Information for Residents
Resources
There are two teaching institutions involved with the neurosurgical program: Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joseph’s Healthcare. Hamilton Health Sciences incorporates the Hamilton General Hospital (where the bulk of the adult neurosurgery occurs), McMaster University Medical Centre (which includes the Children’s Hospital, where pediatric neurosurgical rotations take place) and the Juravinski Hospital (which is closely affiliated with a modern cancer centre with facilities for radiosurgery). The neurosurgical group consults at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where a moderate amount of less intensive neurosurgical procedures occur. All of the mandatory and elective rotations will take place at these institutions.
Curriculum
The residency rotations are designed to meet the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
The program is flexible enough to allow for individual resident requirements and interests. For example, should a resident wish to specialize in functional neurosurgery (not currently available at our centre), we will facilitate some exposure in this subspecialty at a mutually agreeable teaching institution.
PGY-1 & 2
There are two years of surgical foundations. At the completion of the two years, all residents are required to pass the principles of surgery examinations and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II. The first year rotations are in general surgery and the intensive care unit (ICU), as well as allied surgical specialities, enabling the residents to successfully participate in the required examinations.
PGY-3
This year, designed to be spent in neurosurgery and neurosurgical research that can hopefully be tailored to the residents’ needs, whether basic science or clinical. Residents that choose to continue doing clinical work during this period will be allowed to do so. A junior pediatric rotation may take place either in PGY-2 or PGY-3, based on the educational needs of the resident.
PGY-4
PGY-4 is spent predominantly in neurosurgery. A three month rotation will also be arranged at McMaster University Medical Centre in pediatric neurosurgery.
PGY-5
GY-5 is spent completely in general adult neurosurgery. This year will bolster the residents’ comfort and experience with all facets of neurosurgical practice. This will include exposure to ambulatory practice, operating room experience and participation in satellite clinics.
PGY-6
The last year of the neurosurgical program will be spent in adult neurosurgery and geared towards producing an independent neurosurgeon capable of making balanced clinical decisions based on sound judgment and available evidence.
Seminars
In the first two years of the program, seminars related to the principles of surgery are organized by the surgical foundations program director. These sessions are mandatory for the surgical foundations residents. Didactic and interactive teaching/learning occurs during weekly seminars all through the residency program.
Research
The residents are strongly encouraged to apply for the epidemiology program leading to a master’s at the end of completion of coursework and thesis. Any interest in research will also be encouraged, whether clinical or basic science.
Selection Criteria
Candidates are graded based on their academic records, their curriculum vitae, their CaRMS application and the strength of their references. Final decisions will be made by the Residency Program Committee (RPC).
Residents Manual
Overview of the services we provide and the strengths of our residency program:
- Our neurosurgical service is a tertiary referral centre for a population of 2 million people – large enough to bring many and diverse cases but still very manageable as a single integrated unit within a sophisticated centre for academic medicine and surgery and research.
- We have a strong affiliation with McMaster University, including undergraduate medical school, clinical epidemiology, exceptionally strong thrombosis and cerebro-cardio-vascular groups
- There are well equipped and well staffed hospitals for adults, children, acute care and rehab facilities
- Excellent communications exist within our neurosurgical group of staff and resident surgeons with mutual support and respect
- There are highly motivated attending staff and enabling colleagues in neuropathology, neuroradiology, neurology, nursing, allied health and administration
- Strong programs for our rotators in neurology, intensive care unit (ICU), orthopaedics, head and neck, plastic surgery play a critical part in the residency program
- Recent recruitment of young neurosurgeons also trained in interventional vascular neuroradiology, pediatric neurosurgery and basic surgeon-scientist stem cell research add to our cadre of excellent faculty
- We have close academic and working relationships with Juravinski Cancer Clinic and the neuro-oncologists at the Brain Tumour Clinic there
- Opportunities for extra training in clinical epidemiology and interventional neuroradiology and ICU medicine are available with the surgeon scientist program
This manual will provide you with the information you need during your residency and your program director’s door is always open!
Chapters
- Objectives of Training (PDF)
- Objectives of Training CanMEDS 2015 Special Addendum (PDF)
- Specialty Training Requirements (PDF)
- Format of the Comprehensive Objective Education in Neurosurgery
- Goals and Objectives for McMaster Neurosurgery Residents (PDF)
- Neurosurgery Resident Job Description (PDF)
- Chief Neurosurgery Resident Job Description (PDF)
- Clinical Expectations (PDF)
- Program Policies and Events
- Curriculum (PDF)
- Presentations
- Basic Surgical Skills Videos
- Research Tools
- Useful Links
Resident Resources
Important Links
- Resident Manual
- Neurosurgery Dropbox
- MedPortal
- WebEval
- Surgeon Scientist Program