The specialty of neurosurgery at the University of Wisconsin came into being in 1942 as a division of
the Department of Surgery. That year Dr. Theodore Erickson was hired as chair of the fledgling division.
He had recently completed his training under Dr. Wilder Penfield at the Montreal Neurological Institute.
The following year a resident training program was established which continues in operation today.
Dr. Manucher Javid was the second full-time attending neurosurgeon to be hired at the University. He
arrived at the UW in 1953, having just completed training at the Massachusetts General Hospital under
the direction of Dr. James C. White. Dr. Javid became division chair in 1962 and remained an active
force in University neurosurgery for the next 33 years. He gained international recognition because of
his work in osmotherapy for brain edema. He expanded the clinical faculty and created a research
faculty. Later he earned the admiration of his residents and colleagues by skillfully steering the
neurosurgical program from Division to Departmental status - a feat finalized in 1989. This was an
important step in setting the stage for attracting a new generation of leadership with new visions for
growth.
In 1995 Dr. Javid was succeeded as Department Chair by Dr. Robert Dempsey who was trained by
Drs. Richard C. Schneider and Julian Hoff at the University of Michigan. Today, under the leadership of Dr. Dempsey, the
Department has further expanded the residency training program and its faculty. Interventional
neuroradiology is codirected by one of our vascular neurosurgeons. Fellowships in spine and functional
neurosurgery were approved for 2005 and 2003 respectively. The Department has a national reputation for
innovative research, clinical excellence in all aspects of neurosurgery and continues to attract top
notch resident applicants.
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Dr. Manucher Javid was the second full-time attending neurosurgeon to be hired at the University. He
arrived at the UW in 1953, having just completed training at the Massachusetts General Hospital under
the direction of Dr. James C. White. Dr. Javid became division chair in 1962 and remained an active
force in University neurosurgery for the next 33 years. He gained international recognition because of
his work in osmotherapy for brain edema. He expanded the clinical faculty and created a research
faculty. Later he earned the admiration of his residents and colleagues by skillfully steering the
neurosurgical program from Division to Departmental status - a feat finalized in 1989. This was an
important step in setting the stage for attracting a new generation of leadership with new visions for
growth.
