Dear prospective applicant,
We hope that you find this web site informative and that you give our program strong consideration in the upcoming interview season. I have been at Rush since 2009 in almost every possible role in this program – fellow, resident, faculty – and am very proud to have witnessed its tremendous growth into one of the premier neurosurgery programs in the nation in many aspects. Our clinical and scientific output has increased every year. Our program has grown into a 2-3-2 arrangement and there is room for growth. Our alumni have been consistently successful in both academia and private practice with excellent placement. Several institutions that measure quality in healthcare have ranked us highly. We are able to cover all areas of neurosurgery with internal and external rotations that allows residents to experience the full breadth of neurosurgery and choose what they want for their future careers.
All of these accolades make me extremely proud. However, what makes me the proudest is knowing that our alumni are widely recognized as safe and effective neurosurgeons. That a pediatric neurosurgeon can safely take care of a complex spine fracture on call. That the spinal deformity specialist can help the patient with a vascular emergency. That the functional neurosurgeon will address the complex traumatic brain injury. All of this is accomplished in a respectful environment that fosters medical responsibility, accountability and self-improvement while following ACGME guidelines fully and focusing on the resident well-being.
Please let us know if you have any questions regarding the program.
Thank you,
Ricardo Fontes, MD, PhD