CHICAGO (April 28, 2008) - Peter W. Carmel, MD, will be recognized with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) 2008 Distinguished Service Award, at 11:46 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29 at the AANS Annual Meeting, April 28-May 1, in Chicago. This award is being bestowed on Dr. Carmel in recognition of his many years of outstanding commitment and dedication to the field of neurosurgery. He has been an active member of the AANS since 1971, and served as chair of the AANS Section on History from 1993-1995.
Dr. Carmel was elected to the American Medical Association (AMA) Board of Trustees in June 2002, and to a second term in 2006. A member of the AMA House of Delegates for 17 years, he served on the Council on Long Range Planning and Development from 1994-2002 and was its chair from 2000-2001. During his tenure, the council originated the Section for International Medical Graduates and established proportional representation for specialty medical society members. He served as its chair-elect and past chair from 1991-1994. Dr. Carmel served as president of the AMA Foundation from 2006-2007.
He has been at New Jersey Medical School since 1994, where he is currently professor and chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and co-medical director of the Neurological Institute of New Jersey. He operates at The University Hospital in Newark, N.J. Dr. Carmel was a faculty member in the Department of Neurosurgery at Columbia University for 25 years, where he was the founding chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery and professor of neurological surgery.
Dr. Carmel received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and was a research associate at the National Institutes of Health. He completed his residency in neurosurgery at the Neurological Institute of New York. He obtained his doctorate in neuroanatomy from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S).
A committed researcher and advocate for neurological research, Dr. Carmel served as chairman of the National Coalition for Research in Neurological Disease and Stroke, and subsequently as chair of the National Foundation for Brain Research. In this capacity, he helped the Honorable Silvio Conte launch the Decade of the Brain initiative. This initiative raised millions of dollars in new research money for neurological diseases and stroke. He also founded the Neuroendocrine Laboratory within the Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction at P&S in 1969. This laboratory has been continuously funded for 38 years. Dr. Carmel has published nearly 100 scientific articles, chapters, and books.
Dr. Carmel has been elected to the board of directors of the National Patient Safety Foundation and serves on the New Jersey Commission on Spinal Cord Research. He is a member of the board of the National Health Museum.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 7,200 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.
