Global Neurosurgery Education in United States Residency Programs

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Global Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Global neurosurgery addresses neurologic health in underserved, resource-limited settings.
• Formal academic engagement in global neurosurgery is currently limited within residency programs.
• This study examines the status of global neurosurgery education in US residency programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current landscape of global neurosurgery education in US neurosurgery residency programs.
• To identify the extent and nature of global health activities offered.
• To understand the level of engagement in global neurosurgery training.

Main Methods:

• An electronic survey was sent to 115 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited neurosurgery residency programs in the US.
• Survey questions focused on the presence of global health activities, with binary "yes/no" responses.
• Engagement levels were categorized as low, moderate, or high based on resources allocated to global health.

Main Results:

• 34 programs (29.6%) completed the survey.
• Most programs offered funding for global neurosurgery research and education (n=22).
• Common activities included conferences (n=20), lectures (n=15), and rotations (n=15); however, only 3 programs showed high engagement.

Conclusions:

• Formal global neurosurgery training remains limited in US residency programs.
• Given the rising global neurosurgical disease burden, enhanced training is needed.
• Developing structured training paths will better equip future neurosurgeons for global health challenges.