Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Neurological Surgery at the UCI School of Medicine.

We are committed to teaching our medical students and residents to deliver superior treatment for complex neurosurgical conditions, nurturing innovation and research, and providing our patients with exemplary care.

Our neurosurgical faculty members are dedicated to imparting their skills to the neurosurgeons of tomorrow. We offer a rigorous residency training program that is certified by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Our residents gain a variety of clinical training at multiple locations, including UCI Medical Center, Orange County’s only university hospital.

Our modern surgical facilities at the medical center in Orange include state-of-the-science operating suites equipped for intraoperative computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We also have the first-of-its-kind, full-body portable CT scanner, which captures high-resolution 3D images of the brain and spine in the operating room. Called the BodyTom, this scanner provides real-time updates as surgery progresses, eliminating the need to move patients between the operating room and radiology suites and allowing surgeons an in-depth view during procedures.

Residents also train at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), Kaiser Foundation Hospital Anaheim and Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach. These settings offer our residents valuable exposure to a variety of patients and neurosurgical conditions, with one-on-one mentoring by leaders in the field of neurological surgery.

In addition to clinical rotations, our residents also train in neuropathology and radiology. This hands-on education is combined with an extensive didactic program of core lectures, Grand Rounds, conferences, seminars and Journal Clubs in neurosurgery. Residents also spend a year conducting clinical research.

Our ongoing research programs include:

• Biomedical engineering, specifically the biomechanics of cerebral aneurysm.
• Emerging technologies and innovations in the design of new surgical instrumentation.
• Neuro-oncology, focusing on brain tumor diagnosis and treatment.
• Stem cell discoveries for spinal cord injury, brain tumors and more.

The department’s extensive research programs include collaborations with prestigious UCI research organizations, including the university’s Reeve-Irvine Research Center, which brings together prominent scientists to find new treatments for spinal cord injury. Our faculty members and residents also participate in research efforts at the university’s Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic. In addition, faculty members have active research labs and protocols in neuro-oncology and epilepsy.

Our highly skilled neurosurgeons have extensive experience performing minimally invasive spinal surgery and microsurgery to treat brain tumors and intracranial aneurysms, as well as surgical treatments for stroke, epilepsy and movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Our faculty members also have extensive expertise in the latest surgical treatments, including stereotactic radiosurgery, deep brain stimulation, robot-assisted spine surgery and use of the Cyberknife and Gamma Knife.

The department’s mission is to inspire medical students and residents to discover the challenge and excitement of treating complex neurosurgical conditions while providing patients with the best possible care.

Through this, we also seek to spur innovation and recruit the finest neurosurgeons and students who will advance technological developments and treatment methods to improve the health of patients in Orange County and beyond.

Frank P.K. Hsu, MD, PhD
Professor and Chair, Neurological Surgery