Neurosurgery Residency

The Carilion Clinic Neurosurgery Residency training program is open to graduates of all allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. Competition for the single position every year is stiff. Applicants are generally of high academic standing with very competitive medical school board scores. Residency positions are open to applicants of all race, religion, sex and age.

Our program:

• Is rigorous and demanding intellectually, emotionally and physically
• Fills working hours with educationally productive activities, within the 80-hour workweek limits
• Expects residents to aggressively pursue self-study away from the hospital setting
• Holds residents to extraordinarily high academic and ethical expectations
• Holds residents to high standards of moral conduct and medical systems citizenship
• Expects residents to aggressively participate in neuroscience research
• Expects residents to actively participate in undergraduate and graduate neuroscience and medical education
• Expects residents to actively participate in wellness and resilience building for themselves and other learners

Clearly, defining a good fit can be quite challenging, particularly when based solely on a written application and a one-day visit. For these reasons, serious applicants are encouraged to schedule a two- or four-week rotation or a three-day shadow visit to better get to know our program and allow us to get to know you. Please note that these visits are not required to apply or to be ranked and do not guarantee a higher rank than those who have not rotated.

Please see the visiting students section to find out more details about the types of visits available. If you are interested in scheduling a visit, please contact our program manager, Erica Smith, at elsmith2@carilionclinic.org; or our residency program director, Mark Witcher, M.D., Ph.D., FAANS, at mrwitcher@carilionclinic.org.

Admission Requirements

Those applying for residency positions should do so through the ERAS system, but should also contact the program to underscore their interest and to track their application progress.

All applications are reviewed with invitations to interview being based on review of the following required materials:

• Transcript
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal statement
• USMLE Scores

A few tips for the application process:

• Have a strong, well-written personal statement.
  • Check your grammar and spelling!
  • Articulate what sets you apart from other applicants
  • Feature special interests and accomplishments
  • Highlight activities that demonstrate your industry, intellectual curiosity, initiative, critical thinking, dedication to others and "street smarts"
  • Although we appreciate a great sense of humor, be careful not to come across as caustic, glib, prejudicial or nihilistic
• Have strong letters of recommendation. For example, a neurosurgery recommendation would carry more weight than an OB-GYN recommendation. Please do not use a generic letter of recommendation.
• Read the program requirements as listed in ERAS and do not apply if you do not meet those requirements.

Interview Day

Generally, 40 to 45 applicants are offered extended interviews. Interviews are conducted October through January. We will offer available dates on a first-come, first-choice basis.

All interviews are held on Tuesdays. We recommend staying at SpringHill Suites or Hotel Roanoke for the night prior to your scheduled interview. Please plan to arrive in Roanoke no later than 3 p.m. on Monday so that you may attend dinner with our current residents and available faculty. Casual business attire is recommended.

On interview day, your schedule will look like this:

Schedule

• 8:00 a.m. Meet with the Program Director, Department Chair, and faculty and resident physicians.
• 9 - 12:00 p.m. (Group 1) Individual interviews with the faculty. These will be a round-robin style with 15 to 20 minutes for discussion with each faculty member. There should be approximately seven faculty members conducting interviews.
• Group 2 will tour the hospital and the facilities facilitated by our program manager and with help from the residents.
• 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch with the available members of the team.
• 1 - 4 p.m. (Group 2) Individual interviews with the faculty. These will be a round-robin style with 15 to 20 minutes for discussion with each faculty member. There should be approximately seven faculty members conducting interviews.
• Group 1 will tour the hospital and the facilities facilitated by our program manager and with help from the residents.
• 4 p.m. After interviews are concluded, you are free to leave to return home.

As previously stated, the defining of a good fit can be quite challenging, particularly when based solely on a written application and a one-day visit. For these reasons, very interested applicants are encouraged to rotate (two to four weeks) or shadow (one to three days) to better demonstrate their qualities to the selection committee members, as well as to better get to know the program.

Candidates wishing to spend time on the service should contact the program manager, Erica Smith, at elsmith2@carilionclinic.org. Every attempt will be made to accommodate as many interested applicants as possible.

All applications for student rotations, observations, and shadowing opportunities are managed by the Visiting Student Affairs office. Although rotation on the service surely ensures greater exposure to members of the selection committee, it does not guarantee a higher rank than exceptional applicants who have not rotated.

Resident Selection Process

Historically, the selection committee has focused on many variables and intangibles beyond class rank, GPA and board scores in establishing the rank orders. The committee is interested in as close to a "perfect fit" as possible.

The ideal candidate will be an aggressive learner and self-starter. She/he will be an intellectually curious, critically thinking, empathetic, humane and hardworking team player. She/he will demonstrate significant adaptive intelligence (street smarts) as well as emotional intelligence (superior interpersonal skills). She/he will be very interested in furthering neuroscience knowledge through research and will be an active and skilled teacher. She/he will be active in self-care and the supporting and building of wellness in his/her colleagues.

Resident selection is conducted by a committee consisting of the faculty members, residents, coordinator, and ACPs of the service. At the end of the interview season, one or more selection committee meetings are held where all interviewed candidates are discussed and top candidates ranked.

We adhere to the NRMP-OPDA Match Code of Conduct.