This is a one-year fellowship focused on providing extensive academic, educational and research opportunities to prepare the fellow for an academic career or leadership in a non-academic practice. One position is available each year.
There is a national need for specialty trained neuroanesthesiologists and the future is bright for those who add addition knowledge and skills to their anesthesia education.
Scope of Neurosurgical and Neuroanesthesia Practice at Vanderbilt
Neurosurgery and neurological sciences continue to expand at Vanderbilt. We currently perform over 4,000 cases each year and cover between 9 and 11 operating rooms daily. The Department of Neurological Surgery performs over 500 major brain tumor procedures annually, including 85 skull-based procedures, awake craniotomies, surgery for pituitary tumors and complex epilepsy procedures. The deep brain stimulator program is one of the highest volume programs in the US.
Neurointerventional Care
There are three neurointerventional surgeons who provide care for patients in two hybrid radiology-operating room suites. Care is provided to patients with intracranial pathology such as AVMs, cerebral aneurysms, and MoyaMoya disease. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is an Advanced Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Spine Surgery
The division provides anesthesia care for complex spine procedures for both the neurosurgical and orthopedic surgical teams. Evidence-based pathways and guidelines have been developed to improve the perioperative care and outcomes of this patient population.
Neuro Faculty
Neuroanesthesiology is a division within the department headed by Dr. Letha Mathews. There are 5 full time faculty members devoted to this specialized care. Click here to view faculty. Additional faculty from the Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine and Multispecialty Anesthesiology Divisions contribute to clinical care. The division has six dedicated neuro CRNAs assigned to clinical care. Two to three residents each month rotate in neuroanesthesiology with a well-developed curriculum for the basic and advanced rotations. Student CRNAs also rotate for training. Faculty are academics and researchers who contribute to national and international organizations such as ASA, SEA, SNACC, AMA, AACD and NCCS.
Curriculum
The curriculum has been developed following the recommendations of the Society for Neuroscience and Critical Care (SNACC). The year will have 13 blocks or rotations. The fellow would spend six blocks in intraoperative clinical care supervising and teaching in- room providers. There will be a dedicated block in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center dedicated neurosurgical and neurology ICU. There will be additional rotations with the neurology and radiology staff in neuromonitoring and neuroimaging. The fellows will spend one rotation in academic pursuits such as research, education or QI projects. Additional months of elective can be spent in pediatric care, perioperative medicine and consult service, epilepsy care, stroke service or additional months for research or ICU.
The fellow will spend one day each week as an Instructor providing anesthesia care within the Multispecialty Anesthesiology division.
Accreditation
Our neuroanesthesiology fellowship is accredited by the International Council on Perioperative Neuroscience Training (ICPNT).
Application
To be considered, all potential fellows must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency program in Anesthesiology OR be a current Anesthesiology in good standing and targeted for residency completion prior to the fellowship start date.
Applicants must be able to obtain a license to practice in the state of TN. Click here to learn more.
To apply, please provide the following:
- Completed application.
- Cover letter with personal statement and preferred start date.
- Transcript from medical school.
- Official licensure verification from all states in which you have been or are currently licensed.
- USMLE and ITE scores.
- Three (3) letters of recommendation, one of which must be from your current program director or equivalent (i.e., Division Chief or Department Chair for those applicants currently in practice).
- Submit application to Jillian Powell.
Contact
Jillian Powell
Administrative Manager
615-936-7616
jillian.h.powell@vumc.org
Roy Neeley
Program Director
roy.c.neeley@vumc.org