Staff which includes an application for clinical credentials,  obtaining an Ohio medical license/training certificate, successful completion of USMLE Step 1 and 2, a criminal background check through OSUMC Security, and pre-employment drug screening prior to starting their training program.  Any non-U.S. citizen must be granted permission for entry to the United States and approval to work in a residency training program.

The recruitment and selection of residents is done in accordance with both The Ohio State University and University Hospital policies of equal opportunity and non-discrimination with regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Dr. E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD is the Chairman and Dr. Carole A. Miller, MD is the Residency Program Director in the Department of Neurological Surgery at The Ohio State University. Dr Corey Raffel, MD, PhD is the Vice-Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and is the Children's Hospital Neurosurgery Residency Director at Nationwide Children's Hospital. These two hospitals make up the core of the training program. The faculty includes:

More Information about Residency Program from
Fellowship and Residency Electronic
Interactive Database Access (FREIDA) Online

American Medical Association offers an online database of information on graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and combined specialty programs. FREIDA Online lists detailed information for those programs that provide updated data to the AMA and request an expanded listing. The database includes information on residency program requirements and board certification requirements as well as medical licensure, the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), and the entry of foreign-born medical graduates to the US.

To view details of OSU Neurosurgery program, click on FREIDA Online below. Enter our program identifier, 160-38-21-067, in the program locator field and click on "Go" button.

If you need any further information, please feel free to contact:

Suzanne Knott
Residency Program Coordinator
Department of Neurological Surgery
N1014 Doan Hall
410 W 10th Ave
Columbus, OH 43210-1240

Phone: (614) 293-0821
Email: Suzanne.Knott@osumc.edu

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