Dr. Lauren Zarnett, a neurosurgeon from Ontario, will begin a year-long McGill University fellowship to study neurotrauma in July 2021. She will work on rotation in The Neuro’s Intensive Care Unit and at the Montreal General Hospital with Dr. Judith Marcoux, Medical Director of the Neurotrauma Program, and the first Canadian neurosurgeon to be trained in neurotrauma.
“This is the neurotrauma fellowship program I wanted,” notes Dr. Zarnett. “I was looking for a multidisciplinary program that deals with all aspects of neurotrauma. The technical aspects of surgery are not always the most complex part. It’s about knowing when to operate, talking to patients and families about difficult decisions and outcomes, and caring for the patients through all steps of the process.”
While on a trauma rotation during her medical residency, her passion for neurotrauma became clear.
“I could see how the difficulty of prognostication in brain injuries impacted patients and their families. My interest in this area eventually led to my Masters’ thesis and my ongoing research in this area,” says Dr. Zarnett.
She is pleased that the Neurotrauma Program will bring her into contact with McGill research coordinators, including those at The Neuro.
Dr. Zarnett completed her MD at McMaster University in 2014 and her neurosurgical residency at Western University in 2021. During her fourth year of residency in 2019, she received her MSc in Epidemiology and Clinical Research from Stanford University.
To relax, she practices yoga daily and spends time with her pets. Dr. Zarnett also enjoys outdoor activities and is looking forward to exploring Quebec.
The fellowship
The Neurotrauma Fellowship Program is designed to develop highly skilled neurosurgeons that will have expertise in the management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The program expects fellows to acquire knowledge and skills in:
· Clinical assessment and diagnosis of acute TBI, decisionmaking, efficient management of urgent trauma cases, and performance in emergency situations
· Surgical management of TBI
· Collaboration with partners within the: emergency department; trauma team; ICU; OR; and TBI program.
· Care of TBI patients in the ICU and advanced neuromonitoring
· Care of TBI patients on the ward with an emphasis on early rehabilitation methods (pharmacological,neurocognitive)
· Assessment of patients in the out patient clinic (diagnosis and treatment of mild TBI)
· Clinical, transitional and/or basic research
