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Madjid Samii Medal of Honor

Awarded by the WFNS

World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies

The medal and it's story behind

The Madjid Samii Medal of Honor will be awarded every two years by the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) during its meetings to eminent international neurosurgeons as a lifetime achievement award for outstanding services to neurosurgery. As such, the Madjid Samii Medal of Honor is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a neurosurgeon. The award has been incorporated in the WFNS Constitution and Bylaws. The medal has been named after Madjid Samii for his outstanding contributions to neurosurgery.

The medal is made from pure silver and shows Professor Samii in profile on one side and the image "Juggler at the Skull Base", intended to represent Madjid Samii, on the other side. The images and the medal have been created and designed by Dr. Miro Orszagh, a former neuroradiologist and talented artist.

The Madjid Samii Medal of Honor is supported by the exclusive sponsoring partner Aesculap.

Medal awardees

Dr. Benabid was born in 1942, received his MD in 1970 and his PhD in Biophysics in 1978 at University Joseph Fourier, was Professor of Biophysics since 1978 until 2005, head of the Neurosurgery Department from 1984 to 2004. He was director of the Preclinical Neurobiology INSERM research unit from 1985 to 2004 and then chairman of the Edmond J Safra Research Center Clinatec at CEA (Atomic Energy Agency from 2007 to 2021). His clinical activity was mostly functional stereotactic neurosurgery, where he developed deep brain stimulation (DBS) at high frequency, epilepsy (SEEG, cortectomies and DBS) and Brain tumors (Resections and Brachytherapy). He initiated and developed robotic surgery, participating to 2 companies. He is member of numerous scientific societies and owns prestigious prices such as the Lasker prize (2003) and Breakthrough prize (2004), and he recently received the 2021 Brain Stimulation Award and the 2021 Honda Foundation prize. He published more than 350 papers and his last H Index was 107 with 50842 citations. He just received the 6th Madjid Samii Medal of Honor at the 2022 World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Meeting in Bogota.

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Upon the occasion of the 15th Interim Meeting of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies in Rome, Italy from September 08-12, 2015 the Madjid Samii Medal of Honor was awarded to Professor Alexander N. Konovalov from Moscow, Russia. Alexander N. Konovalov was born in Moscow, Russia on December 12, 1933. In 1951 he finished high school and continued his education at the First State Moscow Medical Institute, named after Prof. I.M. Sechenov. He graduated his education in 1957 with distinction. He started on the field of Neurology at the Burdenko Neurosurgery Institute before his mentors paved the way for his Neurosurgical career. Throughout his career he focused on his role as surgeon and refined many neurosurgical techniques. He is still working as President of the Association of Neurosurgeons of Russia and Scientific Adviser at the Burdenko Neurosurgery Institute, which he headed about 40 years.

During the 15th WFNS World Congress of Neurosurgery in Seoul, Korea from September 08-13, 2013 the Madjid Samii Medal of Honor was awarded to Professor Sir Lindsay Symon from Wiltshire, UK. Lindsay Symon was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on November 4, 1929. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and Aberdeen University, graduating with honors and the Lyon Prize for the most distinguished graduate of the year in Medicine in December 1951. He was House Officer to Professors Harold Fullerton and W. C. Wilson in Medicine and surgery in the Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, and then served in the Royal army Medical Corps as a Junior Specialist in Surgery. He became Professor of Neurological Surgery in London University at the Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital in 1978 and was Senior Surgeon in the National Hospitals Group from 1981 until his retirement in 1995.

During the 14th WFNS Interim Meeting in Porto de Galinhas/Brazil from September 14-17, 2011 the Madjid Samii Medal of Honor was awarded to Professor Maurice Choux from Marseille, France. Maurice Choux was born on September 5, 1934 and studied at the Medical University in Marseille. He was progressively involved in pediatric neurosurgery from 1964. After several training visits in Chicago at the Children’s Memorial Hospital he decided together with Dr. Tony Raimondi to found the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ISPN) in 1972 which held its first official meeting in Tokyo in 1973.

The man on the medal – Madjid Samii, MD, PhD

Professor Madjid Samii was born in Tehran on June 19th, 1937. After his studies of medicine and biology he completed his training at the Neurosurgical Clinic of the University of Mainz/Germany where he became Professor of Neurosurgery in 1971. Madjid Samii was instrumental in the development of modern neurosurgery. In the 1960s he helped to improve imaging systems for neurosurgery and in 1967 he introduced the first surgical microscope for use in neurosurgery in Germany. In 1971, he started an annual continuing course to teach his experiences in microsurgery. In 1977, he established the first micro-neurosurgical training laboratory in Germany. His experiences are reflected in 17 books and more than 500 publications.

As President of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) from 1997 to 2001 Madjid Samii was the originator of the WFNS Neurosurgical Instruments Sets, a project set up with the aim of improving the treatment of patients in the world's poorest countries. He was the initiator and founder of the WFNS foundation in the year 2000, which helps and supports through neurosurgical equipment as well as training and education with its fellowships , especially for neurosurgeons from developing countries. And he initiated the Young Neurosurgeons Forum of the WFNS, a communication platform and network dedicated to young neurosurgeons from all over the world.

In July 2000, the International Neuroscience Institute (INI), which was founded by Professor Samii and is nicknamed the 'Brain of Hannover' on account of the building's unusual design, was opened in Hannover. In addition to his numerous honorary doctorates, awards, honorary and visiting professorships and foundations, this Medal of Honor of the WFNS is dedicated to and named after the honorary WFNS president Madjid Samii.

The designer of the medal – Miro Orszagh, MD

Born in Martin, Slovakia, Miro Orszagh grew up in a close knit family with his two brothers. After his high school graduation he began his studies at a sports university before devoting himself to the study of medicine.

In 1983, after his relocation to Germany, he worked in Munich, Hamburg and Göttingen before spending 15 years in the department of Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology of the Freiburg University Hospital. He gained a great deal from his work with the great team of physicists here and their "never-ending battle" with the k-space. He often used drawings in his publications and presentations – some highly scientific, others less – to illustrate the topics under discussion. At some point these drawings, which colleagues found to be extraordinarily profound, caught the eye of someone who suggested they be turned into an art book.

One of these drawings is the "Juggler at the Base of the Skull"…, which is a chapter of his book that he long ago dedicated to his friend and supporter Prof. Samii. "It couldn't suit anyone more perfectly". The "Juggler…", a fascinating symbolic figure – someone trying to do something extraordinary, going to the limits of his abilities, realizing his mystical visions, enthusing. And we all know about the infinite source of energy which enthusiasm provides…

Miro Orszagh's current project is the construction of the "Neuro Art Gallery" in the oldest mining town in Slovakia, Banská Štiavnica, where he spent most summers of his youth and which became an Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993. His vision is also to expose neuro-inspired puzzles from other colleagues here to bring a touch of poetry into this serious field. In addition to his passion for medicine and music, the most important people in his life are his four children: David, Florence, Nore-Runa, and Fionna-Sara.