Russell L. Travis, MD, of Lexington, Kentucky, became the 66 th President of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) during ceremonies held at the Association’s 1998 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Travis is currently in private practice in Lexington, Kentucky. He has been active in the AANS since 1974 and has served as Director-At-Large of the Board of Directors since 1993. Dr. Travis has served as Chairman of the Physician Reimbursement Committee, Humanitarian Award Committee, and the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. For more than a decade, he has played a key role in the leadership of the AANS/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Washington Committee, speaking frequently before Congressional Committees in support of organized neurosurgery.
In addition to his volunteer activities with the AANS, Dr. Travis has been actively involved in his local medical community, serving as Chairman of the Kentucky Medical Association, President of the Kentucky Epilepsy Association and President of the Kentucky Neurological Society.
Dr. Travis earned his bachelor’s degree from Centre College and his medical degree from the University of Louisville. He served his general surgery internship at the University of Louisville Hospitals and his neurosurgical residency at the Medical College Hospital of South Carolina (MCHSC).
A frequent lecturer on numerous aspects of neurological surgery, Dr. Travis has spoken on such diverse topics as cerebral vascularization, carotid endarterectomy, lumbar disc disease and the management of spinal fractures.
In recognition of his achievements in the field of neurosurgery, Dr. Travis received the 1993 Distinguished Service Award from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons; the 1992 Jack Trevey Award from the Fayette County Medical Society for his leadership in bringing healthcare to the underinsured and uninsured of Kentucky through the Kentucky Physicians Care Program; the 1992 Health Hero Award; and the 1990 Service to Mankind Award of the Kentucky Medical Association/Kentucky Health Care Access Foundation.
Dr. Travis is married to Jill Travis and they have four children, Glen, Lee, Barry and Britini.
Following are some brief comments from Dr. Travis as he embarks upon his year as President of the AANS. If you have questions for Dr. Travis, he may be reached at his e-mail address: [email protected].
What are some of the key issues facing neurosurgery in the year ahead?
The big issue is loss of the total scope of neurosurgical practice by erosion of our practice base from encroachment of other specialties. The two biggest threats right now are in spine and cerebrovascular. In spine, we have gained considerable ground from the benefit of David Kelly’s Spine Task Force and AANS practical courses to teach neurosurgeons how to do more complex spine procedures. A current threat is the loss of cardiovascular practice to interventional radiologists, cardiologists and neurologists unless we train more neurosurgeons to be involved in taking care of strokes and learning catheter and interventional techniques. We can do this by becoming partners with interventional radiologists and cardiologists and by training more interventional neurosurgeons.
If you could accomplish just one thing during your Presidency, what would it be?
Get every neurosurgeon involved in the care of cardiovascular problems at the basic level. This would be accomplished by beginning a “brain attack” program at the local hospitals. Neurosurgeons should be available to take care of strokes and to seek stroke referrals from primary care physicians and ER physicians. This is where accumulating a practice of AVM’s, aneurysms, intracerebral hemorrhages, and endarterectomies begin. We need to get neurosurgeons back to the cath lab. Neurosurgeons gave away catheter techniques years ago to radiology. We begin by revisiting catheter techniques and practical PDP courses and then doing simple catheterization procedures in combination with cardiologists and radiologists to treat strokes and other vascular problems.
The second thing I would like to accomplish would be to get every neurosurgeon involved more in community and political affairs and take a larger share in determining our future.
Describe your current practice, including any special interests.
My current practice is a 5-person group that covers the entire scope in neurosurgery. We have intergroup specialization, but, in general, we all do most neurosurgical procedures. I practice with a great group of neurosurgeons. All of my current partners are extremely competent, talented, honest, dedicated and hardworking people. To have a group with such integrity, honesty, principle-based and hardworking is truly a great gift and privilege.
What philosophy have you used to build your own practice?
My number one principle has always been to never allow the practice to be a “triage” type practice. I have always taken young neurosurgeons who are honest, talented and who believe in hard work and strive to keep up with all available and new worthwhile developments in the field of neurosurgery. We live by former coach, Bill Bryant’s tenet, “Be good or be gone.”
As you begin your Presidential Year, is there any one message you have for members?
Enjoy your work! As we face encroachment from the government, more competition from other specialties, and decreased reimbursement, remember that we do this for the patients. The personal relationships and the satisfaction of being a neurosurgeon is still the raison d’etre for our lives.
Stay current with all new developments, but keep your integrity. Don’t ever do a procedure just because it is new and pays well. Don’t develop a “siege mentality.” The citadel of medicine has not fallen. We will be neurosurgeons for a long time. Compensation will change and decrease, but we will still make more than a comfortable living and be privileged to help people and the personal satisfaction of a wonderful career.
What have been some of the more significant changes in neurosurgery since you began your career?
The technology. I did not even use an operating microscope when I finished my residency. Now as I load a MRI scan into my stealth frameless sterotaxi unit for a craniotomy or pedicle screw fixation case, I never cease to be amazed at the technology. Neurosurgery has never been more interesting, or challenging, than it is today.
What advice would you give to a young neurosurgeon who is just starting out?
- Keep up. Don’t every allow yourself to become outdated in a field as complex and rapidly changing as neurosurgery.
- Maintain honesty and integrity. The “money pot” is not going to dry up. You have 25-30 years to make your living. Much of your retirement will come from investments and planning. You do not have to make your future secure in one or two years.
- Align yourself with groups and people with talent and integrity. For most areas of our country, the solo neurosurgical practice is going to be difficult to maintain in the future. Settle where you have a practice that offers all challenges of neurosurgery and with a group that gives you support in many ways. Perhaps, more importantly, save time for your family.
What are some of your interests outside of medicine?
- My family, my wife and four children. They are a delightful family and bring me back to reality when I get in these phases when I think we have to solve all the problems facing medicine and neurosurgery. My recent marriage two years ago brought a 16-year old stepson and a 14-year old stepdaughter into my life, whom I have enjoyed immensely. I have watched more baseball and softball games than I ever thought imaginable.
- Motorcycling and boating. I enjoy being outside and seeing all of God’s beautiful country. The quietness and olitude of touring on my bike or sitting on my houseboat in the back of a cove on the lake are among my greatest pleasures.
What do you plan on doing 10 years from today?
If I am too old to operate and continue to do neurosurgery, I will be developing whatever I choose to be my “second career.”