SAN DIEGO (April 28, 2003) -- Randall W. Smith, MD, was elected Vice President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at the AANS Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, April 26-May 1, 2003.

Dr. Smith is President-Elect of the Western Neurosurgical Society, Treasurer of the American Neurosurgical Political Action Committee, and currently Treasurer of the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies. He previously served as Chief of Staff at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego.

After earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, and medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Smith went on to complete a surgical internship at Boston City Hospital. In 1971 he completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of Washington. His first position was as Assistant/Associate Professor on the Neurosurgical Faculty at the University of California at San Diego followed by 23 years of private practice in San Diego.

From 1968-1969, he served as head of the Osan Air Base Hospital Clinic in Osan, Korea for the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Smith was Board certified in 1973, and become a fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1976.

Active in many professional organizations, Dr. Smith has served as President of the California Association of Neurological Surgeons, President of the San Diego Academy of Neurological Surgeons, and President of the Western Federation of Societies of Neurological Sciences.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 6,500 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.