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Samir Sur, MD, has been immersed in science for as long as he can remember. So it’s appropriate that as the newest member of MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Department of Neurosurgery, he’s applying groundbreaking microsurgical and endovascular technologies to treat brain aneurysms, tumors, and similar complex conditions.
With a physical chemist mother and neuroscientist father, Dr. Sur spent much of his childhood in basic science and neurology labs. He majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University, and decided that medicine was the best match for his personality. He earned his medical degree from Boston University’s School of Medicine. It was then on to the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine for his neurosurgery residency, followed by fellowships in cerebrovascular, skull base, and endovascular neurosurgery.
Dr. Sur says the Hospital Center is the ideal location to begin his career. “It’s a nice combination of a tertiary hospital’s high-level, multi-disciplinary care with an academic and research mission, in the setting of a major Level 1 trauma center that serves most of this city and region,” he explains. “It’s the way I want to practice medicine.”
As a specialist in the transradial approach that has been adapted for neuroendovascular procedures, Dr. Sur also brings expertise in minimally invasive approaches to treat skull base lesions, cerebrovascular diseases, and brain and spine tumors. He’s also skilled in neurosurgical treatments for epilepsy and pain management.
“Whenever possible, I use the transradial approach for endovascular surgeries, making them safer and more comfortable for patients,” he adds.
In his dual role as assistant professor of Neurosurgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine, Dr. Sur looks forward to researching the outcomes and techniques of these approaches, and how they compare with conventional surgical methods.
“We’re fortunate to have a unique, very collaborative group of specialists,” Dr. Sur says of his colleagues. “I’m looking forward to sharing my expertise and expanding the range of treatment options for the region’s patients.”
With a hoped-for end to the pandemic in sight, Dr. Sur is eager to return to participating in team sports, such as soccer and basketball.
“I also like to eat—everyone’s a foodie these days, it seems—and travel,” he says. “For now, I’m just trying to find ways to stay active as safely as possible.”
