May 3-6, 2024, will mark the descent of neurosurgeons upon Chicago, Illinois, USA, for the 2024 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting. Under the leadership of President Anthony Asher, MD, the meeting will explore the theme What Matters. In this time of societal and technological disruption hastened by the Covid pandemic and the introduction of artificial intelligence, members are asked to consider their roles in and responsibility to society.
In anticipation of this year’s meeting, our colleagues have shared their perspective on what matters to neurosurgeons; joint sections’ leadership have opined on this matter for AANS Neurosurgeon. Although each section may have its specific focus, common themes of patient care/excellent outcomes, advancement of techniques/treatments and empathy for not only our patients but for all of us, echo throughout the pieces. As is typically the case, neurosurgeons passionately advocate for issues closest to their heart; the summation of each surgeon’s efforts adds up to the collective voice and power of our group. Neurosurgeons do make a difference daily; however, we start with a very focused view, are able to focus our lens on bigger issues for which we may be able to affect a change. Many of the contributors focus on the triad of clinical care, education and research and the importance of excellence in each.
As of 2022, CDC quotes a US life expectancy at birth of 77.5 years. While quantity of life is important, quantity without quality is problematic. What matters? Health – physical, emotional and mental; physicians are notorious for being less attentive to their own health care. What matters is that the AANS membership attends to its own health; only then can we effectively take care of others. In that process of healing and treating others, we should never forget our common humanity; there is very little that separates us from the patient before us. What matters? All of it does.
Aruna Ganju, MD, FAANS, FACS is an associate professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and the current editor of AANS Neurosurgeon. She is a past chair of the AANS/CNS Section of Women in Neurosurgery (WINS) and Residency Program Director in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her clinical areas of interest are surgical treatment of disorders of the spinal column and cord.
