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PGY 1

Patient Care

The resident will develop the ability to:

  • Provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective.
  • Perform a concise and focused history and physical examination. The H&P should be focused and should represent the team plan of care, including the appropriateness of weight-loss surgery for the patient.
  • Execute patient care plans, under the direction of the senior and chief resident, fellow, and attending surgeon.
Medical Knowledge

The resident will develop the ability to:

  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of established clinical sciences, with application of this knowledge to care of patients with neurological disorders. Specifically, the junior resident must be aware of various neurosurgical techniques and the complications attributable specifically to each neurosurgical technique
  • Critically evaluate and demonstrate knowledge of scientific information about various neurosurgical procedures. Specifically, the junior resident will be responsible for giving a critical assessment of assigned journal articles during the monthly Journal Club conference.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

The resident will develop the ability to:

  • Investigate and evaluate care of the patients on the service, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and lifelong learning. The junior resident must be aware of the expected complications as related specifically to raised intracranial pressure, spinal disease, hydrocephalus and neurovascular disease
  • Identify strengths, deficiencies and limits in one's knowledge and expertise.
  • Set learning and improvement goals
  • Systematically analyze practice and implement changes with the goal of practice improvement. One means is by helping the chief resident maintain a daily tally of morbidities and mortalities on the service
  • Incorporate evaluation feedback into daily practice
  • Locate, appraise and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to the respective patients' health problems. This is formally done during Journal Club conferences
  • Use information technology to optimize learning
  • Practice evidence-based approach to patient care
  • Participate in monthly M+M conferences in which patient outcome is critically evaluated
Interpersonal and Communication Skills

The resident will develop the ability to:

  • Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information, including collaboration with patients, their families and health professionals
  • Cross a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds in one's interpersonal and communication skills
  • Effectively communicate with physicians and other health professionals
  • Maintain comprehensive, timely and legible medical records. This responsibility includes dictating discharge notes immediately — no later than within 24 hours
  • Help the chief resident maintain a daily database of patient-care team census, including morbidities and mortalities
Professionalism

The resident will develop the ability to:

  • Ensure that patient-care responsibilities supersede personal interests
  • Respect HIPAA regulations of patient privacy and autonomy
  • Be sensitive and responsive to diversities in patient population
  • Maintain a high standard of ethical behavior
  • Commit to the continuity of patient care. This ability includes ensuring thorough and safe transference of care during off hours
Systems-Based Practice

The resident will develop the ability to:

  • Demonstrate an awareness of a larger context and system of health care, including effectively using resources to provide optimal health care
  • Practice high-quality, cost-aware patient care
Have Questions or Need Help?

Contact us if you have questions or would like to learn more about the Neurological Surgery Residency Program at Cedars-Sinai.

Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery
127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Suite A6600
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Samantha Phu, Neurological Surgery Residency Program Coordinator