Physiology & Pharmacology of Pain

Course No.:  NSUR 705A
Duration:  6 weeks
Credits:  1
Term:  Noon, March/April
Prereq:  Neuroscience & Behavior (concurrent)
Contact:  Dr. Mary Heinricher, 4-1135

This six-week course will allow students to explore pain in terms if both mechanism and treatment. Following an introductory review of the neural basis of pain transmission and modulation, the course will consider common, clinically significant pain syndromes (e.g., headache) and factors that have a significant impact on pain (e.g., pain in children). Each of these sessions will consist of a brief didactic presentation by the faculty followed by a student-led presentation on a relevant article or case report. At the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge related to pain pathways, and to mechanisms and treatment of acute and chronic pain.

Neurosurgery

Course No.:  NSUR 709A
Duration:  4 weeks
Credits:  6
Term:  Any
Prereq:  SURG 720
Contact:  Dr. Nathan Selden, 4-6207

This intensive exposure to clinical neurosurgery is intended for students with a serious interest in the clinical neurosciences. Students work closely with the resident team in day-to-day patient care taking call, working up new patients in both the outpatient clinic and inpatient setting, scrubbing with the residents and faculty in the operating room, and following patients though their postoperative courses. Head and spine trauma, brain tumors, stroke, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, chronic pain syndromes, degenerative spine disease, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, movement disorders, and medically intractable epilepsy are the more common clinical problems encountered. The ICU management of critically ill neurosurgical patients is an integral part of the rotation. Placement is at OHSU.