What Makes Us Special

The names University of Southern California, USC University Hospital, the USC Norris Cancer Hospital, the Department of Neurological Surgery and the Department of Radiation Oncology of the Keck School of Medicine of USC are all synonymous with high-quality stereotactic radiosurgery and a long heritage of consummate research and development for the management of both benign and malignant brain lesions.

At present, the Keck School of Medicine of USC ranks among the nation’s top medical schools in federally sponsored research. The doctors of USC University Hospital are also faculty of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Keck School departments have risen to national prominence, with ophthalmology, pediatrics and preventive medicine consistently ranked among the top ten in the country. Keck School physicians are known as experts in advanced medical care and research. Nearly 200 Keck School faculty are listed among the “Best Doctors in America” and “America’s Top Doctors.”

The Gamma Knife Perfexion Unit at USC University Hospital and Keck School of Medicine of USC- A Futuristic Tool in the Hands of an Organized Team of Exceptional Individuals.
From the Left: Paul Kim, Charles Liu, Mairead Rusch, Vladimir Zelman, Cheng Yu, Peter Gruen, Paul Pagnini, Michael Apuzzo, and Steven Giannotta

The Department of Neurological Surgery is dedicated to patient care, scholarly activities and education. Our departmental faculty serves as prominent figures in clinical and academic neurosurgery on an international level, with diverse subspecialization in cerebrovascular, neuro-oncology, spine, endovascular, functional, pediatric, radiosurgery, and trauma neurosurgery. In addition, our faculty serves in prominent editorial positions in both major Neurosurgical journals. Five of our faculty have been recognized among "The Best Doctors in America" list. The department is based in three major hospitals: The Los Angeles County +USC Medical Center, USC University Hospital, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The Department of Neurosurgery at USC has a strong commitment to clinical and basic science research, as well as training academic neurosurgeons.

USC University Hospital has long been at the forefront of Gamma Knife technology, installing its first Gamma Knife in 1994, treating the first thousandth stereotactic radiosurgery patient with the Gamma Knife in 1999, and today, treating patients with the remarkable Gamma Knife Perfexion.