Dear Tumor Section Members:

The AANS/CNS Section on Tumors is seeking nominations for the Andrew T. Parsa Mentorship Award. The deadline for submission is July 16, 2018.

This biennial award was established in 2016 and is given at the Joint Section Satellite Symposia. The first winner was Frederick Barker, MD, FAANS, of Massachusetts General Hospital in 2016. The award is given in honor of Andrew T. Parsa, MD, PhD, FAANS, who passed away on April 13, 2015, shortly before he was to become the chair of the Section. Dr. Parsa was a renowned brain tumor neurosurgeon, innovative researcher and dedicated mentor. He was an exceptional teacher, both in the operating room and in the clinic. He frequently gave impromptu teaching vignettes to medical students and residents, while creating a culture of scholarship and education wherever he went. He would branch out to local hospitals and even nearby grade schools and high schools to stimulate and encourage interest in medicine and neuroscience. His academic and professional accomplishments were impressive, but how he accomplished them was even more remarkable. He was famously approachable and made everyone who worked with him feel like a valuable member of the team. Combining an energetic style, brilliant insights and passion for teaching, he transformed the cultures of the places where he worked, establishing lifelong and committed relationships with collaborators and colleagues.

The Andrew T. Parsa Mentorship Award was established to recognize the contributions of senior brain tumor neurosurgeons to the career development of their mentees and junior colleagues. The award is given to the individual who best exemplifies Dr. Parsa’s commitment to education and has a clear track record of mentoring students and residents who have gone on to successful careers as brain tumor neurosurgeons.

Nomination: Each Tumor Section member can nominate a brain tumor neurosurgeon who has been a phenomenal mentor during his or her career. As part of the nomination, please provide a short explanation of why you think the individual deserves such recognition.

Award: All nominations will be reviewed by the A.T. Parsa Award Committee. The winner will be announced and awarded at the Biennial Tumor Satellite symposium in Houston on October 5-6, 2018.

Submit all nominations to Orin Bloch, MD, chair of the Parsa Mentorship Award Committee, at orin.bloch@northwestern.edu and also to Jason Sheehan, MD, PhD, FAANS, secretary/treasurer of the Tumor Section, at jps2f@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu, by July 16, 2018.

Sincerely,

Manish K. Aghi, MD, PhD, FAANS
Chair, Section on Tumors