Welcome to the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico

We are proud to serve a richly diverse population across a broad geographic region. As the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the state, UNMH plays a critical role as a tertiary referral center for New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.

This is an exciting time to train at UNMH. We recently completed a 684,000-square-foot medical tower, featuring 18 new state-of-the-art operating rooms. Residents primarily train at the main UNMH campus but also gain valuable experience at Sandoval Regional Medical Center and the Outpatient Surgery and Imaging Center.
Our neurosurgical case volume continues to grow, exceeding 2,000 cases in 2023. Under the leadership of our new Chairman, Dr. Griffith Harsh, our department has expanded significantly, welcoming new faculty specializing in skull base, vascular, and pediatric neurosurgery. We are proud to offer training across the full spectrum of neurosurgical subspecialties, including open and endovascular techniques, pediatric neurosurgery, neurocritical care, spine, skull base, and functional neurosurgery.

Residents are exposed early and often to advanced neurosurgical procedures. With the support of 24 advanced practice providers in both inpatient and outpatient settings, resident responsibilities are assigned based on educational value, rather than clinical necessity. This model minimizes time spent on consults, call, clinic, rounding, and administrative tasks, and maximizes operative experience.

Our mentorship-based rotation structure ensures in-depth exposure to each subspecialty, with dedicated faculty guiding residents through each phase of training. As a small program without fellows, residents enjoy unparalleled access to operative cases. In 2023, our PGY-4 resident completed 594 cases; PGY-3, 504 cases; PGY-2, 565 cases; and PGY-1, 289 cases—well above national averages.

The curriculum allows substantial flexibility during the PGY-4 and PGY-7 years for research or enfolded fellowships. We support CAST-accredited training in endovascular, neurocritical care, spine, trauma, and skull base neurosurgery. While some graduates may pursue additional fellowships, our primary goal is to ensure each resident is fully competent for independent practice by the end of training.

We offer a robust didactic program with fully protected educational time. Each resident receives loupes, lead, and access to essential educational resources. Despite the demands of our specialty, we value community and camaraderie—celebrated through journal club dinners, department BBQs, holiday gatherings, our annual Fall Sandia hike, and Spring whitewater adventures.

We invite you to explore what makes our program unique—exceptional training, meaningful mentorship, and a deep commitment to excellence in neurosurgery. We welcome applications for residency through ERAS, and encourage interested students to apply through the VSLO to arrange for a month-long rotation.

Please contact our residency manager Luisa Mariscal (LMariscal@salud.unm.edu) for further information.