Announcing the 2012 Campagna Scholar in Neurological Surgery!

Dr. Mario and Mrs. Edith Campagna are long time members of the Oregon community. Mario pioneered neurosurgical care in southern Oregon, and Edie supported his incredibly busy practice and raised their family here in the state.

The Campagnas have also been visionary philanthropists, and maintain close ties with neurosurgery and neurosurgical education at OHSU.

One of the most innovative programs the Campagnas have initiated is the Campagna Scholarship in Neurological Surgery. After a raft of applications from medical schools around the country and consideration by a committee within the Department of Neurological Surgery at OHSU, we have named the 2012 Campagna Scholar, the 5^th Scholar to matriculate into the program.

Gustavo Mendez is a medical student at OHSU, the first internal candidate selected in the national Campagna Scholars annual competition. With a BA in physics from Harvard University and post-BA pre-med studies at USC, plus extensive lab experience, Gustavo is a start student. He has already greatly impressed the faculty at OHSU, and has begun a project under the supervision of Neurosurgery Asst. Professor, Dr. Brian Ragel.

Previous scholars have conducted research leading to numerous publications in the peer reviewed neurosurgical literature. Already, two have fulfilled Dr. Campagnas vision to encourage the best and brightest to enter neurosurgical training: they have earned coveted spots in neurosurgical training residencies after medical school.

Many have also presented their work at national neurosurgical meetings. Here are two scholars, just after their presentations at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons meeting in Washington, D.C., in October of 2011: The 2010 Scholar, Susan Wozniak, and the 2011 Scholar, Michael Strong. Also pictured are OHSU Neurosurgery Resident, Dr. Eric Thompson, and myself (the Campagna Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery – but I’ll leave that story to another entry!).

It is my privilege each summer to visit Medford for the day with the current scholar. Here is a photo of Susan Wozniak and myself with the Campagnas. I am greatly looking forward to the next trip with Scholar Gustavo Mendez this summer!

Nate Selden, Edith Campagna, Mario Campagna, Campagna Scholar Susan Wozniak

Campagna Scholar Michael Strong, OHSU Resident Eric Thompson, Nate Selden, Campagna Scholar Susan Wozniak