Welcome to UW Neurological Surgery Required Clerkships!

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Welcome to the UW Department of Neurological Surgery!

Over the next four weeks, you’ll gain foundational knowledge in clinical neuroscience – including the neuro exam, localization, and imaging – while learning about common and urgent neurological conditions and their management. You’ll participate in didactics and diverse clinical experiences across hospital wards, the OR, and clinics. While autonomy may be limited due to patient acuity and service demands, active engagement is encouraged to enhance learning. The department operates across five major hospitals in Seattle and the WWAMI region.

Clerkships:

NEUR S 655 (Spokane, WA)

NEUR S 665 (Seattle, WA)

NEUR S 675 (Billings, MT)

NEUR S 685 (Anchorage, AK)

(4 Weeks, 8 credits full time only)

We are excited to offer UW medical students the opportunity to fulfill their Neuroscience clerkship requirement by rotating in Neurological Surgery.

This clerkship will provide an introductory exposure to Neurosurgery and features a lecture series surveying the main components of Neurosurgical specialties. During this rotation, students will learn a practical form of the neurological exam to be used during the rest of their career. Students will expand upon their understanding of the basic physiology of the nervous system and explore critical concepts in the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of neurosurgical disorders. This 4-week rotation includes inpatient and outpatient neurosurgical practices, OR exposure, and weekly conferences/didactics.

Site Information

NEUR S 655 – Spokane

(2 students maximum per rotation)
See details HERE (links to an external site), provided by the Spokane Clerkship Administrators.

Medical Student Neurosurgery Rotation V4_Spokane

NEUR S 665 – Seattle

(6 students maximum per rotation)
During this rotation, students will have the opportunity to spend time at Harborview Medical Center (HMC), Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) and/or University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC). All students will spend at least 2 weeks at Harborview Medical Center.

*Rotation assignments for SCH and UWMC are at the discretion of the Clerkship Director

2025.10.09 UW Neurological Surgery Required Clerkship Student Handbook
*Students who get assigned to spend time at Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) as part of the rotation will be required to complete SCH-specific credentialing prior to starting the rotation. They also MUST complete their badging/credentialing appointments BEFORE they will be allowed to start working at SCH in order to be compliant with SCH policies. The SCH credentialing office will reach out to assigned students at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the rotation with an email with credentialing instructions.

NEUR S 675 – Billings

(1-2 student maximum per rotation)

During this rotation students will work with Dr. Mark Piedra’s team and spend time at the Billings Clinic Hospital and Clinics in Billings.

NEUR S 685 – Alaska

(1 student maximum per rotation)

During this rotation you will work with Dr. James Bales’ team and spend time at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Neurological Surgery Clerkship Goals:
The goal of the clerkship is to familiarize students with common neurological diseases and apply the key components of the Neurological Surgery approach to health care during your clerkship. These are basic skills shared by competent physicians regardless of specialty.

Neurological Surgery Clerkship Learning Objectives:
At the end of the Neurological Surgery Clerkship, each student should be able to:
1. Obtain an appropriate medical history for a patient with a neurosurgical concern
Learning Activity Description: Students ask the patient what their main reason for presenting is. Students then ask general questions, and narrow down their questioning over the course of history-taking. For patients with past medical history, students ask about whether the patient has been diagnosed with any medical conditions. If so, students ask about the management of these conditions, and any complications.
Assessment Method: Based on in-person interactions with patients in outpatient (clinic) and inpatient (ED, wards, ICU) settings.
2. Perform an appropriate neurological exam for a patient with a neurosurgical concern
Learning Activity Description: Students assess a patient’s behavior, language, mood, hygiene, and choice of dress while performing the exam. Students also assess level of consciousness and orientation.
Assessment Method: a. Based on in-person interactions with patients in outpatient (clinic) and inpatient (ED, wards, ICU) settings. b. In-person training with Dr. Eric Kraus (Neurology).
3. Construct a differential diagnosis and support the most likely diagnosis for a range of common and/or emergent neurosurgical concerns
Learning Activity Description: Students are expected to: Identify the problem, frame the diagnosis, organize the diagnosis, narrow the diagnosis, and then use history and physical exam finding to explore possible diagnoses.
Assessment Method: In-person evaluation of patients in outpatient (clinic) and inpatient (ED, wards, ICU) settings. Review of diagnostics during rounds and case conferences.
4. Manage a range of neurosurgical diseases by selecting diagnostic tests and treatments, including identifying indications for surgery
Assessment Method: Based on in-person interactions with patients in outpatient (clinic) and inpatient (ED, wards, ICU) settings, training with Dr. Kraus, and film rounds and case conferences.
5. Present organized and accurate oral case presentations
Learning Activity Description: Students are expected to concisely summarize a patient’s history, physical examination, lab results, and their understanding of the findings.
Assessment Method: During rotation at the VA, UWMC or SCH
6. Identify principle of effective communication
Learning Activity Description: Students are expected to: ask a patient about their present situation (background), ask a patient how they are emotionally relating to their health concern (affect), ask a patient about why they are worried about or what they foresee as obstacles (trouble), ask a patient how they are dealing with the situation (handling), and show a patient that they are listening (empathy).
Assessment Methods: Assessed in clinics or post-operative care.
7. Identify critical principles in the delivery of serious news to patients or family members
Learning Activity Description: Student are expected to: Recognize that the amount of information patients want to receive about their diagnosis varies based on culture, education level, age, and sex; Be aware of the stress physicians may experience before, during, and after delivering bad news. Recognize that it may affect interactions with other patients, colleagues, and family; Provide a setting that assures privacy, limits interruptions, and involves family, if the patient desires; Use nontechnical words and avoid medical jargon. Provide empathy; avoid being blunt and allow time for patients to express emotions; Respond to patients’ emotions as they arise, use empathic statements, validate responses, and ask exploratory questions when the emotion is unclear.
Assessment Methods: Assessed in clinics or post-operative care.
8. Teach you colleagues about a relevant topic
Learning Activity Description: Students present neuroscience-based talks to educators during the rotation.
Assessment Method: During rotation at the VA, UWMC or SCH
9. Distinguish acute from chronic pain, give examples for each, and explain why this distinction is important for management
Learning Activity Description: Students are expected to differentiate between acute pain (pain has a specific, treatable cause) and chronic pain (pain that is not easily diagnosed because it can be rooted in underlying, invisible causes). Students should be able to distinguish the difference so that the patient with improved pain management yields increased satisfaction, reduced costs, decreased risk of pain, and decreased overall morbidity.
Assessment Method: Assessed in clinics or post-operative care.

While on a UW Neurological Surgery clerkship, please remain cognizant that we see and care for some of the sickest patients in the hospital. People who are sick often have difficulty coping with their illness; those who have neurological impairments often have trouble even understanding their situations and it can be that much more challenging. The same can be true for their loved ones and even for the neurosurgeons caring for them. Please understand that people handle difficult situations differently, but that every resident, fellow, and attending in our Department respects our patients and delivers patient care with the utmost respect and attention to detail. We expect the same from our students.

We sincerely look forward to working with you and helping you grow into a successful practitioner. Once again, welcome and have fun!

Best Regards,