Fellowship Match Participating Programs

Must be able meet the English language requirements and able to obtain educational license in British Columbia. Please see the BC College of physicians and surgeon's site.

• USMLE not required

Objective:
The University of British Columbia Neurosurgical Skull Base fellowship, is an one year clinical fellowship, providing comprehensive neurosurgical care for patients presenting with complex skull base pathologies in the adult population. From time to time, skull base expertise is also provided at BC Children’s hospital when required. Active supervision and teaching of neurosurgical residents and medical students will be expected. Working with the resident house staff, Fellows will be expected to manage ward, emergency coverage and inpatient consults directed to the staff neurosurgeon (RA). Ward coverage of patients of other members of skull base staff (SM, PG) will be expected when involved in their cases. The fellow is expected to help run the staff skull base neurosurgery clinic (RA).The impact on resident training is expected to be positive by creating an enhanced teaching/learning environment and by respecting the priority of the UBC Neurosurgery training program to train Residents to become competent general neurosurgeons. In general, this means the Chief resident get priority for appropriate cases and surgical steps mandated by their training requirements.
Research:
The fellow is expected to be involved in clinical research. Two full time clinical research assistants in the division of neurosurgery who can help with ethics submissions and gathering data are available. There are access to statisticians. There is a neurosurgery morbidity database and electronic medical record clinic notes of staff clinics are available. The fellow would be expected to produce research that can be presented at major North American meetings and publication.
Full funding for meetings will be provided when presenting papers. Usual meetings attended include the NASB, CNS and AANS, Canadian Neurological sciences Federation. (usually at least 2 of these).
Dissection Lab:
Cadaveric dissection is available at https://bcsimulation.ca/sim-programs/vghsim/
The fellow will be given the opportunity to run a local skull base course.
Interdisciplinary Approach:
The fellowship enjoys collaboration with Neuro otology/Radiation Oncology/Head & Neck/Ophthalmology (orbital surgery)/Neurophysiology (intraoperative monitoring)/Neurology/Medical neuro oncology.
On-Call requirements:
Fellows are expected to take call as part of transition to independent practice. They are expected to take second call for general neurosurgical emergencies (resident take first call) and be available for emergency procedures after hours and on weekends when staff (RA) is on call. Approximately one day per week, and one weekend per month.
Scope of practice:
RA – acoustic neuroma, pituitary tumors, skull base meningiomas, other skull base schwannomas, chondrosarcomas, other skull base pathologies
PG – anterior skull base/cranio facial, pituitary tumors, bypass for moya moya, chordoma
SM – skull base tumors, acoustic neuromas, pituitary tumors, intra-axial tumors.