The Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health (UW SMPH) is pleased to announce openings for a new, one-year CAST-accredited Nerve Fellowship beginning in July 2024. This fellowship presents a unique opportunity to join one of the most established and advanced centers of surgery on the peripheral nervous system in the Midwest. You will work directly under the mentorship of Amgad Hanna, MD, program director, alongside the accomplished Drs. Jacqueline Israel and A. Neil Salyapongse from the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery.
At UW SMPH, we train world-class nerve surgeons. You will be exposed to a wide variety of cases of different complexity. Nerve entrapments including carpal tunnel release, ulnar nerve decompression, peroneal nerve decompression for foot drop, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve transposition for meralgia paresthetica and anterior scalenectomy for thoracic outlet syndrome. Nerve tumors treated in our facility include benign ones like neurofibroma and schwannoma, as well as rare malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). Regarding nerve trauma, our multidisciplinary Brachial Plexus Clinic is attended by neurosurgery, plastic surgery, rehabilitation/pain management, occupational therapy, nurse coordinator and neurology (off-site for EMG/NCS). Their substantial wealth of knowledge and expertise significantly enhances the program. The multidisciplinary environment teaches you to work synergistically with other departments.
The mission of this fellowship is to teach you when and how to select and perform cutting-edge surgeries, teach the next generation of nerve surgeons and teach you to become a leader. You will be comfortable interpreting diagnostic techniques such as EMG/NCS, ultrasound and MR neurograms.
During this fellowship, you will have access to state-of-the-art clinical and research equipment, augmented by innovative imaging protocols in high technologically advanced procedures. You will engage in close collaboration with esteemed faculty members and dedicated clinical staff. You will have access to cadaver specimens in our Surgical Skills Lab. You will attend and help organize our yearly Wisconsin Nerve Cadaver Lab.
Highlighted techniques
- Anterior scalenectomy for thoracic outlet syndrome
- Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve transposition
- Brachial plexus reconstruction
- Nerve grafts
- Nerve transfers
- DREZ lesion
Equipment
- Ultrasound-guided techniques
Pathology
- Nerve entrapments
- Nerve tumors
- Nerve injuries
- Rare pathologies, nerve and muscle biopsy
Didactics
- Weekly Neurosurgery Case Conference (Mondays)
- Weekly Neurosurgery Grand Rounds (Wednesdays)
- Spine/Nerve didactics (Fridays)
Hands-on lab training opportunities
- Lincoln Ramirez Surgical Skills Lab (on-site)
- Annual Wisconsin Nerve Cadaver Lab
- Specimens available all year around upper and lower extremities for dissection
Research
- Wet lab: Dr Hanna runs an NIH-funded basic science lab. He conducts rat surgery with a sciatic nerve injury model and a T10 spinal cord injury model. He’s also affiliate with Biomedical Engineering, a department with which he worked in close collaboration for more than a decade.
- Clinical research: Dr. Hanna has a large series of meralgia paresthetica and thoracic outlet syndrome patients.
- Anatomical/surgical technique research
- Wisconsin Institutes of Medical Research (WIMR)
- UW Health continues to drive innovation and spearhead advancements in treatments.
Qualifications
- MD or DO with American board eligibility/board certification in Neurosurgery
- Eligible to obtain a Wisconsin medical license and be credentialed at UW Health and affiliated locations
- Completion of an ACGME-accredited Neurosurgery residency
- This position has been identified as a position of trust with access to vulnerable populations. The selected candidate must be required to pass an initial caregiver check to be eligible for employment under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and then every two years.
Clinical information
- American Family Children’s Hospital — 111-bed comprehensive pediatric medical and surgical center with pediatric and neonatal surgical intensive care units.
- UW Health East Madison Hospital — 56-bed, community-based health and wellness facility
- University Hospital — 505-bed regional referral center that is home to a Level I Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center, American College of Surgeons-verified Burn Center, one of the nation’s largest organ transplant programs, one of the nation’s first certified comprehensive stroke centers and the UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center, one of 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive centers in the country.
- UnityPoint – Meriter Hospital — 448-bed community-based hospital provides a complete range of medical and surgical services. Since 2017, UnityPoint Health – Meriter has been operated as a joint operation with UW Health.
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital (VA) — 87-bed acute care facility.
Our remarkable community
Contact information
To apply for this position, please submit your CV and personal statement to our coordinator, Janelle Poehnelt, at poehnelt@neurosurgery.wisc.edu.