Suspension of Member
On November 22, 1997, the AANS Board of Directors approved the recommendation of the Professional Conduct Committee that a Connecticut neurosurgeon’s membership in the AANS be suspended for a period of six months because of unprofessional conduct. That conduct included giving testimony as an expert witness in a medical malpractice case involving aneurysm surgery despite having done no aneurysm surgery himself for close to 15 years prior to his trial testimony. The Professional Conduct Committee concluded, and the Board of Directors agreed that the neurosurgeon’s trial testimony demonstrated inappropriate advocacy, marginal subject matter and a lack of adequate objective research.
Leadership Meeting
The leaders of the AANS and CNS Joint Sections met along with the AANS and CNS Executive Committees in January to enhance working relationships between the Sections and the parent organizations. During the meeting, Section leaders shared ideas and strategies on meeting planning, project development, membership and the development or practice guidelines. Attendees also heard from Ossama Al-Mefty, MD, on the possible establishment of a skull base section; Bruce Kaufman, MD, on coordinating communication and public relations efforts; and Charles Tator, MD, on the Joint Trauma Section’s proposed gun safety initiative.
Future Section Leadership Conferences are now planned to coincide with the Joint Officer’s Meeting in January of each year in Chicago.