Welcome to
NEUROSURGERY

Over the past five years, the Division of Neurosurgery has experienced an unprecedented growth and is widely regarded as a leading neurosurgical academic unit in Canada. The number of clinical programs has increased to encompass a full spectrum of neurosurgical subspecialties. These academic programs include clinical and research activities which have made Halifax Neurosurgery a major force in Canadian neurosurgery. Our clinical, educational and research activities have increased substantially over the past five years in terms of ambulatory care visits, admissions and surgical procedures. We are a major tertiary referral centre for the country, with a particular focus on Atlantic Canada.

Ivar Mendez, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS,
Professor and Chairman of the Division of Neurosurgery

RESEARCH GROWTH

The Division has also experienced tremendous growth in its research activities including funding and publications. Three basic science laboratories have been established by members of the Division which provide research training to neurosurgical residents, postdoctoral fellows, as well as graduate and undergraduate students. Major research programs have been established in neural transplantation, stem cell research, neuronal survival and motor control. These research programs are world-class and have been directly responsible for the capture of external funding for the Division’s research endeavors.

BRAIN REPAIR CENTRE

The Division of Neurosurgery is an integral part of the Brain Repair Centre, the largest and most comprehensive health research initiative in Atlantic Canada. The Brain Repair Centre combines clinical and basic research and is under the directorship of a neurosurgeon. Over the past three years, the Brain Repair Centre has attracted new infrastructure with the establishment of the Neuroimaging Research Laboratory at the Halifax Infirmary and the state-of-the-art Cell Restoration Laboratory at the Medical School. The Brain Repair Centre has been the catalyst for a new five-storey Life Sciences Research Institute building in which the Brain Repair Centre will be the lead tenant. The consolidation of research endeavors of the Brain Repair Centre in the new building will be of crucial importance for the continued development of neurosurgical research in our region.

RESIDENCY PROGRAM

The Division of Neurosurgery has continued to expand educational programs with the establishment of a Functional Neurosurgery Fellowship and the expansion of the Residency Program. Over the past five years, we have trained 171 individuals ranging from residents to graduate and postdoctoral students. Our outreach programs have also expanded with incorporation into the Residency Training Program of foreign graduates who have successfully completed the Residency Program and have gone back to establish successful neurosurgical practices in their countries of origin. The Division has established close relationships with all of the neurosurgical units in Atlantic Canada and our video-teleconference rounds are unique in the country.

ANNUAL REPORTS