Didactic training
Conferences
Daily didactic conferences are held from 7-8 a.m., prior to the initiation of the day's operative schedule. Conferences are held in the neurosurgery department at Mayo Clinic Hospital at Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, Minnesota, and resident attendance is mandatory. You will regularly contribute to the educational process, preparing case presentations, journal clubs, and didactic lectures.
Monday: Grand Rounds
Neurosurgery Grand Rounds are held every first Monday. The remainder of Monday grand rounds conferences alternate between research grand rounds, visiting professor lectures, and a monthly morbidity and mortality conference dedicated to the discussion of complications and quality assurance issues. Didactic lectures and presentations by visitors, Mayo staff, and residents also complement this forum. All faculty and residents attend grand rounds conference.
Tuesday: Administrative and Clinical Conferences
Complex cases are presented by Drs. Meyer, Van Gompel, Link, Lanzino, and Parney, in which preoperative diagnosis, surgical approaches, technical pearls, and postoperative complications are discussed. Additionally, program leadership meets monthly with residents to communicate any changes or updates and receive trainee feedback.
Wednesday: Spine Board Preparation Clinical Conference
Wednesdays are rotating spine conferences focusing on spinal disorders. The agenda alternates between spine journal club, spine trauma case conference, non-trauma case conference, and didactic lectures. The course is taught by joint faculty from the orthopedic surgery and neurological surgery departments. Case conferences are resident-driven, whereas didactic lectures are consultant-driven.
Thursday: Core Curriculum
Thursdays of every month rotate between resident-led, board-focused didactic lectures, pediatric journal club, cranial journal club, and conferences hosted by investigators presenting their research to help inform you of opportunities available for pursuit during your career development years. Once per quarter, the chairman holds a conference, during which Dr. Spinner meets with the residents to discuss a broad range of academic, administrative, or other salient topics.
Friday: Neuro-Oncology Conference
The conference every Friday is a multispecialty-combined gathering in which four interesting brain tumor cases are presented and discussed. The faculty from all the neuroscience specialties including neurology, medical oncology, neuropathology, neurosurgery, and neuroradiology are in attendance. The format of this conference is standardized and educationally targeted, incorporating the case presentation, pertinent radiology, surgical approach, pathology, and adjunctive treatment with an open forum for discussion and analysis as required and appropriate.
Subspecialty conferences
Additional subspecialty conferences are held daily throughout Mayo Clinic. These conferences are hosted in conjunction with the appropriate medical and radiological services and are open to neurosurgery residents. These include a neuroradiology conference, surgical epilepsy conference, pediatric neuro-oncology conference, skull base tumor board conference, and many others.