The AANS Cushing Medal is the highest honor awarded by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Named after Harvey Cushing, a pioneering neurosurgeon known as the “father of modern neurosurgery,” the medal recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of neurosurgery.
Past Recipients of the AANS Cushing Medal
2024 Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD, FAANS
2023 Regis W. Haid, Jr., MD, FAANS
2022 William T. Couldwell, MD, PhD, FAANS
2021 Robert E. Harbaugh, MD, FAANS
2020 H. Hunt Batjer, MD, FAANS(L)
2019 James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FAANS
2018 James R. Bean, MD, FAANS
2017 Robert F. Spetzler, MD, FAANS
2016 Ralph G. Dacey Jr., MD, FAANS
2015 Arthur L. Day, MD, FAANS
2014 Troy M. Tippett, MD, FAANS(L)
2013 Jon H. Robertson, MD, FAANS
2012 Donald O. Quest, MD, FAANS(L)
2011 A. John Popp, MD, FAANS
2010 Roberto C. Heros, MD, FAANS
2009 Edward H. Oldfield, MD, FAANS
2008 Charles B. Wilson, MD, FAANS
2007 Robert G. Grossman, MD, FAANS
2006 David G. Kline, MD, FAANS
2005 Martin H. Weiss, MD, FAANS
2004 John A. Jane Sr., MD, PhD, FAANS
2003 Stewart B. Dunkser, MD, FAANS
2002 Edward R. Laws Jr., MD, FAANS
2001 Julian T. Hoff, MD
2000 Russell H. Patterson Jr., MD
1999 David J. Kelly Jr., MD, FAANS
1998 Albert L. Rhoton Jr., MD, FAANS
1997 Robert G. Ojemann, MD
1996 Shelley N. Chou, MD, PhD
1995 Richard DeSaussure, MD
1994 Byron C. Pevehouse, MD
1993 Sidney Goldring, MD
1992 W. Eugene Stern, MD
1991 William F. Collins, MD
1990 Robert B. King, MD
1989 Lester A. Mount, MD
1988 Charles G. Drake, MD
1987 William F. Meacham, MD
1986 Lyle French, MD
1985 Francis Murphey, MD
1984 Eben Alexander Jr., MD
1983 Guy L. Odom, MD
1982 W. James Gardner, MD
1981 Bronson S. Ray, MD
1980 Paul C. Bucy, MD
1979 Henry G. Schwartz, MD
1978 William H. Sweet, MD
1977 Frank H. Mayfield, MD
The AANS Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to neurosurgery through leadership, education, research, or clinical practice. It recognizes outstanding service and dedication to advancing the field and benefiting patients.
Past Recipients of the AANS Distinguished Service Award
2025 H. Alan Crockard
2024 H. Hunt Batjer, MD, FAANS(L)
2023 Edward Laws, MD, FAANS(L)
2022 James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FAANS
2021 Jon H. Robertson, MD, FAANS
2020 Joseph S. Cheng, MD, MS, FAANS
2019 M. Ross Bullock, MD, PhD
2018 Robert E. Harbaugh, MD, FAANS, FACS
2017 Volker K.H. Sonntag, MD, FAANS(L)
2016 Blas Ezequiel Lopez Felix, MD, FAANS
2015 Kim J. Burchiel, MD, FAANS
2014 Sir Graham Teasdale, FRCP
2013 Ralph G. Dacey Jr., MD, FAANS
2012 James R. Bean, MD, FAANS
2011 Thomas A. Marshall
2010 Katie O. Orrico
2009 In Memory of Samuel J. Hassenbush, MD, PhD
2008 Peter W. Carmel, MD, FAANS
2007 Mary Louise Sanderson
2006 John C. Van Gilder, MD
2005 John A. Kusske, MD, FAANS
2004 Troy M. Tippett, MD, FAANS
2003 John A. Jane Sr., MD, PhD, FAANS
2002 Donald H. Stewart Jr., MD, FAANS
2001 Frank P. Smith, MD
2000 George Ablin, MD
2000 Robert H. Wilkins, MD, FAANS
1999 W. Ben Blackett, MD, JD, FAANS
1998 Mark J. Kubala, MD, FAANS
1997 Ernest W. Mack, MD
1996 Robert E. Florin, MD, FAANS
1995 Charles Edwin Bracket, MD, FAANS
1994 William A. Buchheit, MD, FAANS
1993 Roy W. Black, Codman & Shurtlett, Vice President
The AANS Humanitarian Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to neurosurgery through humanitarian efforts. It recognizes those dedicated to providing care to underserved populations and improving global health.
