Russel Hugo Patterson, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S., has been named Professor Emeritus of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Patterson has been a pioneer in the field of neurosurgery and has a rich history at Weill Cornell, where he earned his medical degree, completed his neurosurgery residency, and in 1971 followed Dr. Bronson Ray as neurosurgeon-in-charge in the Department of Surgery. His new appointment is reflective of the tremendous respect with which his colleagues regard him.
“Dr. Patterson has long been a mentor and friend to me and to everyone in the Department of Neurosurgery,” says Dr. Philip E. Stieg, who became the first Neurosurgeon-in-Chief of the newly formed Neurosurgery Department in 2000. “This appointment makes official the position he holds as a kind of elder statesman of neurosurgery, not only at Weill Cornell but around the world. He became an early champion of translational research before anyone knew how important that would turn out to be, and he has held a significant leadership role in the evolution of neurological surgery over the past four decades.”
After earning an undergraduate degree at Stanford, Dr. Patterson attended Cornell University Medical College and earned his M.D. in 1952. He completed his residency at Cornell in 1960, and in 1971 he was named neurosurgeon-in-charge at New York Hospital, a post he held until 1995. Dr. Patterson has served as president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the American Academy of Neurological Surgery, the Society of Neurological Surgeons, the New York State Neurological Surgical Society, and the New York Society of Neurosurgery. In 2000 he was awarded the AANS Cushing Medal, the organization’s highest honor.
Dr. Patterson has published hundreds of articles over the course of his career and continues to be active in numerous neurosurgery organizations, including the Society of Neurological Surgeons, where he serves as historian.
