Founded in 1931, the AANS was originally known as the Harvey Cushing Society, named for the brain surgery pioneer Harvey Cushing. The creation of the society was spurred initially by R. Glen Spurling and William P. Van Wagenen who, with Cushing, acknowledged the need for a venue in which younger neurosurgeons could exchange ideas on the specialty. Membership to the Society of Neurological Surgeons, the specialty's key organization during this period, was closed to younger men at this time. Spurling and Van Wagenen enlisted the help of Temple Fay and R. Eustace Semmes in the creation of the group, and on May 6, 1932, the Harvey Cushing Society held its first meeting in Boston. Twenty-three people attended, many of whom were Cushing's colleagues and neurosurgical trainees. Other charter members of the society were Gilbert Anderson, Paul C. Bucy, W. Edward Chamberlain, Leo M. Davidoff, Louise Eisenhardt, Edgar Fincher, John F. Fulton, W. James Gardner, William J. German, Franc D. Ingraham, Franklin Jelsma, Edgar Kahn, Roland Klemme, James G. Lyerly Sr., Eric Oldberg, Tracy Putnam, Frederic Schreiber, Merril C. Sosman, and Frank R. Teachenor.
Significant dates
1942 – The AANS adopts new bylaws requiring active members to be certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
1944 – The first issue of theJournal of Neurosurgery is printed. An editorial board had been established in 1943, and Louise Eisenhardt was named editor-in-chief.
1967 – At its annual meeting in San Francisco, the Harvey Cushing Society changes its name to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. The group also revamps its membership requirements, now noting that only board-certified neurosurgeons could be considered for active membership. Associate memberships are available for those in related neurological disciplines. This same year, the William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship is established to provide educational funding to medical students.
1988 – The United States Postal Service issues an official Harvey Cushing stamp on June 17 as part of its "Great Americans" 45-cent stamp collection.
Membership
The AANS is composed of board-certified neurosurgeons from around the world as well as medical students, neurosurgical support staff, and physicians in associated fields of practice.
Legislative advocacy
Throughout its history, the AANS has taken stances on a number of key legislative issues affecting neurosurgical professionals and their patients. Efforts include patient safety and quality improvement, tort reform, and issues relating to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. In addition to a professional staff office in Washington, D.C., the AANS maintains a member-driven Washington Committee to advocate for a number of causes. Washington staff maintains the Neurosurgery Blog which highlights the latest legislative activities affecting health care and the neurosurgical specialty.
Publications
Since 1944, the AANS has published the Journal of Neurosurgery. In addition, the quarterly AANS Neurosurgeon focuses on "issues related to legislation, workforce and practice management." Each issue is centered on different themes, and past themes include humanitarian neurosurgery, neurosurgeons as patients, stereotactic radiosurgery, and neurovascular neurosurgery.
Patient information and public outreach
On its website, the AANS presents information relevant to patients regarding a number of neurosurgical ailments and treatments. In addition to its efforts during National Neurosurgery Awareness Week, the AANS also spearheads Neurosurgery Outreach Month every August, touting the importance of concussion and head-injury prevention at the start of a new school year and season for student athletes.
Education
The AANS offers its members a number of educational opportunities, mostly through courses held around the country at various times of the year. Topics include practice management, oral board preparation, maintenance of certification, and resident education. Course offerings also extend to mid-level practitioners such as nurses and physician assistants.
Established by the AANS in 1981, the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation provides funding for training in the neurosciences and support for career neurosurgeons. Through grants and awards, it supports residents and young neurosurgical faculty in conducting basic science, patient-oriented, clinical and outcomes research, as well as outcomes studies that protect and support neurosurgical procedures for all practicing neurosurgeons. It also funds North American and international fellowships in all neurosurgical subspecialties.
Neuropoint Alliance
As an effort led by the AANS with cooperation of other organized neurological associations, the Neuropoint Alliance was founded in 2008 to collect, analyze, and report clinical data from neurosurgical practices. Services include clinical trial management, study design, and survey facilitation. Its first nationwide effort was the National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database.
