Neurosurgery PGY-7

Patient Care:

The chief resident will develop the ability to:

  • Gather essential and accurate information about all presurgical patients, either directly or through the management of more junior residents
  • Understand indications for and interpret the meaning of all laboratory studies and imaging used in neurosurgery
  • Devise patient care plans at the level of an independent neurosurgeon, under appropriate supervision from attending surgeons; and also guide more junior residents in the evaluation and management of patients
  • Establish and implement effective patient-care plans, assuming the role of primary leader in the neurosurgery service, under appropriate supervision of an attending surgeon
  • Counsel patients on the risks, goals, limits, and alternatives to all neurosurgical procedures
  • Demonstrate the ability to perform all major neurosurgical procedures at an independent level, under appropriate supervision of an attending surgeon
  • Manage and administrate the complexities of a large clinical and academic service

Medical Knowledge:

The chief resident will develop the ability to

  • Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology related to all aspects of neurosurgery
  • Demonstrate a familiarity with the neurosurgical literature appropriate for an independent surgeon capable of life-long learning
  • Manage and lead academic conferences
  • Participate actively and lead conferences in a manner that demonstrates a high level of global awareness regarding clinical neurosurgery, basic and applied research, and understanding of the literature, neurosurgical education, and program building

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement:

The chief resident will develop the ability to:

  • Manage and administrate the complexities of a large clinical and academic service
  • Develop skills as a program builder and an administrator of the neurosurgical service
  • Demonstrate a solid evidence-based approach to patient care at the level of a practicing surgeon
  • Demonstrate sound habits of personal scholarship and inquiry

Interpersonal and Communication Skills:

The chief resident will develop the ability to:

  • Assist the Program Director and Resident Education Committee in overseeing the personal, academic, and clinical growth and development of junior residents
  • Instruct and nurture junior residents in all aspects of neurosurgical patient care (outpatient, inpatient, and ICU settings)
  • Demonstrate the ability to interact with many different health care personnel with efficiency and efficacy in the pursuit of patient care and service management
  • Demonstrate leadership skills in the management of more junior residents
  • Present a summary of the resident's activities in clinical or basic research at the end of the year during a dedicated institution of neurosurgical research forum

Professionalism:

The chief resident will develop the ability to:

  • Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to patients' culture, age, gender, and disabilities
  • Demonstrate integrity and a commitment to patients that supercedes self-interest, serving as primary neurosurgeon
  • Participate meaningfully in ongoing professional development by submitting research for peer review to journals and national professional meetings

Systems-Based Practice:

The chief resident will develop the ability to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of practice opportunities, practice types, health care delivery systems, and medical economics at a level that is expected of an independent neurosurgeon
  • Advocate high-quality patient care and assist patients and the responsible junior residents in dealing with system complexities
  • Guide junior residents in the practice of cost-effective health care and resource allocation through evidence-based medical practice that does not compromise quality of care
  • Understand practice management issues such as patient processing, evaluation and management coding, procedural terminology, documentation of services rendered, and other reimbursement process-related issues in both inpatient and outpatient settings, serving as the primary provider of care.