Residency Program

A Message from Kadir Erkmen, MD
Neurosurgery Residency Program Director

Welcome to Temple's Neurosurgery Residency Program! 

We have a fantastic residency training program in Neurosurgery that has a long history and tradition of training leaders in Neurosurgery.  We are proud to continue that tradition with our current program that is committed to training outstanding residents. 

Our Department combines neurosurgeons who are trained and dedicated to every area of neurosurgery allowing for a unique resident experience in our apprenticeship model.  Our residents spend 3-6 month blocks during a 7 year residency on rotations that are centered around disease processes (neuro-oncology, cerebrovascular, spine, movement disorders, pediatrics, trauma and critical care) which allows for dedicated immersion in each area of neurosurgery in “mini-fellowships.”  This is advantageous for education in many ways: 1) Improves faculty to resident interaction, 2) Improves continuity of care allowing the same resident to work-up, operate, care for, and follow-up on patients, 3) Provides for a more meaningful outpatient clinic experience, 4) Improves early operative experience, 5) Improves autonomy in the operating room, 6) Allows for targeted research experiences, and 7) Promotes career development. 

Our faculty are dedicated to resident education with a goal of guiding residents to fulfill their career goals.  The independent study year is tailored for each resident to optimize academic pursuits that are important to the resident’s individual goals.  This experience varies from basic science research, to enfolded fellowship training, to clinical effectiveness research.  We have strong collaboration with Neurology, ENT, orthopedics, trauma and other services in the hospital with which we overlap.  Other unique aspects of our program include a dedicated Neurosurgery ICU, which is run by the Neurosurgery service under the direction of an accredited critical care Neurosurgery faculty, providing fellowship level training during residency.  The Neuro-oncology program combines robust exposure to primary brain tumors working together with the Fox-Chase Cancer Center, along with extensive skull base surgical procedures utilizing all open and endonasal skull base exposures. 

During the Cerebrovascular rotation, residents will gain expertise in complex vascular procedures including aneurysms, AVM’s, bypass procedures, and carotid endarterectomies.  The rotation also fully integrates endovascular training allowing residents to complete the requisite number of diagnostic angiograms and endovascular interventions to qualify for the first year of fellowship training.  The Spine rotation emphasizes state of the art minimally invasive techniques and intraoperative imaging and exposes residents to complex spine trauma and tumors.  The Pediatric rotation is at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) providing world-class exposure and training in the most complex Pediatric neurosurgical procedures. 

I hope you can sense that we are passionate about resident education at Temple.  We look forward to an opportunity to host you for a clinical rotation or an interview for a residency position. 

For additional information, please contact our GME Residency Administrator, Victoria Sanchez, via email at [click-for-email], or by phone at 215-707-3094. 

Sincerely, 

Kadir Erkmen, MD 
Neurosurgery Residency Program Director