Sub-Internships and Medical Student Courses | Neurological Surgery

Clinical activity - full time (4-12 weeks). Prerequisite: Fourth-year medical student in good academic standing. Student will function as an acting intern on the neurosurgery service. Admission and management of patients. Neurological history, examination, diagnostic procedures, and surgical management are emphasized. Students participate in surgical procedures and attend required conferences and rounds.

Learning Objectives:

• Participate in the care of Cerebrovascular Disorders patients
• Participate in the care of Brain Tumor patients
• Participate in the care of Pediatric Neurosurgery patients
• Participate in the care of Spine and Peripheral Nerve disorders patients
• Participate in the care of Neuro Critical Care/ICU/Trauma patients
• Participate in the care of patients undergoing neurosurgical Stereotactic and Functional procedures
• Participate in minor procedures (LP, LD, EVD, arterial line, etc)
• Participate in the OR during opening and closing of cases
• Observe the key and critical portions of cases in the OR
• Participate in the outpatient clinic care of neurosurgical patients
• Attend relevant clinical conferences
• Give a brief lecture on a clinical or research topic of your choice

Clinical activity - full time (3 days per unit, 4 weeks minimum). Prerequisite: Third or fourth-year medical student and consent of instructor. Approved for graduate degree credit. Admission and follow-up of patients. Neurological history, examination and further diagnostic procedures are emphasized. Students participate in surgical procedures and attend all conferences, rounds and seminars.

Prerequisite: Graduate student with consent of instructor. Student may participate in ongoing neurosurgical projects or may pursue and design independent study projects.

Prerequisite: Advanced undergraduate standing with consent of instructor. Students may participate in ongoing neurosurgical projects or may pursue and design independent projects.

All visiting student applications must be submitted through the VSLO program. Please refer to the VSLO website for detailed application instructions and requirements.

We look forward to welcoming visiting students and are excited about the opportunity to have you rotate with us. The VSLO application cycle opens on April 1. Prospective visiting students who wish to express early interest before the opening of the application cycle may submit a current curriculum vitae and a letter of intent to Veronica Munoz (vemunoz@health.ucdavis.edu) for preliminary review.

Please note that this does not replace the formal VSLO application. However, we are happy to support you in giving you a tentative approval once we've reviewed your two documents.

The American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ASSFN) AMPLify (Authorship, Mentorship, Partnership, and Leadership) Program offers funded mentorship opportunities for trainees interested in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. The program is designed to foster meaningful mentor–mentee relationships centered on focused clinical or research interests within the field. A cornerstone of AMPLify is a three-month visiting fellowship at the mentor’s home institution, during which mentees engage in structured research projects and gain valuable hands-on clinical exposure. This program is an excellent opportunity for neurosurgery residents and medical students seeking early mentorship, academic development, and immersive experience in functional neurosurgery.

Stephano Chang, Ph.D., M.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Mentor