Pittsburgh, August 13, 2009 -- The fifth annual Stuart Rowe Society Research and Lectureship Day will be held December 9 with Edward H. Oldfield, MD, Crutchfield Professor of Neurosurgery and Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia serving as the day's honored guest.

Dr. Oldfield will present two lectures, one on "Cushing’s Disease: Lessons Learned from 1000 Cases" during the day's main activities in the department's main conference room at UPMC Presbyterian, the other on "Pathophysiology of Syringomyelias: Implications for Therapy" at an invitation-only reception and dinner at the Duquesne Club in downtown Pittsburgh.

The day-long event features a series of lectures by department residents on topical research issues in the field of neurosurgery followed by discussion.

Stuart Niles Rowe, MD, was the first formally-trained neurosurgeon to practice in Pittsburgh. He is widely considered the founding figure of neurosurgery training in the city establishing the base of what would later become the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery.

Rowe preached research in his education of neurosurgery residents. He believed that neurosurgery training should not only teach exceptional technique, but also the critical clinical decision-making skills necessary to succeed. He preached the underlying need for thorough literature review and independent research as a means for broadening clinical knowledge.

Past honored guests for the event have included Patrick Kelly, MD, John A. Jane, Sr, MD, PhD, M. Sean Grady, MD, and Gary Steinberg, MD, PhD.

Lectureship Day's Schedule:

(Times and events are subject to change)

11:30 a.m.
Case Presentations with Residents
Department of Neurosurgery Conference Room
4th Floor, B-Wing, UPMC Presbyterian

1:00 p.m.
Resident and Fellow Research Lectures
Department of Neurosurgery Conference Room

4:00 p.m.
Honored Guest Lecture
"Cushing’s Disease: Lessons Learned from 1000 Cases"
Department of Neurosurgery Conference Room

5:00 p.m.
Patient Care Conference
Department of Neurosurgery Conference Room

6:30 p.m.
Reception (Invitation Only)
Duquesne Club
Carnegie Room
325 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA

7:00 p.m.
Dinner and Resident Research Awards (Invitation Only)
Duquesne Club

8:00 p.m.
Honored Guest Lecture (Invitation Only)
"Pathophysiology of Syringomyelias: Implications for Therapy"
Duquesne Club

For more information on the day's activities, please contact Wendy Edwards at (412) 647-0990.