Newswise — NEW ORLEANS (April 29, 2013) — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) has named Utah-based neurosurgeon William T. Couldwell, MD, PhD, FAANS, as its 2013-2014 president. His appointment was announced during the AANS 81st Annual Scientific Meeting, held in New Orleans April 27-May 1, 2013.
Dr. Couldwell is currently a professor and the chairman of neurosurgery at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He most recently served as 2012-2013 AANS President-Elect and has served on the AANS Board of Directors since 2006. A member of the AANS since 1995, Dr. Couldwell has been an instrumental part of the Executive Council, Neurosurgery PAC Board of Directors and the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF). His additional service includes past-chair for the AANS Development Committee and participation on the Finance and Strategic Planning Committees.
“I am extremely honored to serve the organization in the coming year as President. We have important work to continue, with one of our most important projects is to leverage the strengths and expand the mission of our crown jewel, the NREF, to include clinical effectiveness research, and incorporate study groups, consortia and data registries,” says Dr. Couldwell. “This latter function is served by the NeuroPoint Alliance, our AANS data registry. The initial lumbar surgery registry National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database, or N2QOD, project is producing amazing results that will benefit our patients and serve as a tool for measuring the effectiveness of our interventions. Our theme for the upcoming year, ‘Expanding Neurosurgery,’ will explore and highlight the realm of clinical and research opportunities that are being created by the application of current technology and science to our practice, and demonstrate avenues for career opportunities for our neurosurgical recruits. This is a remarkable time in history to practice neurosurgery, and I see the AANS as the leader in our educational, research and advocacy activities.”
Dr. Couldwell concluded a five-year stint on the AANS Neurosurgeon editorial board in 2011, also serving as Editor, and has held editorial board positions with Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Acta Neurochirurgica, Journal of Neuro-Oncology, Neurosurgical Review, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, where he acted as chairman in 2008. He has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, more than 85 book chapters, 70 abstracts and edited several books.
A Canadian native, Dr. Couldwell is a 1984 medical graduate of McGill University in Montreal. After completing his neurosurgical residency at the University of Southern California in 1989, he obtained his doctorate degree in neuroimmunology/molecular biology from McGill in 1991.
About the 2013 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. A record-breaking 1,003 scientific abstracts were presented for review at the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, and the scientific presentations given at this year’s event represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Additional information about the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Meeting Program can be found at http://www.aans.org/Annual Meeting/2013/Main/Home.aspx.
Media Representatives: If you would like to cover the meeting, have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon — either on-site or via telephone — please contact John Iwanski, AANS Director of Member and Public Outreach, at (847) 378-0517 or e-mail him at [email protected]. News and updates on the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting also can be found at http://www.aans.org/Annual%20Meeting/2013/Main/Media.aspx.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with nearly 8,300 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.
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