Welcome
Vanderbilt Neurosurgery is built with a simple priority: to train outstanding neurosurgeons and future leaders of our field. Every aspect of our program is intentionally structured around the resident experience — from the volume and complexity of cases you will see, to the cohesion of training on a single campus, to the flexibility to shape your own professional path.
Drawing from a large catchment area without competing quaternary centers, our residents are exposed to an exceptional breadth of complex neurosurgical pathology, including acoustic neuromas, spinal deformity, epilepsy, aneurysms, pituitary tumors, and fetal myelomeningocele repairs. Because our entire clinical practice is based in one location, residents learn and operate as a unified team, benefit from a streamlined call structure, and remain deeply engaged in the academic life of the department.
Situated within the Vanderbilt University campus, our medical center offers daily collaboration with leaders in engineering, biological sciences, and business, creating an environment where curiosity, creativity, and innovation are part of routine training.
Residents develop into confident, independent surgeons through guided autonomy and extensive operative experience while contributing meaningfully to research, scientific discovery, and the leadership of our field.
A defining feature of our residency is two years of personalized curriculum built into the training pathway. Residents may pursue enfolded fellowships, advanced degree programs, dedicated laboratory research, or unique external and international experiences. This flexibility allows each resident to design a pathway that aligns directly with their future career goals. The result is graduates who are technically confident, broadly experienced, and exceptionally well prepared for independent practice in any area of neurosurgery they choose to pursue.
Teamwork, support, and wellness are central to our culture, and we are proud of the wide range of backgrounds and experiences represented within our department.
If this approach to training resonates with you, we hope you will consider Vanderbilt and enjoy the energy and vibrancy of Nashville.
Sincerely,
Rohan V Chitale, MD FAANS
Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Residency Program Director, Neurological Surgery