DEV - Residency History

History

The clinical neurosurgery program at WVU was founded in 1960 by Duke graduate Dr. Byron Bloor. Dr. Bloor recruited Dr. Robert Nugent, also a Duke University residency graduate, in 1961. Dr. Nugent would become the founder of the residency program and the father of neurosurgery in West Virginia. The residency program began in 1970 under the leadership of Dr. Nugent. Also in 1970, the Division of Neurosurgery became a department under the leadership of Dr. Nugent. The residency program has remained in good standing, graduating many leaders in both local communities and national organizations.

In 2024 the residency program was expanded to a total complement of 14 (2 residents per year), a reflection of the tremendous growth in both clinical volume and educational resources of the Department of Neurosurgery. Today we endeavor to continue the rich heritage of our program, a place where cutting edge technology and procedures are married to our unique culture of innovation and Appalachian environment to create a world class one-of-a-kind residency training program.

"For a program that isn’t one of the large ones in the US, we are doing everything that is done in a major neurosurgical center and many things that are not being done..." - Robert Nugent, 1985