The Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center neurosurgical residency has been an approved training program since its inception in 1947 by Dr. Henry Heyl, later the editor of the Journal of Neurosurgery. Sited at the nation's fourth-oldest medical school, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the program enjoys state-of-the-art facilities within the enviable setting of a New England university community.
Mission
Our mission is to provide advanced neurosurgical care to our region of northern New England: we are a referral resource for subspecialty expertise across all areas of neurosurgery. We are committed to training the next generation of neurosurgeons who will enter practice as safe, competent, and skillful surgeons. We believe that research is an integral part of the education of residents and the advancement of the field of neurosurgery. Our institution is a Level 1 trauma center, a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Primary Stroke Center, and has a Children's Hospital. We provide integral support to these programs.
Program aims
We seek to train neurosurgeons with excellent operative skills who, at the conclusion of their training, are able to practice independently in the setting of their choice. We seek to ensure that residents have broad exposure to the field of neurological surgery and the opportunity to focus their career trajectory in line with their interests. We seek to provide the research foundation for an academic career for those residents who wish to pursue it. We think that the search for new knowledge is an integral part of surgical training and all residents are expected to be involved in at least 1 research project per year. We also seek to ensure that those residents who wish to pursue subspecialty fellowship training will be competitive for the program of their choice.
The program has proudly graduated neurosurgeons who have been successful across a wide range of endeavors. The 7-year curriculum is designed to expose residents to the full breadth of neurosurgery, and provide ample support for investigative work. Past graduates have gone on to successful practice in both academic and private settings, held leadership positions in organized neurosurgery, and have made significant contributions towards the field's advancement.