The PGY3 year is set aside as a research and academic support year. The research proposal may be a new project or may be a continuation of the previous year’s effort by the preceding resident. The proposal contains a discussion of the background and bibliography for the project, the thesis that is proposed, the reason why it is to be done, the research methodology and the method of analysis. The research project constitutes commitment from the resident. Equally, if not more importantly, the resident is expected to be familiar with the scientific process that is the basis for research. The Department of Neurosurgery maintains a Residency Education fund, which provides monies for resident research projects, i.e. purchase of animals, equipment, photography, and travel expenses. In addition to the research, the PGY3 may take call two times a month, is responsible for overseeing the once-a-week didactic Board Review course, the once-a-month selection of journal articles approved by one of our attendings for Journal Club, the preparation of the anatomy-cadaver dissection course that are 4-6 times an academic year and the intern/medical student program coordinator during the applicant interviewing process by being available to the applicants on the day of the interview and for any follow-up questions the applicants may have. The PGY3 resident is required to take the “Review Course in Neurological Surgery,” a ten-day course offered by the National Center for Advanced Medical Education in Chicago.

• Demonstrates a more complex working knowledge of neuroanatomy and physiology.
• Assist in the teaching of interns, medical students and PGY2 residents.
• Participation in the Simulation Lab Critical Care Module
• Attends the 10 day “Review Course in Neurological Surgery”
• Take the ABNS primary examination for self-assessment

• Demonstrate the ability to manage and prioritize with supervision, emergent neurosurgical complications on NICU and Ward patient
• Demonstrate the ability to obtain and evaluate proper radiological studies
• Demonstrate the ability to use sterile techniques and universal precautions
• Assist in the teaching of medical students, nurses, and interns
• Review health care journals and discuss implications of policy change to patient care

• Apply knowledge of study design and statistical methods to critically appraise the medical literature
• Organize and perform a clinical or lab based research project appropriate for publication and presentation
• Develop and exhibit problem solving skills relevant to research
• Organize and perform cadaver preparation (brain or spine) for anatomy dissection course
• Organize weekly presentation for the Board Review Course
• Be able to carry out a research project from conception through final presentation and/or publication
• Recognize pitfalls in data interpretation and statistical analysis
• Utilizes CNS SANSwired, MedHub, GME-Today and other web-based tools
• Demonstrate critical self assessment

• Communicate patient information and care plans effectively with the patient and their families
• Communicate patient management plans to interns and medical students
• Communicate and work with the nursing and support staff to provide the best care for patients while building teamwork, responsibility and enthusiasm
• Communicate effectively about our program and department with applicants interviewing for the Match
• Present intern/medical student lectures in clear, concise manner appropriate to level of training
• Discuss issues of consent in clinical study design with patients and their families

• Interact effectively with interns, medical students, nursing and discharge planners
• Maintain professional rapport with the patient, the patient’s families, nurses, other physician teams and other hospital personnel
• Maintain professional rapport with IRB office, Office of Research Affairs and all other research entities
• Demonstrate a compassionate, caring approach to patients and their families
• Demonstrate respect for patients and colleagues from diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds
• Demonstrate honesty in all professional interactions
• Demonstrate appropriate dress and grooming style consistent with institutional and departmental guidelines
• Comply with all GME and Departmental policies regarding duty hours restrictions
• Accurately self-report fatigue in situations that may compromise safety and/or patient care
• Maintain primary focus on patient’s concerns

• Understand the moral and ethical issues pertaining to critically ill patients including: patient or family requests to withhold or withdraw treatment and organ donation
• Understand the medical and legal definitions of brain death
• Understand and discuss health care delivery systems, the economics of medicine and begin to learn Evaluation and Management Coding
• Understand the importance of medical knowledge through research
• Understand the importance of research projects being done and the effect on healthcare in society
• Participate and demonstrate an understanding of current trends in medical care by keeping up-to-date with reading of Medical Economics and MGMA
• Participate in quality assessment and improvement initiatives instituted by national organizations (JCAHO, etc)
• Participate in quality assessment and improvement initiatives instituted by the hospital and chief medical officer
• Participate in quality assessment and improvement initiatives instituted by the department of neurosurgery

The PGY3 year is primarily for the development of bench and clinical research skills . The PGY3 will develop and understand to critically evaluate research data. The resident will spend the majority of their time in either Dr. Bakay’s or another researcher’s lab. In our basic science laboratory, the resident is overseen by the lab manager who is trained in the latest neurohistology techniques and a PhD with a background in stem cells development and culture, human umbilical cord blood cells, neurodegenerative disease and basic surgical techniques. Dr. Bakay, the Resident Research Director meets with the PGY3 at least once weekly if not more on an individual basis and meets with the PGY2-PGY4 along with other neuro scientists biannually to discuss and review the progress on various research projects. Minutes of the meeting are taken and placed in the resident’s folder. Under the supervision of the program director and department administrator, the PGY3 begins exposure to socioeconomic issues affecting medicine. PGY3prepares the weekly Board Review course using the followings books: Intensive Neurosurgery Board Review by Thomas Psarros and Shawn Moore and Definitive Neurological Surgery Board Review by Shawn Moore and Thomas Psarros and using the Board Review flash cards. The Board Review lecture is chaired by Dr. Roy Bakay. The PGY3 selects the journal articles for the monthly conference and prepares for the 4-6 spine or brain anatomy cadaver course, which is overseen by Drs. Harel Deutsch and John O’Toole. The PGY3 provides the medical students and interns on the service with a weekly lecture on the topics of neuro exam, brain tumors, stenosis, disc disease, spine trauma, cord compression, subarachnoid hemorrhage, aneurysms, AVMs, hydrocephalus, concussion, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma and intracranial hematoma. The PGY3 also incorporates a critical care course in the Simulation Laboratory for the medical student(s) and/or the intern. The PGY3 attends the AFIP Neuropathology course.

• Twice a year electronic evaluation by neurosurgical attendings in MedHub
• Annual 360 degree electronic evaluation by operating room nurses, ICU and ward nurses in MedHub
• Annual Mock Orals
• ABNS Primary Examination results for self assessment
• Annual self-evaluation
• Quarterly oral evaluations by attendings at a private conference portion of Department meeting
• Regular review of medical documentation in patient’s charts by neurosurgery attending(s)
• MedHub resident learning portfolio
• MedHub duty hours report/analysis
• MedHub conference attendance analysis
• Resident Research Project Report by Residency Research Director
• Graduation Day/Academic Day – Research Presentation
• End-of-Rotation review of all evaluations and data by Program director