To be the premier educational organization in neurological surgery.

Values Statement:
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons serves to promote health by advancing neurosurgery worldwide through innovation and excellence in education. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons provides global leadership in neurosurgery by inspiring and facilitating scientific discovery and its translation into clinical practice. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons maintains the vitality of our profession through volunteer efforts of its members and the development of leadership in service to the public, to our colleagues in other disciplines, and to neurosurgeons throughout the world in all stages of their professional lives.

Objectives:
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons seeks to improve the quality of healthcare through:
• The development of educational programs that convey knowledge, enhance self-directed learning and improve patient outcomes
• Advancing the science of medical education
• Promoting original inquiry and the exchange of clinical and scientific evidence
• Public advocacy for the enhancement of quality, safety and access to neurosurgical care

The Congress of Neurological Surgeons seeks to advance the profession of neurosurgery through:
• Refining neurosurgical practice based on evidence
• Promoting volunteerism and leadership development within our specialty
• Development of programs to promote safety, quality, and efficiency in practice for domestic and international members.

Founding Members
F.S. Barringer Leon M. Becker Carrol A. Brown Bland W. Cannon Richard L. DeSaussure John W. Devanney Franklin Earnest III Edward M. Gates James R. Gay Philip D. Gordy Warren C. Hastings	John A. Hetherington Nathaniel R. Hollister Donothan Ivey Thomas M. Marshall F.A. Palazzo Frederick C. Rehfeldt Elmer C. Schultz H.J. Svien Donald B. Sweeney A. Roy Tyrer Edgar N. Weaver

History of the Congress

The founding meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons was held by 22 men in Saint Louis, Missouri, on May 10, 1951. The first Annual Meeting of the Congress was held in November 1951, in Memphis, Tennessee. Total membership at that meeting was 121. Currently, our membership has grown to 6,375 neurosurgeons, worldwide.