WASHINGTON (April 16, 2007) - Robert G. Grossman, MD, was presented with the 2007 Cushing Medal, the highest honor granted by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at 12:18 p.m. on Monday, April 16 at the AANS Annual Meeting – Celebrating AANS’ Diamond Jubilee – April 16-19, in Washington, D.C. He was honored for his many years of outstanding leadership, dedication and contributions to the field of neurosurgery. Dr Grossman has been an active member of the AANS since 1975. He has served on the Neurosurgical Research and Education Foundation (NREF) Scientific Advisory Committee of the AANS since 1989 and is currently chair.

The Harvey Cushing Medal, the highest honor the AANS can bestow on a member, was established at the recommendation of President Lester Mount, MD, in 1976. Given annually since 1977, the award recognizes an AANS member for distinguished service in the field of neurosurgery.

Dr. Grossman received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he was awarded the Borden Undergraduate Research Award in Medicine. He undertook his surgical internship at Strong Memorial Hospital/University of Rochester. He served in the United States Army at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington D.C. His residency in neurosurgery was at the Neurological Institute, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

Dr. Grossman has held academic appointments at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he was chief of the division of neurosurgery, and at Baylor College of Medicine, where he was professor and chairman of the department of neurosurgery. He is currently chairman of the department of neurosurgery and director of The Methodist Hospital Neurological Institute.

He was a director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery from 1984 to 1990, and was chairman of the board from 1989 to 1990. He was president of the Society of Neurological Surgeons from 1994 to 1995. He served on the editorial board of Neurosurgery and of the Journal of Neurosurgery. He was chairman of the editorial board of the Journal from 1987 to 1989.

Dr. Grossman has made contributions to the treatment of head injuries, the surgery of temporal lobe epilepsy and the surgical treatment of dystonia and Parkinson’s disease.

The National Head Injury Foundation presented him the Caveness Award in 1992. In 1988, the Society of Neurological Surgeons awarded him the Albert and Ellen Grass Foundation prize and medal for continuous commitment to research in the neurosciences by a neurological surgeon. He received the Distinguished Service Award of the Society of Neurological Surgeons in 2002.

Dr. Grossman has served on numerous public advisory boards within the United States Public Health Service. He was chairman of the Neurology B Study Section, chairman of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) from 1991 to 1993, and a member of the National Advisory Council of NINDS from 1993 to 1996 .

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 6,800 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to patients. 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.