Academics & Residency

Welcome to neurological surgery residency training at OHSU.

Education

Due to breathtaking advances in neuroscience and technology, neurosurgery has become perhaps the most complex and challenging field within medicine.  Mastery of neurosurgery requires the education of lifelong learners and problem solvers.  The OHSU faculty includes leaders of efforts aimed at redesigning national neurosurgical education and at OHSU, we have implemented formal education in basic research, clinical research methodology, grantsmanship, evidence based medicine, and professionalism.

Training

The OHSU neurological surgery residency program has a long tradition of excellence in procedural training.  The faculty provides hands on experience in all areas of neurosurgical practice, including: brain and spine tumor, vascular and endovascular, complex spine, functional stereotaxis, skull base, pediatric, epilepsy, pain, peripheral nerve, and radiosurgery.

The program is located at Oregon’s only medical school and  “Best Hospital” (OHSU Hospital is the only Oregon hospital to appear in the 2006 America's Best Hospitals rankings from U.S. News & World Report) and is housed in three major facilities on one campus: OHSU Hospital, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and the Portland VA Medical Center.  OHSU boasts many neurosurgical programs unique in the state: functional and epilepsy surgery (adult and pediatric), comprehensive pediatric, endovascular and skull base surgery, and intra-operative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.  Training is supported by a dissection curriculum and fully instrumented dissection laboratory.

Mentoring

The definition of leadership in medicine is evolving. We mentor trainees in the skills necessary to contribute original, creative and durable advances to the field of neurosurgery. Leadership may include basic or translational science, clinical trials, education, advocacy, ethics and professionalism. We encourage applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds and with special interests and accomplishments suited to these challenges.

At OHSU, our goal is not simply to teach, learn and practice neurosurgery, but to enhance, improve and advance neurosurgery for all involved: students, residents, faculty and patients alike.

Nathan R. Selden, MD, PhD, FACS, FAAP
Vice Chairman for Education
Program Director