The American Association of Neurological Surgeons awarded the Humanitarian Award to Anselmo Pineda, MD, who is a professor of neurobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Pineda is a retired associate clinical professor in the department of surgery/division of neurosurgery at UCLA and previously founded the Neurosurgical Peruvian American Foundation. Here are five things to know about Dr. Pineda and NPAF:
1. The NPAF organized the first hands-on neurosurgical training program in Peru. Dr. Pineda launched these efforts to advance neurosurgery in his native country. The foundation now holds two full-year training programs for young Peruvian neurosurgeons. One of the programs focuses on neurosurgical endovascular intervention and the other focuses on radiosurgery.
2. To further progress its goal, NPAF also provides a one- to three-month scholarship program at the University of Chicago and UCLA for last-year residents. “It was my choice to participate and contribute toward the progress of neurosurgery in my native country, Peru,” Dr. Pineda said in an AANS news release. “They were and are my goals and objectives.”
3. Throughout his career, Dr. Pineda also made an impact on neurosurgery in other countries around the world. He has presented at conferences in France, Russia, Colombia and San Salvador in addition to the United States and Peru. He is a longstanding member of several national and international societies and lifetime fellow of AANS.
4. Dr. Pineda was trained in neurosurgery at the University of Chicago and was awarded a fellowship for teaching and investigation by the National Institutes of Health. He studied neurophysiology at Northwestern University in Chicago with the award. He has been passionate about his work in neurosurgery ever since.
“It is a great honor to receive the 2014 AANS Humanitarian Award,” Dr. Pineda said in the news release. “When I became a physician I challenged myself to become a neurosurgeon, a choice I made following Confucius’ words, ‘Choose a profession you love and you never work in your life.’ This award endorses that I made the right decision--I feel both humbled and proud.”
5. AANS has awarded the Humanitarian Award annually since 1987 to members who have given their times and talents to a charitable or public activity and whose actions have brought honor to the neurosurgical specialty.
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