Department of Neurosurgery

The University of Kentucky’s Neurosurgery Resident Program is one of a kind. Our residents are exposed to cutting-edge research, one-on-one teaching experiences and the most advanced health care techniques. UK is the seventh in the nation and the only hospital in Kentucky to add Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. Our residents are able to learn how to treat patients with neurological disorders and diseases without invasive surgery with the Gamma Knife Radiosurgery capabilities on-site. This system’s cutting-edge technology allows our specialists to operate on the brain without general anesthesia or incisions. Our goal is to provide an education in the theoretical and technical aspects of neurological surgery so that the resident will be equipped for either clinical practice or academic neurosurgery.

The residency training program in neurosurgery consists of six years of clinical education designed to provide skills for either an academic or a clinical career. The neurosurgical residency consists of at least 36 months of clinical neurosurgery. The remaining time is assigned according to the individual resident’s interests and can include neuroradiology, neuropathology, neurology, radiosurgery, surgical epilepsy, pediatric neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, spinal disorders or research. The residency training program in neurosurgery consists of six years of clinical education designed to provide skills for either an academic or a clinical career.

Along with Departments of Anatomy and Neurosciences, UK's Department of Neurosurgery plays a key role in the NIH Blueprint Translational Neuroscience Training Grant entitled "Therapeutic Strategies for Neurodegeneration." This five-year grant, an award of $1,240,734, funds five predoctoral students per year and two post docs (Ph.D./M.D.) beginning the second year. Applicants should be interested in a career in translational therapeutic discovery in the areas of spinal cord and brain injury, stroke or Parkinson's Disease. Each of the Ph.D. trainees, in addition to pursuing therapeutically-oriented basic research training, will have clinical tutorials designed specifically for them that provides significant exposure to the clinical aspects of their neurological disorder of interest. These will include shadowing clinicians, participating in rounds and attendance at Grand Rounds and other activities. One of the post-doctoral positions is for a neurological or neurosurgical resident or fellow who desires to spend a year doing clinically relevant basic research in one or more of the basic science training faculty laboratories.