Email to a colleague
View Printer Friendly Home | Young Neurosurgeons | Newsletters
SPRING 2003
|
Think First
Think First: A Way for Young Neurosurgeons to Make a Difference
Mark R. Proctor, MD
As young neurosurgeons, many of us are already overwhelmed by life either as a resident, a fellow, or a new graduate trying to build a successful practice. In this busy daily environment, coupled with the external stressors of Medicare, reimbursement and professional liability, we often lose sight of the sense of community service that got many of us involved in medicine and neurosurgery in the first place. In addition, the current public image of neurosurgeons is unfortunately one that doesn't generally engender positive feelings from the community -- we are probably better known for fighting the professional liability insurance crisis than for fighting disease. However, there is a way for us as young neurosurgeons to become actively involved in community service through Think First, an injury prevention program that is educating youth throughout many of our communities.
The Think First/National Injury Prevention Foundation was originally founded by two neurosurgeons who were distressed by the preventable injuries that they were called upon to treat in their emergency rooms. The program was then adopted by the AANS and CNS in 1990 and supported as it became an independent nonprofit foundation in order to further its mission. The original Think First for Teens and the more recent Think First for Kids now encompass more than 250 local and 41 state chapters under the direction of the Think First/ National Injury Prevention Foundation. While the national office provides direction and up-to-date curricula, the individual chapters thrive based on the dedication of people like you.
Local chapters are organized by a sponsoring neurosurgeon working with a dedicated staff of injury prevention specialists. The chapter then goes to local schools to teach the injury prevention curriculum to children in the community. The curriculum developed by Think First is so effective that it has been formally adopted as part of the state educational curriculum in California, and multiple clinical studies have demonstrated its ability to bring about behavioral changes in children. Through a program such as Think First, organized neurosurgery is having a deep and meaningful impact on our nation's communities. Trauma is preventable and education is the key necessary to unlock this door.
How Can You Help?Opportunities to help the local and national community through Think First are every bit as available as you as a neurosurgeon want them to be. Think First is always looking for neurosurgeons and volunteers who can work at both a local and national level. There can never be too many local chapters of Think First, as the message of injury prevention is one that everyone needs to hear. If you have any interest in organizing or participating in a Think First local chapter, please contact the national office. Another way that you can help is through donations to the Think First Foundation. These tax-deductible gifts are both fundamental to the functioning of the Think First Foundation, and are one of the ways your efforts can truly affect what you do on a day-to-day basis. The benefits of brain and spinal cord injury prevention programs are something you as a neurosurgeon can directly feel in your own community as the incidence of injuries declines. In addition, as one of the few truly philanthropic endeavors of organized neurosurgery, your participation makes an even greater difference. Even small donations of $10-$25 can help, as they increase the percentage of participation among neurosurgeons; it is much easier for Think First to attract large sponsors when they can say that a large percentage of neurosurgeons support the organization that they founded. It is one of the ways our voices as young neurosurgeons can be heard as strongly as those of established neurosurgeons.
The Think First/National Injury Prevention Foundation is a truly meaningful concept and organization, both to our communities and to organized neurosurgery. We encourage your participation in any way possible, through donations of time, money, or ideas. Please feel free to contact the foundation or me with any questions.
Find out more about Think First or make a donation at 1-800-THINK56, or http://www.thinkfirst.org.
|
© Copyright 2004 - 2009 AANS. All rights reserved. | Disclaimer | Privacy Statement | Web Site Linking Policy |