Based on the neurosurgery Match List from the last six years, no one from my medical school has matched into neurosurgery. I imagine that this is primarily because we don't have a neurosurgery residency program here. For the record, it is a U.S. M.D. school.

I have a burgeoning interest in this field, but am concerned that, in this case, my choice of medical school will hinder my progress towards it.

Now that you're armed with this knowledge, I have a couple questions.

Is there merit to my assumption about my medical school acting as a significant hurdle to my matching?

If so, what steps can I take as a first year student with a preliminary yet well-founded interest in neurosurgery to achieve this goal (other than the obvious answers about class rank and USMLE scores, etc.)? Clinical exposure? Sub-internships? Letters from non-faculty? Faculty at other schools, even?

Thanks very much for your help with this. I have enjoyed reading all of your threads over the last year.

I don't think your medical school wil be a signfiicant hurdle to your matching (unless it is a D.O. school or non-U.S. medical school).

As a first year at least get involved in your neurology department to start learning the language of neuroscience and perhaps a chance to get involved in some neuro research. I assume even though there is no residency program at your medical school there must be neurosurgery at that hospital. See if you can get to spend some time shadowing them just to help you learn about the field and what it is a neurosurgeon does.

If nothing else learn your neuroanatomy very well during your neuroscience classess 1st/2nd year of medical school and by that I mean try and learn the anatomy above and beyond what they are teaching you.

You'll definitely have to do away electives in your 4th year. It's never to early to start thinking about how you should work that. Since neurosurgery is an early match (although that may change) you have to have your away rotations done early to get letters in time. But at the same time you want to have some experience under you belt so that you can impress the residents/staff at those programs.

Thanks for the reply, MPP.

Anyone else have any advice or experience with this type of situation? Again, I appreciate the assistance.

I'm at MCW which as a neurosurgery program. Do you feel there's any advantage for doing an away rotation?

You should do an away rotation. Apart from finding out how neurosurgery is different at different medical centers it will also show your committment to the field.

what would you say are the two classic texts that a student should read for general surgery and neurosurgery? and for every resident in those two classic fields? (i.e. like the Harrison's of Internal Medicine)

The equivalent of Harrison's for surgery are Sabiston's and another called Schwartz.

For neurosurgery I would guess the equivalent of Harrison's would be Youman's, a four volume set. Students and residents alike love Greenburg's Handbook of Neurosurgery (not quite a textbook as there is little text and a lot of tables, diagrams, references, and bulleted lists but it is comprehensive).