Newswise — The NREF has reached agreements with Medtronic, Lanx and Zimmer Spine to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s post-residency clinical fellowship grant program. The NREF is pleased to report that it has renewed its agreements with Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. and DePuy Spine, Inc., who supported the inaugural year of the fellowship program in 2010. These companies will once again provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s post-residency clinical fellowship grant program. As a result of these agreements, DePuy Spine, Inc., Lanx, Medtronic and Zimmer Spine will provide funding for post-residency clinical fellowships with a focus on spine for the 2011-2012 funding cycle. Codman & Shurtleff, Inc will provide funding for post-residency clinical fellowships with a focus on general neurosurgery as well as subspecialty areas such as pediatrics, neurosurgical oncology, peripheral nerve, neurocritical care, and stereotactic & functional neurosurgery.
Every year, an estimated 160 neurosurgeons graduate from the 99 approved neurosurgical residency training programs in North America, and many of them pursue an additional one-year fellowship before entering academic or private practice.
“Through this funding, our corporate sponsors continue to demonstrate their strong commitment to furthering clinical education in the multifaceted field of neurosurgery. The training provided will enable neurosurgeons completing their residency to continue their learning and practice of innovative, state-of-the-art techniques in treating patients with a wide range of neurosurgical conditions. This additional education will enhance their ability to successfully treat millions of patients of all ages with potentially life-altering disorders and conditions,” stated Griffith R. Harsh IV, MD, FACS, NREF chair.
Like Codman and DePuy Spine, NREF’s new post-residency clinical fellowship program supporters, Lanx, Medtronic, and Zimmer Spine, have a rich history of supporting neurosurgical education through fellowship grants.
The NREF will continue to be responsible for all aspects of the fellowship grant program, including review and approval of grant applications. The NREF will award grants based upon established fellowship program criteria and the needs of the requesting hospital and/or academic institution. The NREF Educational Grants Committee (EGC), comprised of neurosurgeons that do not receive financial or other support from the medical device industry, will again review and approve fellowship grant applications in order to determine funding, in an independent, unbiased manner. Individuals serving on the Educational Grants Committee are volunteers and do not receive compensation from the NREF for their efforts.
“The NREF appreciates the support and commitment of these companies, enabling important neurosurgical research and post-residency education in the areas of spine, pediatrics, neurosurgical oncology, peripheral nerve, neurocritical care, and stereotactic & functional neurosurgery,” said AANS President James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FACS.
The timeline for application, criteria for fellowship funding and other important information about the program is available at http://www.aans.org/Grantsfellowships.aspx. While the deadline for the spine fellowship applications has passed; the deadline for the other post-residency clinical fellowships is December 15, 2010.
About the NREFThe Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) of the American Association of Neurosurgeons was established in 1981 in direct response to the reduction in federal and private funding for medical research. The mission of the NREF is to provide a private, non-governmental source of funding for research training in the neurosciences. Since its inception, the NREF has awarded 145 grants totaling over $6 million. As a result, significant advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of aneurisms, brain tumors, strokes, and spinal disorders, as well as an increased understanding and interest in pain therapy, stem cell research, biomaterials and pediatric epilepsy. Many of NREF’s awardees have received additional funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue their research.
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