Contributions to this fund can cover any priority or opportunity within the Department of Neurological Surgery. However, there are several areas where your generosity might be particularly impactful.

Fellowship Programs

The Department of Neurological Surgery has recruited faculty to fill almost all subspecialty divisions, including neurovascular surgery, pediatrics, skull base surgery, spinal disorders, functional neurosurgery, and neurotrauma. It also has six fellowship slots for future surgeons in these areas. Filling these positions, however, can be a challenge. Because the fellowships are accredited through the Committee on Advanced Subspecialty Training (CAST), they are not eligible for federal dollars. Paying for them means tapping the department's non-clinical budget and garnering support from industry or national organizations.

Donor contributions to a general fund can help cover fellowship costs, which go beyond salary and benefits. For example, gifts could help underwrite the cost of fellows' research activities or cover travel costs to present at national meetings.

In addition, the department may also pay for fellows to pursue advanced training courses offered outside of IU. Equipping fellows with those skill sets benefits the patients they see while in Indianapolis and the countless others they will care for after they complete their fellowship and begin their full-time careers.

Clinical Research Fellowships

The department hires faculty with international reputations in clinical research, and their presence at IU attracts fellows who aspire to work and train alongside them. Sometimes, these fellows receive funding from other sources, but the department supplements those dollars. Your gifts can help IU become a hub for training future leaders in areas like skull base surgery.

Research

In addition to traditional basic scientists, the department also has surgeon-scientists who need internal resources to support their research. Early-career researchers often require initial funding for exploratory work, while others may need bridge funding when external sources lapse. 

The department also recruits faculty who are interested in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to medical research. For example, they analyze imaging scans to predict cancer recurrence and study novel techniques like deep-brain stimulation for treating movement disorders and epilepsy. Internal funding is crucial for these innovative projects.

In all these ways—and many more—your gift provides vital support for the Department of Neurological Surgery and its life-changing work. Thank you for your generosity!

Please note, the name and purpose of the fund displayed on this page constitute the authorized description of the fund by the Indiana University Foundation, Inc. Your gift supports the fund as described herein.

Gifts will be administered by the Indiana University Foundation, Inc. which represents Indiana University, including the IU School of Medicine. This is not a gift to Indiana University Health, and the Indiana University Health Foundation will not play a role in administering these accounts.