May 4, 2020, Schaumburg, Illinois – The Congress of Neurological Surgeons and The Congress of Neurological Surgeons Foundation (CNS Foundation) have collaborated to develop the Virtual Visiting Professor (VVP) and Online Grand Rounds (OGR) webinars to support neurosurgeons worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Produced by the CNS Education Division volunteers and staff, the CNS Foundation’s grant provides international neurosurgeons, residents and our entire membership, complimentary access to an innovative collection of educational products. VVP webinars feature interactive conversations with medical leaders speaking on a wide array of topics including sharing latest learned-lessons on how to protect medical practitioners on the frontlines. OGR webinars provide two to three hours of didactic material to supplement resident education due to institutional closures around the world.
Spanish captions have been added to Grand Rounds Webinar, “Best Practices for NIR/Neurosurgical Care During COVID-19 Pandemic.” Doctors Alexis Morell and Franco Rubino, two Argentinian grant recipients of the CNS Foundation/Tumor Section Observership, provided the translations. Plans are being made to add Spanish captions to additional webinars.
“It was exactly what we all needed. The CNS Educational Division produced this extraordinary online library in record time,” said CNS President Steven Kalkanis. “The CNS Foundation is the perfect inaugural partner for CNS as we roll out this innovative product to our international, resident and member neurosurgeons. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, both from experts willing to share virtually, and our appreciative audience.”
“Big pictures can be solved with simple questions,” said Robert J. Spinner, MD, Chair of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, during his April 23rd, talk, on disruptive transformation. “The world has changed with Corona virus and I think if we try to find a silver lining, it’s that there’s been tremendous unity, so-called E pluribus unum, that has stemmed from this pandemic. With this, is even this Virtual Visiting Professorship where you take a challenge and you try to find an opportunity.”
“Thanks to The CNS Foundation donors, the CNS Foundation was able to support our global neurosurgeon community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CNS Foundation Chair Elad I. Levy, MD, MBA. “Serving our international colleagues in such an innovative way, this project perfectly aligned with our mission.”
“The wealth of knowledge made accessible by these webinars is extraordinary. The robust CNS virtual education portfolio suddenly became even more meaningful to our members,” said Ashok R. Asthagiri, Chair of the CNS Educational Committee.
The CNS encourages Industry partners to contact The CNS Corporate Development Team to learn more about future Digital Opportunities for Virtual Visiting Professor (VVP) and Online Grand Rounds (OGR) webinars.
Please contact:
Alex Waszok, Industry Relations & Sales Representative: awaszok@cns.org
Colleen Dunphy, Industry Relations & Sales Representative: cdunphy@cns.org
Sydney Manola, Associate Director, smanola@cns.org
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About the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) is the global leader in neurosurgical education, serving to promote health by advancing neurosurgery through innovation and excellence in education. The CNS provides leadership in neurosurgery by inspiring and facilitating scientific discovery and its translation into clinical practice. The CNS maintains the vitality of the profession through volunteer efforts of its members and the development of leadership in service to the public, to colleagues in other disciplines, and to neurosurgeons throughout the world in all stages of their professional lives. For more information, visit cns.org.
About CNS Foundation
The CNS Foundation’s philanthropic mission is to improve worldwide patient health by supporting innovative programs that allow neurosurgeons to collaborate globally as researchers, learners, educators and caregivers. Based in Schaumburg, Illinois, the three mission pillars are international philanthropy, clinical scientist career development and neurosurgical guidelines development, review and dissemination. The 2019 “Match for the Mission” campaign will match all gifts from individuals and medical societies until the entire $1 million is matched. For more information about the CNS Foundation or to make your gift, please go to https://www.cns.org/about-us/foundation, or contact Courtney Johnson, Manager of Foundation & Giving, at Foundation@CNS.org.