SAN DIEGO (April 15, 2019) — Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD, FAANS, has been named president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). The association announced his appointment during the 87th AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, held in San Diego, April 13-17, 2019.

Dr. Shaffrey graduated magna cum laude from The Citadel in 1982 with B.S. degree in biology. He played varsity basketball and was co-captain his senior year. In 1986, Dr. Shaffrey received his medical degree from the University of Virginia. He completed his general surgical internship at Naval Hospital San Diego in 1987, where he was named the surgical intern of the year. He then completed both neurosurgical and orthopaedics residencies at the University of Virginia, followed by a spine fellowship in pediatric and adult reconstructive spine surgery in 1995. Following completion of his surgical training, he was appointed to the senior staff in the departments of neurological surgery and orthopaedic surgery at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital, where he was actively involved in treating members of Detroit’s college and professional athletic teams. In 1999, Dr. Shaffrey was appointed associate professor of neurological surgery and adjunct associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 2003, he returned to the University of Virginia as professor of neurological surgery and director of the neurosurgery spine division. In 2008, he was named Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgery. In July of 2018, Dr. Shaffrey was named the chief of the Duke Spine Division for the departments of neurological surgery and orthopaedic surgery.

Board-certified in the fields of neurological surgery and orthopaedic surgery, Dr. Shaffrey has more than 450 peer-reviewed publications and more than 1,000 national and international presentations. He has served or is serving as the deputy editor of the journals Spine and Spine Deformity and has served as the chair of the Editorial Board for JNS: Spine as well as being an editor for several textbooks on spinal surgery.  He has been the chair of the ABNS and is currently a member of the Neurosurgery Residency Review Committee.

“I am excited to be working with my esteemed colleagues on the AANS Executive Committee and the organization’s Board of Directors. As this continues to be both a challenging and an exciting time for neurosurgery, I look forward to lending my talents and support to ensure that the voice of neurosurgery continues to speak loudly about the issues that impact our practices and our patients. The specialty of neurosurgery evaluates and treats a very wide variety of conditions involving the brain, spine, peripheral nerve and structures supporting the nervous system using some of the most sophisticated operative equipment and techniques. Although an individual neurosurgeon may focus on a subspecialty area of the field, we, as neurosurgeons, are united in the belief that there is no medical specialty that provides more positive benefit to our patients. It is the mission of the AANS to help keep the specialty of neurosurgery at the forefront of medicine worldwide,” commented Dr. Shaffrey.

Media Representatives: The 2019 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting website’s press section includes releases on highlighted scientific research, AANS officers and award winners and other relevant information about the 2019 program. Releases will be posted on the 2019 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting website. If you have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon — either onsite or via telephone — during or after the event, please contact Alice Kelsey, AANS associate executive director, via email at [email protected].

About the 2019 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting
Attended by neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants, allied health professionals and other medical professionals, the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation, with an emphasis on the field’s latest research and technological advances. The scientific presentations accepted for the 2019 event will represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Find additional information about the 2019 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the meeting program here.

About the AANS
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 11,500 members worldwide. The AANS promotes the highest quality of patient care and advances the specialty of neurological surgery. Fellows of the AANS are board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.

For more information, visit www.AANS.org.

Meeting Link: 2019 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting