Fellowship Training

The University of Virginia’s Lars Leksell Gamma Knife Center and the fellowship training program have been in existence since 1989, and CAST certified as our Neurosurgical Oncology fellowship since 2020. U.S. and foreign physicians come to our center to learn the principles and practice of radiosurgery. Many of our fellows have gone on to distinguished careers in stereotactic radiosurgery. The fellowship is recognized by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the World Federation of Neurological Surgeons.

A Neurosurgical Oncology Fellowship in the UVA Department of Neurosurgery is accredited by the Society of Neurological Surgeons Committee on Advanced Subspecialty Training (CAST).  Neurosurgical Oncology (NO) is the subspecialty of neurosurgery that deals with the medical and surgical treatment of patients with benign and malignant tumors of the brain, skull, spinal cord, spine, and peripheral nerves. The fellowship will provide the trainee with comprehensive patient care, diagnostic modalities, the performance of surgical procedures, stereotactic radiosurgery, and the integration of non-operative and surgical therapies into clinical patient management. A broad exposure to modern radiation therapy techniques (Gamma Knife) is an integral part of the NO fellowship experience and training.

The fellow will be expected to demonstrate competency with all of the procedures listed below:
Craniotomy for intra-axial tumor:  glioma/primary brain tumor; metastasis
Craniotomy for extra-axial tumor: Meningioma, Intra-ventricular
Radiosurgery

Additional cases from the categories below:
Biopsy/Stereotactic insertion (e.g. LITT)
Craniotomy for skull base tumor: vestibular schwannoma as well as other skull base surgery
EEA/Craniotomy for sellar/parasellar tumor
Spinal Tumors: intramedullary, extramedullary/metastasis

Clinical, anatomic, biomechanical, and neuroscience research constitute an integral component of the education experience and provisions will be made for the successful completion of research projects.  A full-time experience in research will require an extension of the fellowship beyond the basic twelve months of clinical training. An optional year on a research rotation following the clinical training in NO is possible.

During the period of the fellowship, a physician accepted into our program will function as an integrated member of our treatment team. He or she will learn all aspects of gamma knife radiosurgery including the principles, indications, contraindications, technique of the procedure, and follow-up studies. The fellow will actively participate in pre-operative and post-operative consultations as well as assist in the delivery of treatments, radiosurgery and open surgery. Fellows will also be encouraged to pursue independent research projects that take advantage of both their own interests in the field as well as contribute to ongoing research at the center.

Primary teaching staff is led by Jason Sheehan, MD, PhD, who will supervise the instruction of the fellow and will control the fellow’s participation in clinical activities.

Fellowship Coordinator: Karen Saulle, kes4a@virginia.edu, 434-982-3244