Name: Samuel Isa Gana
Home Country: Nigeria
Fellowship Hospital: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Fellowship Host: Professor Mustafa Baskaya
Fellowship Overview: Dr. Gana completed the Bassett Fellowship in 2024 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the guidance of trainer, Dr. Mustafa Baskaya. The activities of his fellowship included completing the Baskaya Microsurgical Bypass Training Curriculum, learning and participating in cadaveric skull base approaches in the microdissection lab. He also was able to participate in the 13th Annual Wisconsin Nerve Lab, and the Spine Symposium and Surgical Skills Lab. He also attended weekly clinical and academic meetings of the Department of Neurosurgery during his fellowship.
“This fellowship training has given me a better understanding of aneurysm surgery, approaches to skull base tumors, and overall, a better appreciation of microdissection and techniques of hemostasis. Also, I have seen firsthand the use of intraoperative neuro-monitoring, the use of intraoperative dyes, and the use of neuro-navigation.”
When asked what his future plans were in building infrastructure in Nigeria, Dr. Gana responded:
I currently work in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria which is a tertiary hospital in Northwestern Nigeria. I plan to expand the scope of my practice to include cerebrovascular surgery. I plan to push for the acquisition of a new operating microscope and microdissection sets, as our operating microscope is suboptimal and almost non-functional. Also, I am strongly making a case for the acquisition of equipment like neuronavigation, cavitron ultrasonic aspirator and neuromonitoring devices.
In closing Dr. Gana wished to acknowledge and thank those that supported his FIENS – Bassett Fellowship journey.
I would like to acknowledge my trainer Professor Mustafa Baskaya, as well as Proffesor Robert Dempsey for receiving me to the UW-MADISON.
Also, I thank Dr Abdullah Keles and other fellows in the lab for their support.
Finally, I thank Elizabeth Ludwig and Alan Weld for housing me throughout my fellowship, and providing me with a truly American family experience.
Dr. Gana’s Fellowship Photo Library
