Selection and notification of winners (Exception: See Miami Observership): 

• November 15, 2023 Applications Open
• January 19, 2024: Applications Close
• April 1, 2024: Announcement of Winners

Expenses for educational materials and educational course registrations, air transportation, room and board and living expenses while in the USA for the award recipient.

Scholarship Awards:  Observership awards are approximately $20,000 (Miami, $15,000); visitorships are approximately $5,000.

Requirements for all International Observership applicants:

• Observership is expected to be completed within twelve (12) calendar months of award announcement.

• Applicant must be 35 years old or younger.

• Applicant must be a member of the CNS membership organization.

• The recipient is expected to attend the CNS Annual Meeting of the same year of the award.

• Must be in final year of residency, Head of Residents or within the last two years of residency.

• Letter of recommendation from the Director of the Residency or Supervisor.

• CV of candidate

• Description of project for basic or clinical investigation of the CNS which the candidate will develop during the year of IOP award, once returning to their home country of origin.

• Not available to United States citizens and foreign nationals residing in United States within twelve (12) months of application window.

• During observership, recipient will be expected to report monthly the activities developed at the institution, highlighting the most relevant to the observership. These reports should be presented to the supervisor and team.

• Be available for events and media opportunities both onsite at institution and during CNS Annual Meeting.

• Applicant must comply with CNS Foundation Terms and Conditions of Award.

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Go to Application Portal

Requirements and Obligations specific to this Observership:

• Open to applicants worldwide; priority given to applicants currently residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries as defined by the World Bank.

• Comply with Duke University Code of Conduct

• Applicant will be provided and expected to follow instructions for first day reporting at Duke University.

• Recipient will be responsible for organizing all travel and accommodations.

Focus: Spine Neurosurgery

Duration: Three-to-six months, to be determined by supervisor and awardee.

Made Possible By: Khoi and Heather Than as well as a generous anonymous donation to the CNS Foundation.

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Requirements and Obligations specific to this Observership:

• Open to applicants worldwide; priority given to applicants currently residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries as defined by the World Bank.

• Comply with UPMC, Neurosurgery Pittsburgh Code of Conduct

• Applicant will be provided details on coordinating travel to attend the CNS Annual Meeting and report for first day Visitorship at UPMC, Neurosurgery Pittsburgh.

• Recipient will be responsible for organizing all travel and accommodations.

Focus: Neurotrauma and Critical Care

Duration: Up to three weeks, including attending CNS Annual Meeting. (To be determined by supervisor and awardee.)

Made Possible By: Generous donations from the Joint Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care.

Requirements and Obligations specific to this Observership:

• Open to applicants worldwide; priority given to applicants currently residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries as defined by the World Bank.
• Applicant will be provided details on coordinating travel to attend the CNS Annual Meeting and report for first day Visitorship at Penn State.

• Recipient will be responsible for organizing all travel and accommodations.

Focus: Vascular

Duration: Up to three weeks, including attending CNS Annual Meeting. (To be determined by supervisor and awardee.)

Made Possible By: Generous donation from Penumbra.

Requirements and Obligations specific to the CNSF/University of Miami Tumor International Observership:

• Currently limited to individuals currently residing in Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina.

• Provide a written report of observership experience for publication in the Argentine Journal of Neurosurgery. Also, provide this written report to the CNS Foundation by sending to the Manager of the CNS Foundation. (Foundation@CNS.org). This written report must first be submitted for review and approval to Dr. Ricardo Komotar.

• Present the results of the clinical investigation project at the scientific session of the annual AANC (Asociación Argentina Neurocirugía) and the SNOLA (Society for NeuroOncology Latin America) meetings.

Focus: Tumors of the central nervous system. The recipient will learn and observe in the areas of scientific study, conferences, the operating theater, and consultation. This observership is sponsored by the CNS Foundation.

Duration: Three months, on site.

Made Possible By: Emvia Healthcare Solutions and Dr. Edward Overfield

Go to Application Portal

Requirements and Obligations specific to this Observership:

• Open to applicants worldwide; priority given to applicants currently residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries as defined by the World Bank.

• Comply with Mount Sinai Health System Code of Conduct

• Applicant will be provided and expected to follow instructions for first day reporting at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Focus: Multi-disciplinary treatment of brain and spine tumors

Duration: Up-to-six months, to be determined by supervisor and awardee.

Made Possible By: Generous donations from Medtronic and Stryker

Go to Application Portal

Requirements and Obligations specific to this Observership:

• Open to applicants worldwide; priority given to applicants currently residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries as defined by the World Bank.

• Comply with Massachusetts General Hospital Code of Conduct

• Applicant will be provided and expected to follow instructions for first day reporting at Massachusetts General Hospital

Mentor: Supervisor, Brian Nahed, MD, MSc

Team Members: Myron Rolle, MD; Kee Park, MD.

Focus: Clinical rotations and mentorship at MGH combined with educational coursework and networking at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Duration: Up-to-six months, to be determined by supervisor and awardee.

Made Possible By: Generous donations from Medtronic and Stryker

Go to Application Portal

Requirements and Obligations specific to this Visitorship:

• Open to applicants worldwide; priority given to applicants currently residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries as defined by the World Bank.

• Comply with Stanford Code of Conduct

• Applicant will be provided and expected to follow instructions for first day reporting at Stanford University

Mentor: Supervisor, Juan Carlos Fernandez-Miranda, MD, FACS

Team Members: Zara Patel, MD; Jayakar V. Nayak, MD, PhD; Peter Hwang, MD; Andrea Lora Kossler, MD, FACS; Christine Kyuyong Lee, MD, PhD

Focus: Neurosurgery, ENT Surgery (Rhinology/Otology), Oculoplastic and Neurotology surgery

Duration: Three-to-six months, to be determined by supervisor and awardee.

Made Possible By: Generous donation from Medtronic 

Go to Application Portal