The Department of Neurosurgery offers a one-year fellowship in functional neurosurgery under the direction of Dr. Roy A. E. Bakay. The fellow will operate by applying stereotactic neurosurgical methodology to the treatment of patients with movement disorders.

The patient population is comprised of those with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, Dystonia, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. The range of procedures include lesioning, deep brain and cortical stimulation (DBS), and seizure surgery. In addition to surgical procedures, the fellow also performs pre-operative surgical testing, clinical evaluation and post-operative management.

The fellowship also provides the following research opportunities:

• Clinical, with an emphasis on clinical trial design and data management
• Basic science, with exposure to various experimental protocols dependent upon previous interest and experience

Patient Care

The fellow will be able to:

• Organize and manage the clinical functional neurosurgery service in conjunction with the residents
• Perform all neurosurgical procedures safely and accurately
• Be able to function independently regarding patient care decisions
• Coordinate patient care in the out-patient setting, i.e., clinic

Medical Knowledge

The fellow will be able to:

• Teach residents, interns and students effectively
• Present conferences on a regular basis regarding functional neurosurgery
• Participate in research projects, both clinical and laboratory based
• Mentor residents research projects as requested

Practice Based Learning and Improvements

The fellow will be able to:

• Assist the Program Director by providing direction to senior residents as regarding the merits of pursing a subspecialty fellowship
• Develop knowledge of the skills required to organize and direct a fellowship program

Interpersonal and Communication Skills:

The fellow will be able to:

• Serve as an example to all of excellent communication skills

Professionalism

The fellow will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ultimate level of professionalism at all times

System-Based Practice

The fellow will be able to:

• Be knowledgeable regarding all practice arrangements and appointments
• Understand the need for concise documentation of services rendered
• Demonstrate familiarity with neurosurgical procedural coding