There are neurosurgeons who make a mark — and then there’s Dr. Donald F. Dohn. On August 16, Don turns 100 years old, and we’re not just lighting candles — we’re celebrating a legacy that shaped the very foundation of modern neurosurgery. 
From his early days in Buffalo, New York, to the hallowed halls of the Cleveland Clinic, Don’s story is the stuff of legend. After earning his medical degree from the University of Buffalo, he trained under giants like Dr. Walter Hamby and Dr. W. James Gardner, Jr., becoming a force of nature in his own right. He didn’t just train neurosurgeons — he built neurosurgical training. Over 45 neurosurgeons and fellows passed through his tutelage as he helped formalize the educational structure of neurosurgical residency, moving it beyond the traditional apprenticeship model.
Guest post written by multiple neurosurgeons from the Department of Neurological Surgery at UCSF. Shawn L. Hervey-Jumper, MD FAANS (left); Edward F. Chang, MD FAANS (center); and Mitchel S. Berger,…
Clemens M. Schirmer, MD, PhD, FAANS, FAHA (left)Chair, AANS/CNS Communications and Public Relations CommitteeGeisingerWilkes Barre, PA Kristopher T. Kimmell, MD (right)Neurosurgeon at Rochester Regional HealthRochester, NY Every August is Neurosurgery…