AANS: American Association of Neurological Surgeons Names Top Leaders for 2017-18

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) named its top leaders today during the organization’s 85th Annual Scientific Meeting, held in Los Angeles, Calif.
 
The group appointed Frederick A. Boop, M.D., FAANS, as past-president and Moustapha Abou-Samra, M.D., FAANS, as vice president.

Dubbed one of America’s top doctors by U.S. News and World Report in 2012, Boop is currently the J.T. Robertson professor and chair of the department of neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Additionally, he works as the co-director of the LeBonheur Neuroscience Institute. Aside from his leadership role within the AANS, Boop’s professional memberships include the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS), the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery (ABPNS), the International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons (ISPN) and NeurosurgeryPAC, where he served as president. In 2010, he received the Endowed Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
 
“The AANS has been fortunate to have a succession of vibrant, innovative leaders over the past years, and I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve served on the Executive Committee. I spent three years as secretary and a year as president elect learning the organization and its major initiatives, which helped prepare me for the role this past year as president,” said Boop. “The AANS continues to do amazing things for its membership. From the NeurosurgeryPAC in Washington, D.C., working key legislation; to our own, neurosurgeon-designed-and-defined data collection group, NeuroPoint Alliance; to our efforts to provide and fund top-notch educational opportunities for the best medical candidates through the Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation; the AANS is the voice of neurosurgery. I’m proud to be part of its legacy.”
 
Boop received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Arkansas in 1978 and his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1983. He completed his internship at The University of Texas Health Science Center; his residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center; his neurology rotation at the Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital, Queen’s Square, in London, United Kingdom; his pediatric neurosurgery rotation at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; his epilepsy and functional neurosurgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota; and his pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He received his ABNS certification in 1993, his ABPNS certification in 1996 and his Gamma Knife certification in 2000.
 
Born in Damascus, Syria, Abou-Samra received his medical education at the University of Damascus. He completed his general surgical rotations in New Jersey at the College of Medicine and Dentistry and obtained his neurosurgical training at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio, where he joined the faculty as an assistant professor of neurosurgery. He has been in practice in Ventura, Calif., and Ventura County since 1981, when he joined Ventura County Neurosurgical Associates.
 
“It is an honor for me to serve as vice president of the AANS, founded as the Harvey Cushing Society. As a neurosurgeon who holds Dr. Cushing in the highest of esteem and who thinks of Dr. Cushing as an iconic part of our history, being vice president of an organization that bears his name is surreal. I plan to work hard on behalf of our members to help accomplish our mission as the largest representative organization of neurosurgeons in the world,” said Abou-Samra.
 
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons is a scientific and educational association with more than 10,000 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. 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.