The Neurological Surgery Residency Training Program was first organized in the fall of 1963 and approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education in 1964. One resident is accepted into the training program each year, and the program is in the process of applying for approval of 2 residents a year.

Here, MD physicians who have completed a year of surgical training after graduation from medical school, learn the advanced techniques of diagnosis and treatment in neurological surgery. In a six year period after their general surgery training, they acquire skills in all areas of neurosurgery. Closely supervised by the faculty, they expand the number and availability of specialized physicians available for patient care 24 hours a day.

Neurosurgery faculty are widely recognized as experts in their field and regularly participate as teachers in regional and national instructional courses for other neurosurgeons.

Faculty members also regularly publish original research reports, and edit and author chapters in textbooks that are used as references by neurosurgeons throughout the world.

The Division also provides an intensive clinical neurosurgery experience for residents from general surgery, neurology, orthopaedics, oral surgery and other services. Under the close supervision of neurosurgery residents and attending staff, these physicians may spend one to three months on the service.

Clinical activities are carried out at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) campus. The Medical University Hospital, MUSC Children's Hospital and the Ralph B. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center are the geographically united center for neurological surgery training.

As much flexibility as possible is desired so that the neurosurgery training program may be tailored to each resident's special interests. Generally, the program consists of the following rotations: