CHICAGO (April 8, 2002) -- Stan Pelofsky, MD, was named the 2002-2003 Past President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at the AANS Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, April 6-11, 2001. An active member of the AANS since 1976, Dr. Pelofsky has served as Secretary of the AANS Board of Directors; Chair of the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies; and member of the Governance Committee, Task Force on Medical Education and the Washington Committee.

Dr. Pelofsky is President of the Neuroscience Specialists, a large multi-specialty practice in Oklahoma City, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of neurosurgical disorders. He serves as Chief of Neurosurgery at St. Anthony's Hospital and as Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Oklahoma Memorial Hospital. In addition, he has medical privileges at Mercy Health Center, Integris, Oklahoma Spine Hospital, Bone and Joint Hospital, Veterans Administration Hospital and Oklahoma Children's Hospital.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, he earned his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Pelofsky completed his internship at University Hospital/Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. In 1967, he was commissioned by the U.S. Navy and served in DaNang, Vietnam. Following his military service, Dr. Pelofsky returned to University Hospital/Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to complete his residency training.

In addition to his service to the AANS, Dr. Pelofsky has served as President of the Oklahoma State Neurological Surgery Society and as President of the Central Oklahoma Council of Hospital Medical Staffs. He also was the recipient of the Gubernatorial Appointment to the State of Oklahoma Advisory Council on Traumatic Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injury.

An active author and researcher, Dr. Pelofsky has written numerous chapters for books and articles for scientific journals on such topics as spinal cord stimulation for the relief of chronic back and leg pain, cranioplasty, and the socioeconomics of spine disease. In addition, he has been published in such journals as Surgical Neurology, Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Pathology and Neurosurgery.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with nearly 5,500 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. 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.