FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Neurosurgery Celebrates Historic Election of First Neurosurgeon to U.S. Congress
Washington, DC — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) celebrated the historic election of John A. Cowan, Jr., MD, to the U.S. House of Representatives. Elected to represent Georgia’s 11th Congressional District, Dr. Cowan will become the first neurosurgeon to serve in Congress when he takes office in January 2027.
Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA, Chair of the AANS/CNS Washington Committee, issued the following statement:
“Our nation’s founders envisioned a Congress that represents the interests of the American people, informed by the diverse life experiences and professional journeys of those elected to serve. The historic election of the first neurosurgeon to Congress is a meaningful reflection of that vision. John Cowan has dedicated his professional life to caring for patients facing some of the most complex and consequential medical challenges. His experience as a neurosurgeon will bring an important perspective to the legislative process and the decisions that shape American health care. Congratulations to John on this extraordinary achievement. This is a great day for patients, physicians, and the American people.”
Dr. Cowan will succeed retiring U.S. Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA). Reflecting on his election, Congressman-elect Cowan stated:
“Being the first neurosurgeon elected to Congress is a historic honor, and one I don’t take lightly. For my entire career, I’ve sat with patients and their families in some of the hardest moments of their lives, and I’ll carry that same responsibility to Washington. Too often, insurers and bureaucrats stand between doctors and the patients who need care. I’ll fight to protect neurosurgical patients, cut the red tape that delays treatment, and restore the doctor-patient relationship that good medicine depends on. I’m grateful to my colleagues in neurosurgery for standing with me, and I look forward to working alongside them.”
A board-certified neurosurgeon with nearly two decades of clinical experience, Dr. Cowan has spent much of his career caring for patients in Rome and northwest Georgia, including in private practice and, more recently, at AdventHealth Redmond. A native of Bartow County, Georgia, he earned his undergraduate degree in physics, cum laude, from Davidson College and his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He subsequently completed his general surgery internship and neurosurgical residency at the University of Michigan, where he also served as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar. Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Cowan is an accomplished researcher and inventor, holding multiple U.S. patents for innovations in neurosurgical and spinal implant technologies.
Dr. Cowan has maintained a longstanding commitment to organized neurosurgery and physician advocacy. A longtime member of both the AANS and CNS, he has held numerous leadership positions in state and regional organized medicine, including serving as President of the Georgia Neurosurgical Society from 2020 to 2021, President of the Rome Area Medical Society from 2017 to 2019, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical Association of Georgia since 2017.
Dr. Cowan’s election marks a historic milestone for organized neurosurgery and the broader physician community. As the federal advocacy arm of the AANS and CNS, the Washington Committee looks forward to working with Congressman-elect Cowan and members of both parties to advance policies that strengthen the physician-patient relationship, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and improve access to high-quality, medically necessary care.
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The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), founded in 1931, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), founded in 1951, are the two largest scientific and educational associations for neurosurgical professionals in the world. These groups represent over 10,000 neurosurgeons worldwide. 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. For more information, please visit www.aans.org, www.cns.org, and www.neurosurgery.org.
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