Elective Clerkship in Neurosurgery

All elective rotations through Rush University Medical Center must go through the office of Clinical Curriculum office for approval at www.rushu.rush.edu/medcol. Once approved, the Office of Clinical Curriculum will notify the department of your rotation two weeks prior to the start date.

Though you will be working directly with the Office of Clinical Curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact the department for any reason. Below are the Department’s requirements as well as the goals and objectives for this rotation.

Medical Student Rotation Requirements

• Attendance at daily rounds
• Two complete histories and physicals per week with copies to Course Director
• One 10-15 minute presentation – Departmental correlative neurosurgery conference. Provide copy of presentation for Department files.
• Observation and participation in at least one craniotomy case, one spine case, and one shunt case.
• Take call per Chief resident instructions.
• Attendance at all of the departmental conferences that are required of residents and all Wednesday student/intern lectures.

Goals

• To learn the indications and general principals of surgical therapy for neurological disease
• To recognize the presenting symptoms of neurosurgical disease processes
• To understand initial management principles and diagnostic pathways

Objectives

• Perform a competent neurological evaluation
• Understand the fundamentals of x-ray and computerized (CT, MRI) imaging of the central nervous system
• Learn the broad categories of brain tumors
• Recognize the presenting symptoms of intracranial and subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Understand the various categories of spine disease
• Recognize the symptoms and signs of raised intracranial pressure especially hydrocephalus