Christopher Shaffrey, MD, chief of Duke Spine, has been awarded the Harvey Cushing Medal by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at their annual meeting in Chicago, May 3-5, 2024.
The award is the highest that the AANS can bestow on a member. It recognizes distinguished service and accomplishments in neurosurgery as well as extraordinary efforts to advance the field. The award's namesake, Harvey Cushing, is considered "the father of modern neurological surgery."
Shaffrey is a tenured professor in the departments of Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Surgery at Duke University School of Medicine. He has been chief of the Spine Division since 2018.
He is a world-renowned physician-scientist who has an active research interest in spinal surgery, particularly in multicenter research studies of pediatric and adult scoliosis, spinal cord injury, spinal trauma, spinal degenerative conditions, and tumors involving the spinal column.
He is a deputy editor for both the journals Spine and Spine Deformity. He has over 800 publications and over 1250 national and international presentations, and he has served as editor for several textbooks on spinal surgery. Shaffrey has served as the chair of the Joint Spine Section, chair of the International Meeting of Advanced Spine Techniques (IMAST), president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, president of the Scoliosis Research Society, president-elect of Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS), former director and chair for the American Board of Neurological Surgery and is currently vice chair of the ACGME Neurosurgery Residency Review Committee.
Shaffrey received his medical degree from the University of Virginia in 1986 and completed his general surgical internship at Naval Hospital San Diego. He completed his neurosurgery and orthopaedic surgery residencies, followed by a spine fellowship in pediatric and adult reconstructive spine surgery at the University of Virginia.