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About Ϲ Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery Historical Perspectives

1893: The College was founded as the Wisconsin College of Physicians and Surgeons.

1913: The Wisconsin College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Milwaukee Medical College merged to form Marquette University School of Medicine.

1963: Neurosurgery became a Division of Surgery with full-time faculty; Dr. Sanford Larson was recruited as the first Chair of Neurosurgery.

1964: The department’s Neuroscience Research Laboratories founded by Drs. Sanford Larson and Anthony Sances, Jr., at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center as a joint program with the Department of Biomedical Engineering of Marquette University.

1971: First neurosurgery resident completed the training program.

1987: Dr. Sanford Larsoninitiated the first Spine Fellowship Program in the country.

1988: Neurosurgery became a Department of the Ϲ.

1991:Dr. Frank A Pintarappointed Director of the Neuroscience Research Laboratories.

1998: The Department establishes the Vehicle Crash Lab as the only car crash facility in an academic institution in the world.

1999: Dr. Larson retires;Dr. Thomas Gennarelliappointed as Chair of Neurosurgery.Pediatric Division created;Dr. Bruce Kaufmanappointed Chief.

2003: Neuroscience Research Laboratories at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center established withDr. Frank Pintaras Director.

2008: Translational Brain Tumor Research Program formed.Research Division created,Dr. Frank Pintaris appointed Chief. The Department invests $3 million to build the Neurosurgery Research Facility.

2009: Neurosurgery Research Facility opened, a state-of-the-art laboratory for neuroscience and biomechanics research.Dr. Thomas Gennarelliretires as Chair; Dr. Dennis Maimanappointed as Chair of Neurosurgery.

2016: Dr. Shekar Kurpadappointed Interim Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery.Dr. Sean Lewappointed Chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

2017: Dr. Shekar Kurpadappointed Sanford J. Larson Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery.

2018: Drs. Shekar KurpadԻ Michael McCrea launch Center for Neurotrauma Research.

2022: Dr. Aditya Vedantamfounds the Center for Cervical Myelopathy.

2023: Dr. Michael McCreafounds the BRAVE Program.

2024:Dr. Shelly Timmonsannounced as Sanford J. Larson Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, Dr. Shekar Kurpadassumes full-time role as founding director of the.Drs. Brian Stemper, Matthew BuddeԻ Aditya Vedantamnamed co-directors of the Zablocki VA Medical Center Laboratories.

2025: Dr. Marjorie Wangnamed Executive Director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

Surgical Procedures

3,500+

Froedtert Hospital

700+ 

Children's Wisconsin

200+ 

Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
100/yr+
Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgical cases

Resident & Fellow Placement

The Department of Neurosurgery has placed a significant number of residents and fellows in academic positions.

46%

of residents have taken academic positions

60%

of fellows have taken academic positions

Operative and Clinical Practices

  • Our neurosurgeons staff the only two Level One Trauma Centers in southeastern Wisconsin
  • NAEC Level 4 pediatric epilepsy surgery program
  • Stereotactic laser ablation (Visualase)
  • Combined Interventional and open operative suite
  • Intraoperative O-arm (2)
  • Intraoperative MRI (2017)
  • 6 neurosurgical operative microscopes and 7 stealth stations
  • Stereotactic radiosurgery
  • 40 new pediatric brain tumors/year
  • Stereoencephalography
  • Magnetoencephalography
  • Fetal myelomeningocele closure
  • International leaders in spine surgery and spine biomechanics, brain injury, and neurotrauma

Contact Us

Department of Neurosurgery
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Hub for Collaborative Medicine
8701 Watertown Plank Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53226

Office
(414) 955-0950

Ϲ Google map location