Title of Fellowship
The 360 Complex Cranial Base Fellowship
Contact Name for Applications
Amin kassam MD, FRCS (C) and Mohamed Labib MDCM, FRCS (C)
Fellowship Type
Neurosurgical
Location
Aurora Neurosurgical Institute
Year Fellowship Established
2014
Fellowship Director
Amin Kassam MD, FRCS (C)
Duration
3 years
Encounter Year Fellowship
Required Prior Training Program
Neurosurgery
Required Prior Training Program Other
Accept Foreign Medical Graduates
Yes
Foreign Medical Graduates Eligibility Requirements
ECFMG recognized medical school and neurosurgical residency training
USMLE Steps 1, 2, 3
Percentage of Fellow Workload that is Skull Base
70%
Number of Fellows Accepted Per Year
2
Annual Stipend
Dependent on previous experience and training
Night and Weekend Call
Yes
Estimated Nights Per Month
4-6
Estimated Weekends Per Month
1-2
Clinical Work
Total potential operative skull base cases per year
120-180
Open Cranial Base
Anterior
5
Anterolateral/ Infratemporal
20
Lateral (temporal bone)
2
Posterior
20
Endonasal Cranial Base
Pituitary/Sella
50
Sagittal Plane (excluding pituitary)
40
Transpterygoid/ Coronal Plane
30
Temporal Bone
Transtemporal/ Transcochlear
2
Middle fossa
0
Retrosigmoid
20
Craniofacial Anomalies/ Reconstructive
Craniofacial Anomalies/ Reconstructive
5
Trauma
Trauma
5
Craniocervical
Transcervical
0
Transoral
0
Endonasal
10
Reconstruction
Cranioplasty
40
Regional, Pedicled Flap Repair
100
Free Flap Repair
5
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Gammaknife
0
Cyberknife
0
Other
0
Cerebral Vascular Surgery
Transcranial
50
Endovascular
0
Additional Information
Anatomical Dissection Laboratory
The first year is dedicated to learning the intricacies of skull base anatomy in a 360 “holistic” fashion. The 360 Cranial Base Laboratory is equipped with state-of the-art microscopic and endoscopic cadaveric dissection stations that are augmented with a powerful imaging and navigation platforms. First year fellows will master both conventional and endoscpoic endonasal skull base approaches by observing them in the operating rooms and then performing them on cadaveric specimens in the laboratory.
Laboratory Research Opportunities
The fellowship program is academically oriented. Research projects with focus on skull base anatomy, pathology and imaging are encouraged and supported. Fellows are expected to submit at least two manuscripts for publication annually. Fellows are also encouraged to submit abstracts for major national and international meetings
Prerequisite Training Required
Neurosurgical Residency
US Residency Required:
No
US Residency Required In:
USMLE
Step 1, Step 2, Step 3
Application Deadline
March 1, 2014
Decision Deadline
April 15, 2014
Fellowship Institution Web Site
http://www.aurorastlukes.org
Previous Fellows
1. Paul Gardner, MD 7/1/05-6/30/07
2. Ajith Thomas, MD 7/1/05-8/31/07
3. Daniel Prevedello, MD 8/1/06-6/30/08
4. Ricky Madhok, MD 7/1/07-6/30/09
5. Juan Fernandez-Miranda, MD 7/1/08-6/30/09
6. Nancy McLaughlin, MD, PhD 10/1/09-09/01/11
7. Kiarash Shalaie, MD, PhD 1/1/10-06/30/10
8. Walid Elgadafi, MD 7/1/11-7/15/12
9. Mohamed Labib MDCM 02/16/09-01/30/10 and 07/16/12-09/01/13
10. Mohammed Bafaquh MD 10/01/12-12/31/2013
Participating Faculty
Dr. Amin Kassam
Dr. Mohamed Labib
Dr. Martin Corsten
Dr. Vivek Patel
Dr. Melanie Fukui
Additional Features of the Fellowship
1) comprehensive approach to minimally invasive skull base surgery: the goal is not to promote one approach over the other; instead, the fellow will gain excellent experience in both conventional and endoscopic approaches.
2) Easy and encouraged access to the 360 Cranial Base Laboratory
3) The spirit of innovation nurtured by our team lead Dr. Kassam. We “listen” to and “learn” from our fellows as much (if not more) than they “listen” and ” learn” from us.
4) The extensive teams’ experience in and comprehensive practice of cerebrovascular and intra-axial neurooncology allows interested fellows to broaden their neurosurgical experience during their fellowship if they so desire.
How to Apply
Direct application via email to Dr. Kassam:
[email protected]