“The first thing that happens is your whole marriage flashes in front of your eyes and you think, ‘Oh, this is how it’s going to end.’” That was Maria Erickson’s reaction in 2018 when she learned that her husband, Chad, had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common – and deadliest – form of brain cancer in adults.
Working in partnership, the General Surgery and Neurosurgery Departments at the U created a first-of-its-kind program known as the General Surgery/Neurosurgery Preliminary Track. It is designed for a qualified, internationally trained candidate to spend a year working with both departments in preparation for applying for a neurosurgical residency. The program mirrors the experience of a first-year neurosurgery resident.
Thanks to the seven years they spent at the University of Minnesota, Chief Residents David Darrow, MD, MPH; and Coridon Quinn IV, MD; are ready for what lies ahead.
Stefan Kim, MD, officially began seeing patients on July 1, 2020, following two years of serving as a missionary neurosurgery consultant at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, Africa. “I truly believe life has greater meaning when you devote yourself to serving others, especially those who are poor and desperate,” he said.
Wisconsin resident Jacqueline Bergan, 82, went into the hospital late in 2019 for a routine steroid injection in her neck to help her manage pain. The injection caused an extremely rare epidural hematoma – bleeding between the tough outer membrane covering the brain (dura mater) and the skull.
