Medical Student Opportunities

We encourage medical students to explore the practice of Neurosurgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Neurosurgery is a fast-paced, challenging field dedicated to the comprehensive treatment of critically ill patients with neurologic diseases. It is an incredibly diverse specialty, incorporating treatment of children and adults suffering from CNS tumors, cerebrovascular disease, movement disorders, spine disorders, peripheral nerve diseases, and trauma.

Programs currently offered:

  1. Sub Internship for M4 students 
  2. Clerkship elective for Vanderbilt M2 students and Meharry M3 students
  3. Evening Neurosurgery course for Vanderbilt and Meharry pre-clinical medical students

Sub-Internship

Important Dates for 2024

  • 3/04/2024 – Vanderbilt applications can be submitted for the following rotations

  June 3-28            July 1-26           August 5-30            September 3-27

Vanderbilt Neurosurgery Sub-Internship Video

The 2024 Sub Internships applications are now being accepted through VSLO/VSAS for June, July, August, and September. Each student will spend four weeks rotating through the four different neurosurgical services to gain a broad exposure to the field. Students will take part in the care of inpatients, the workup of consults, and the technical aspects of a variety of bedside and operative procedures. They will also attend several outpatient clinics and take overnight call with the junior resident on a Q4 schedule. Students will participate in career development sessions designed to prepare them for the residency application process and will give several short presentations to the clinical teams and the department throughout the rotation.

Please visit the following website for more information about this program:
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/visiting-medical-students/

NOTE: Completion of a Visiting Sub-I is not required to match in our program. Many of our current residents did not complete a visiting elective rotation with us. Although we will give your application every consideration, completion of a visiting Sub-I does not automatically lead to an interview. Thank you for your interest in our program.

Clerkship Elective 

This experience will be based primarily in the inpatient setting, both on the wards and in the operating room; however, students will also participate in outpatient care. We have an extensive didactic program prepared, with independent study strongly advised.

Please direct all Clerkship questions/inquiries to Dr. Steven Eskind M.D. at steven.eskind@vanderbilt.edu

Evening Neurosurgery Course 

Life and a Career in Neurosurgery: Facts and Fictions

Course Description: Elective run by Department of Neurosurgery at VUMC and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine to provide pre-clinical medical students a strong exposure to the field of neurosurgery through open discussions with faculty members about their personal and academic experiences, short journal club presentations on impactful neurosurgery literature, clinical exposure in the operating room and outpatient clinics, as well as hands-on experience through simulations.

Life and a Career in Neurosurgery: Facts and Fictions