Congratulations to the first round of FIENS fellows for 2024. The Bassett Fellows are Dumura Jeneral Alfin, Jeremiah Omoro and Teuku Arie. The first Mukhtar A. Sheikh Fellowship has been awarded to Rabia Saleem. As the 2024 Bassett and Mukhtar A. Sheikh Fellowship awardees, they will receive funds to cover traveling and living expenses for a three-month period to be spent observing the activities of a neurosurgical service that has an established relationship with FIENS. It is the intention of FIENS that these scholars will one day act as future sites of service for FIENS.
From Plateau State, Nigeria to Arizona, United States of America
Dr. Dumura Jeneral Alfin is a young neurosurgeon, currently practicing neurosurgery at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State, Nigeria. He will travel from Nigeria to the Barrow Neurological Institute to participate in observership training in cerebrovascular and skull base neurosurgery hosted by Dr. Michael T. Lawton. He believes that this fellowship will support him in addressing the overwhelming demand for skull base and cerebrovascular services in Nigeria.
From Nairobi, Kenya to Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
Dr. Jeremiah Omoro will travel from the University of Nairobi Hospital to Fujita Health University, Bantane Hospital for an observership in vascular neurosurgery, hosted by Professor Yoko Kato. He believes this opportunity will support him in understanding and mastering open and end-vascular techniques of intracranial aneurysms. He is hoping to participate in cadaveric workshops that will help him master his microvascular skills. He believes that this fellowship will allow him to build on his career goal of becoming a hybrid vascular neurosurgeon.
From West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia to Jette, Belgium
Dr. Teuku Arie Hidayat completed his neurosurgical residency at University of Gadjah Mada/ Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He will travel from Indonesia to Jette, Belgium to complete his fellowship at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel under fellowship host, Professor Michaël Bruneau. Dr. Hidayat’s fellowship goal is to enhance his neurosurgical skills and knowledge to support neurosurgical patients in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
From Lahore, Pakistan to Wisconsin, United States of America
Dr. Rabia Saleem is the first awarded Mukhtar A. Sheikh fellow. She is currently working as Senior Registrar Neurosurgery at Punjab Institute of Neurosciences (PINS) in Lahore, Pakistan. She will travel to complete her fellowship at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, under host Professor Mustafa Baskaya. The purpose of her fellowship is to be exposed to advanced training, skill development and new research opportunities. She also hopes this fellowship will support her in enhancing patient care in her home country of Pakistan.
We are committed to keeping you updated on the fellowship reports and the exciting developments of these four young neurosurgeons. Their journey is a testament to their dedication and the future of neurosurgery, and we look forward to sharing their progress and achievements with you. Stay tuned for more updates as they continue to grow and make significant contributions in their field.