Past Recipients of the AANS Humanitarian Award
2025 Rocco A. Armonda, MD & David Hassan, MD, FAANS
2024 Jeffrey P. Blount, MD, FAANS
2023 Alexa Canady, MD, FAANS(L)
2022 Rodger Hartl, MD, FAANS
2021 Gail L. Rosseau, MD, FAANS
2020 Laverne Ray Lovell, MD, FAANS
2019 David I. Sandberg, MD, FAANS
2018 Jack P. Rock, MD, FAANS
2017 John Ragheb, MD, FAANS
2016 Karin M. Muraszko, MD, FAANS
2015 Michael M. Haglund, MD, PhD, FAANS
2014 Anselmo Pineda, MD, FAANS(L)
2013 Mark Bernstein, MD, FAANS
2012 A. Leland Albright, MD, FAANS(L)
2011 Barth A. Green, MD
2010 Timr Banerjee, MD, FAANS
2009 Armonando J. Basso, MD, PhD
2008 Robert J. Dempsey, MD, FAANS
2007 Benjamin C. Warf, MD, FAANS
2006 Gene E. Bolles, MD, FAANS
2005 Tetsuo Tatsumi, MD, FAANS
2004 Charles L. Branch Sr., MD,FAANS
2002 Edgar M. Housepian, MD, FAANS
2001 Gary D. Vander Ark, MD, FAANS
2000 Merwyn Bagan, MD, MPH, FAANS
1999 Thomas B. Flynn, MD, FAANS
1998 Lee Finney, MD,
1997 Robert J. White, MD
1995 Melvin L. Cheatham, MD, FAANS
1994 E. Fletcher Eyster, MD, FAANS
1993 Manuel Velasco-Suarez, MD
1992 William H. Mosberg Jr., MD
1991 George B. Udvarhelyi, MD
1990 A. Roy Tyrer Jr., MD
1989 Hugo V. Rizzoli, MD
1988 Gaston Acosta-Rua, MD
1987 Courtland H. Davis Jr., MD, FAANS
The AANS Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery honors neurosurgeons who have made outstanding technical contributions and demonstrated innovative techniques in the field. This award recognizes individuals who have significantly advanced neurosurgical practice through exceptional skill and creativity.
Past Recipients of the AANS Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery
2024 L. Nelson Hopkins
2024 Mitchel S. Berger, MD, FAANS
2023 Michael Lawton, MD, FAANS
2022 Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD, FAANS
2021 Robert F. Spetzler, MD, FAANS(L)
2020 Allan H. Friedman, MD, FAANS
2019 Kevin T. Foley, MD, FAANS
2018 John R. Adler, Jr., MD, FAANS
2017 Fady T. Charbel, MD, FAANS
2016 L. Dade Lunsford, MD, FAANS
2015 Ossama Al-Mefty, MD, FAANS
2014 Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, FAANS
2013 Edward H. Oldfield, MD, FAANS
The AANS Distinguished Advocate Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to neurosurgery through exceptional advocacy efforts, promoting policies and initiatives that benefit neurosurgeons and their patients.
Past Recipients of the AANS Distinguished Advocate Award
2024 Shelly D. Timmons, MD, FAANS
2024 Ann R. Stroink, MD, FAANS
2023 Troy M. Tippett, MD, FAANS(L)
The AANS International Lifetime Recognition Award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to neurosurgery globally. It recognizes exceptional dedication to advancing neurosurgical care, education, and research internationally, celebrating a lifetime of impactful work.
AANS International Lifetime Recognition Award
2025 Madjid Samii, MD, Ph.D
2022 Asdrubal Falavigna, MD, PhD, IFAANS
2021 Yoko Kato, MD, IFAANS (Japan)
2020 Basant Misra, MCh, MS
2019 Franco Servadei, MD, Italy
2018 Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld, MD, MS, IFAANS, FACS
2017 André Grotenhuis, MD, PhD, IFAANS, from Nijmegen, Netherlands
2016 Edgardo Spagnuolo, MD, from Montevideo Uruguay
2015 Andrew H. Kaye, MD, IFAANS, from Melbourne, Australia
2014 Nicolas de Tribolet, MD, from Geneva, Switzerland
2013 Johannes Schramm, MD, from Bonn, Germany
2012 Leonidas M. Quintana, MD, IFAANS, from Vina del Mar, Chile
2011 Shigeaki Kobayashi, MD, PhD, from Matsumoto, Japan
2010 Shigeaki Kobayashi, MD, PhD, from Matsumoto, Japan
2009 Albino Bricolo, MD, from Verona, Italy
2008 Jose Humberto Mateos Gomez, MD, FAANS(L), from Madrid, Mexico
