Physician in surgery holding a medical device
Keck School of Medicine of USC

Department of Neurological Surgery

Are you a patient?

Advancing Brain Surgery
Through a Century of Discovery

The Department of Neurological Surgery conducts basic and clinical research in brain cancer, cerebrovascular disease, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and pituitary tumors. We hold 10 federally funded grants, including a $2.1 million NIH R01 awarded to department chair William J. Mack, MD, to study environmental factors in cerebrovascular disease.

Active programs include the Glioma Research Group, which runs an FDA-approved investigational new drug trial for malignant brain tumors.

Our seven-year residency was founded in 1927. Residents train at Los Angeles General, Keck Hospital of USC, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. In the PGY-7 year, residents take on a supervisor role and manage their own service. Seven alumni currently serve as department chairs across the country.

Research

Solving the stubborn problems that affect the brain requires teamwork and creativity. We partner across disciplines to reimagine neurosurgery, from immunotherapy and personalized medicine for cancer to deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and brain-machine interfaces for paralysis.

Learn more about our Research
A medical device monitor that shows body parts

Training & Education

The Department of Neurological Surgery offers unparalleled training for the next generation of neurological surgeons.

Learn more about Training & Education programs

Residency

Our seven-year residency is hands-on from day one, with the option to conduct research. Train for a career at the forefront of neurosurgery working with top-flight faculty on complex specialty cases.

Clerkship

Prepare for residency training in neurological surgery. You’ll learn the basics and assist with procedures led by talented faculty and residents.

Patient Care

Seek care from neurosurgeons who offer the most advanced techniques while driving research to expand the options for treatment. Our world-renowned clinicians take on the most complex neurological conditions and work closely with Keck School neurologists to offer comprehensive care.

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Physician demonstrates information using a model of a skull

Message from the Chair

The USC Department of Neurosurgery provides world renowned physicians with cutting-edge science and technologies to treat the full spectrum of neurological disorders. Our mission is to deliver the best care to our patients, stimulate groundbreaking scientific research, and train the next generation of neurosurgical leaders.

William J. Mack, MD, MBA, FAANS, FACS, FSNIS, FAHA
photo of Dr. William Mack

Facts & Figures

1927

year of residency’s founding

10

federally funded grants

7

resident alums now serve as department chairs

Centers & Institutes

Our neurosurgeons and lab scientists reach across fields to translate discovery into real-world impact for the patients who need it most.

Support Us

Philanthropy makes a powerful difference with the Department of Neurological Surgery. Your support fuels interdisciplinary research cultivating solutions for the most difficult problems in brain and spine health. It’s your chance to be part of new leaps in care and more surgical success stories.

Learn about our giving opportunities