The Neurosurgery residents at Duke University Medical Center enjoy a rich and rewarding life, both in and out of the hospital. The past several years have brought a shift in medical training throughout the entire country and a new emphasis has been placed on resident life and well-being. The Neurosurgery resident training program at Duke has always recruited a diverse and talented group of young physicians with the common goal of attaining the highest level of academic success while maintaining a well balanced lifestyle. The clinical and research training continues to be among the best in the country as we continue to promote family and fun.

 

 

 

 

Hamid Aliabadi ('10) and Ankit Mehta ('13)

 

 

 

 

Ali Zomorodi ('06) and Dr. Sampson

Residents come to Duke from all over the world for neurosurgical training. Upon starting internship, the division provides each incoming resident with a pair of custom made operating loupes and an annual book fund for building a home library. Each resident is also provided with a handheld PDA and their own laptop computer. Throughout the training period, each resident is strongly encouraged to choose their own clinical path while attaining a fundamental knowledge in all areas of neurosurgery . Over the past several years, approximately half of the graduating residents have gone on to academic positions while the other half have gone into private practice. Our endovascular fellowship is open to interested residents and may afford the opportunity to incorporate subspecialty training into the residency program (i.e., the two year endovascular fellowship would satisfy the research requirement). After training at Duke, each graduating resident achieves an excellent experience in all facets of neurosurgery and has a strong foundation from which to build their careers.

 

 

The Skull Base Lab is accessible 100% of the time to hone microsurgical skills and, if given prior notification, Dr. Friedman will often make himself available for one-on-one practical tutorials. Furthermore, anatomy workshops (typically for brachial plexus, lumbar plexus, skull base, and spinal anatomy) are scheduled throughout the year in the Research Tissue Skills Lab. Each year, Dr. Fukushima organizes a temporal bone dissection course for all of the neurosurgery residents at Duke and senior residents are afforded the opportunity and funding to attend clinical courses throughout the country. An invited speaker of the residents choosing is the highlight of the didactic teaching each year, providing an invaluable opportunity to have an intimate and insightful conference from a leader in the field of neurosurgery.

Neurosurgery is a dynamic and ever-changing field. The Duke neurosurgery program fosters an academic appreciation of the clinical and basic science research that is moving the field forward. All of the neurosurgical residents graduating from Duke, whether pursuing academic or private practice careers, are prepared to be leaders and innovators in the field. Residents are an active part of the clinical and basic science research that takes place within the division and are strongly encouraged to take advantage of any of the resources available within the entire Duke University system. The Duke neurosurgery residents are well published, are successful at finding independent funding, and traditionally achieve a number of awards and accolades. The Neurosurgery division strongly encourages residents to actively participate in scientific investigation and it is a requirement of the program that residents publish.  Residents are also encouraged to become a part of the neurosurgery community throughout their training. Each year, one junior resident attends the annual Research Update in Neuroscience for Neurosurgeons (RUNN) course in Woods Hole, MA, and the chief residents attend either the AANS or CNS annual conference. Any resident who wishes to present their research at a conference is provided with the necessary funding for travel and attendance.

 

Neurosurgery is a dynamic and ever-changing field. The Duke neurosurgery program fosters an academic appreciation of the clinical and basic science research that is moving the field forward. All of the neurosurgical residents graduating from Duke, whether pursuing academic or private practice careers, are prepared to be leaders and innovators in the field. Residents are an active part of the clinical and basic science research that takes place within the division and are strongly encouraged to take advantage of any of the resources available within the entire Duke University system. The Neurosurgery division strongly encourages residents to actively participate in scientific investigation and it is a requirement of the program that residents publish.  Residents are also encouraged to become a part of the neurosurgery community throughout their training. Each year, one junior resident attends the annual course in Woods Hole, MA, and the chief residents attend either the AANS or CNS annual conference. Any resident who wishes to present their research at a conference is provided with the necessary funding for travel and attendance.

The clinical and academic achievements of the Duke neurosurgical residents are even more impressive given the success that our residents have found in their personal lives. The faculty and residents share a common appreciation for family values and encourage a well-balanced lifestyle. Of the fifteen neurosurgical residents currently training at Duke, five are married and one was married during residency. Each year, the residents get together for Thanksgiving dinner at Dr. Friedman’s and enjoy a day at the lake with Dr. Fuchs during the summer.  There are countless other social events during the year as well.

The year culminates in the annual Chiefs' Dinner, complete with a cocktail hour, four-course meal, and good-spirited roast to send the outgoing chief residents off to their new careers. Real Estate in Durham is such that most residents can afford to own a house and cost of living is such that fine dining at local restaurants and local entertainment is affordable (see Durham links). Work hour limitations, four weeks of vacation, and additional time off for the holiday season help to ensure that the sacrifices made for a career in neurosurgery are not prohibitive to a successful and enriching personal life.

The neurosurgical residents that train at Duke are as dynamic as the field they have chosen for a career and continue to pursue the interests and activities that they have always enjoyed. Golf, scuba, hiking, camping, and marathon running are a few of the things current residents enjoy locally or within a two-hour drive of Duke University Medical Center (see Things to Do in North Carolina). Weekends off each month afford time for the short travel east to the coast for some shore fun or west to the mountains for some hiking and camping. Local sports are highlighted by Duke basketball; both the men's and women's teams are contenders for national titles virtually every year. In addition, the Durham Bulls have won their minor league division title two years in a row and have an impressive display of fireworks after every Friday night home game. Chapel Hill is home to the rival University of North Carolina and is within a twenty minute drive of Duke campus, offering another source of fine food and shopping.

 

The neurosurgical residents that train at Duke are as dynamic as the field they have chosen for a career and continue to pursue the interests and activities that they have always enjoyed. Golf, scuba, hiking, camping, and marathon running are a few of the things current residents enjoy locally or within a two-hour drive of Duke University Medical Center (see ). Weekends off each month afford time for the short travel east to the coast for some shore fun or west to the mountains for some hiking and camping. Local sports are highlighted by ; both the men's and women's teams are contenders for national titles virtually every year. In addition, the have won their minor league division title two years in a row and have an impressive display of fireworks after every Friday night home game. Chapel Hill is home to the rival University of North Carolina and is within a twenty minute drive of Duke campus, offering another source of fine food and shopping.