Medical Student University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Introduction: At the turn of the 20th century, Neurosurgery as a specialty was only in its infancy. Many surgeons have been documented for their contributions to the field, however Dr. Charles Edwin Brackett Jr. is not one of them. Born in the early 20th century, he started his career right at the peak of neurosurgical growth. He received his college education at Harvard University then trained in neurosurgery at the Neurological Institute of New York. Dr. Brackett quickly became known for his teaching skills. He went on to take a position at the University of Kansas Medical Center, before he became the longest tenured Chief of Neurosurgery and taught thousands of medical students and thirty-five residents. Dr. Brackett also gave his time in service, holding many officer positions in Neurosurgical societies, including the position of Treasurer and then Secretary of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons from 1974 to 1980. Dr. Brackett also had a research career spanning thirty years focused on the treatment of aneurysms via carotid ligations, as well as investigating the issue of enlarging skull fractures among many issues. Overall, while he had an impact on the development of organized neurosurgery, in his own eyes Dr. Brackett’s largest personal achievement was his family.
Methods: The main methods for developing this historical article have been through records online from Dr. Brackett's different tenures in his career, along with personal communication with Dr. Han who spent extensive time with Dr. Brackett as his mentor, Dr. Brackett's personal memoir, and direct communication with family members to Dr. Brackett to learn about the different aspects of Dr. Brackett's life.
Results: N/A
Conclusion : This manuscript is focused on the life of Dr. Brackett and his path toward medicine all the way through his work becoming a renowned surgeon in the early field of Neurosurgery.
