PGY 5

PGY-5 training is dedicated to the pursuit of an appropriate research project, as well as attainment of the skills necessary for a successful academic career. The PGY-5 resident spends the entire year on research. During this year the resident will participate in a formal didactic set of lectures and conferences at Cedars-Sinai as part of the biomedical sciences curriculum developed for PhD students. This set includes a series of didactic lectures, seminars and classic course work that provides instruction in biostatistics, grant writing and the basics of clinical trial design. The resident will also have the opportunity, if interested, to participate in seminars at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Cedars-Sinai that focus on clinical trial design.

Furthermore, the resident will continue to accrue knowledge of the basic and clinical neurosciences relevant to his or her research project and the practice of neurological surgery. The resident will apply knowledge of study designs and statistical methods to his or her research and review of the literature. The resident will be asked on occasion to provide call coverage for residents who are on vacation. He or she will not be responsible for any other clinical activities during this time.

During this year, the resident is expected to attain a set of objectives and essential skills:

The resident will develop the ability to:

• Understand the role of clinical trials in care of patients
• Understand inclusion and exclusion criterion for enrollment in clinical trials

The resident will develop the ability to:

• Perform above the passing level of the ABNS primary examination (for credit)
• Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pharmacology related to inpatient and outpatient neurosurgical care
• Demonstrate an advanced familiarity with the neurosurgical literature
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate and synthesize hypotheses regarding basic scientific investigations

The resident will develop the ability to:

• Demonstrate an ongoing and improving ability to learn from errors
• Demonstrate a high capacity for work and intensity in a basic-science research environment
• Develop problem-solving skills applicable to design, implementation, analysis and reporting basic-science research relevant to the clinical arena
• Establish sound research and related problem-solving habits, including a familiarity with relevant research literature
• Become an integral component of a research team
• Learn significant features of outcomes research and clinical epidemiology

The resident will develop the ability to:

• Communicate effectively with all members of the research team
• Use communication and interpersonal skills to effectively participate in and lead research projects
• Communicate research results effectively and persuasively in writing and speech

The resident will develop the ability to:

• Demonstrate a commitment to academic and scientific integrity through participation in educational forums on basic and clinical research
• Participate meaningfully in ongoing professional development by submitting research for peer review to journals and national meetings

The resident will develop the ability to demonstrate an understanding of practice opportunities, practice types, healthcare delivery systems and medical economics