Adventure is in order for the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Taking its cue from the theme “Advancing Patient Care Through Technology and Creativity,” the meeting is set in delightful Orlando, Fla., of which it is said that 62 days would be required to see all 95 of its theme parks and attractions.
For six days, May 1-6, the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive in Orlando is the site of neurosurgery’s premier annual event. Under the direction of Annual Meeting Chair William T. Couldwell, MD, this exploration of technology and creativity officially opens Sunday, May 2, with an evening reception held at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure. The islands of Jurassic Park and The Lost Continent will be open exclusively to AANS Annual Meeting attendees.
The scientific program, planned under the leadership of Richard G. Fessler, MD, promises an exemplary exposition of neurosurgical topics. Highlights include:
- a fourth plenary session on Thursday, May 6, that will focus exclusively on socioeconomic issues;
- a new format for the Thursday morning breakfast seminars that will offer opportunities to present challenging cases and elicit feedback from peers;
- eight section sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons;
- a Tuesday afternoon session that will be dedicated exclusively to peripheral nerve topics;
- nursing contact hours, which will be available for two breakfast seminars each day, Monday through Wednesday, as well as one full-day practical clinic;
- a full-day practical clinic that focuses on practice management; and
- a full-day Beyond Residency course.
On Tuesday, May 4, the Cushing Oration features a different sort of adventurer. Ken Burns, who is perhaps best known for his breakthrough documentary “The Civil War” and, more recently, “Baseball,” has pioneered new ways of bringing the past to life in the field of documentary film. In an interview with San Francisco Focus, he observed, “Without a past, we deprive ourselves of the defining impressions of our being…The airing out of history is a kind of medicine…That’s what I’m interested in: the healing power of history.”
Immediately preceding the AANS Annual Meeting, on Friday, April 30, the spotlight will turn to exploration of neurosurgery in the U.S. and Latin America. The AANS will welcome neurosurgeons from Latin America to the Latin American-American Symposium of Neurosurgery, co-chaired by Jorge Mendez, MD, of Chile, and Roberto Heros, MD, of the AANS. Topics of discussion include: Latin America’s Healthcare and Training Systems; Surgical Originals (CVD); Surgical Techniques; Surgical Originals (Tumors); and Endoscopy. A reception will follow the day-long event.
Registration and housing for the Annual Meeting will be available in January 2004. The advance registration deadline is April 2. The most up-to-date meeting information is available at www.AANS.org.
Manda J. Seaver is staff editor of the Bulletin.
Creativity and technology unite in the work of filmmaker Ken Burns, who has been making documentary films for more than 20 years. “All my work is about waking the dead,” he has said.
| Burns first attracted the nation’s attention as director, producer, co-writer, chief cinematographer, music director and executive producer of the landmark television series “The Civil War,” which premiered in 1990. The film generated praise from audiences and critics. The Washington Post said, “This is not just good television, nor even just great television. This is heroic television,” and “Our Iliad has found its Homer,” was George Will’s uncharacteristically laudatory comment. The series has been honored with more than 40 major film and television awards, including two Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, Producer of the Year Award from the Producer’s Guild, People’s Choice Award, Peabody Award, and others. |  |
Most notable among his work is the PBS series “Baseball.” Four-and-a-half years in the making and more than 18 hours in length, this film covered the history of baseball from 1840s to the present. It became the most watched series in PBS history, attracting more than 45 million viewers. “Baseball” earned Burns an Emmy, the Clarion Award, and The Television Critics Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sports and Special Programming.
His recently completed works include a series of biographies on the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Mark Twain. His major series on the history of jazz is currently airing on PBS.