No references needed; this is from the heart. I strongly dislike these 3 phrases:

“The horse has left the barn”; “The train has left the station”; and “That ship has sailed”. I am glad that I have never believed in the finality of those statements and have never given them much regard.

I started my training in neurological surgery in 1995 and “grew up” among some of the politically active giants in neurosurgery. Drs. Peter Carmel, Gary Bloomgarden, Deborah Benzil, Mark Linskey, Katie Orrico, David Adelson, Ken Blumenfeld, Ann Stroink, Joseph Cheng, and so many others. I witnessed their dedication to our field, not just to neurosurgeons in academia, or in private practice, but to residents in training, patients, and their families. I have seen their efforts and work products make a genuine difference in our lives. I started out as a Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) representative to the Council of State neurosurgical Societies (CSNS) in 2001, through Dr. Adelson’s nomination and support. I have attended every CSNS meeting since that time.

I became active in the CNS and CSNS at the same time and volunteered for many different committees. I was surprised to discover how welcoming and encouraging many senior neurosurgeons were to a young and inexperienced neurosurgeon like me. After a few years, I started chairing some of the committees where I had helped, and in time, my time commitment and responsibilities increased, as did my friendships among neurosurgeons nationally.

Over the years, I have developed so many important friendships that have brought me so much joy and great memories. When I sat for my boards for the American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS), I knew many of my examiners because I had served under them on various committees. These friends were also my mentors, teachers, and colleagues. Since 2001, I have noticed many of the same faces at the table and I am grateful for the young neurosurgeons who show an interest and work ethic like mine. I wish more young and mid-career neurosurgeons would become more active in our societies.

It is somewhat discouraging that so few neurosurgeons support or Neurosurgery Political Action Committee (PAC) or understand the herculean efforts of our Washington Committee. Physician burnout and frustration is real. Complaining about the current state of medicine in the US does nothing to remedy the situation. Action and effort can change the world, but self-defeatist attitudes and a complete lack of support for our national organizations do nothing to remediate the situation. We cannot change anything without a louder voice; we need more neurosurgeons to become active and responsive to the economic and political changes that have hurt our patients and our profession.

In summary, we have a serious obligation to be more responsible professionally, ethically, and politically. You cannot sit in your office silo and bemoan the status quo. I applaud and support every neurosurgeon who stands up for what is right and just. I will stand with you and work beside you in our efforts to improve healthcare for our patients and colleagues. I cannot accept the continued devaluation of our specialty and the care we provide.

Perhaps these are some of the reasons why I started law school in the summer of 2022. I have a strong ethical and spiritual belief in doing what is right. I have always been inclined to stand up for the little people, my interest in pediatric neurosurgery was understandable. I urge all of you to continue your support in the CSNS and do not give up trying to persuade more neurosurgeons into becoming more politically and professionally active in our societies. Whether active in your county, state or nationally, all your efforts will make a difference. We must believe this. We cannot give up and allow a self-defeatist mentality to destroy what we believe in. We must continue and increase our efforts. Please share this article. Our profession and our patients need more support.