Pittsburgh, June 13, 2011 -- A special black-tie graduation reception and dinner was held June 11 at the Fox Chapel Golf Club honoring chief residents Hilal Kanaan, MD, Dean B. Kostov, MD and Richard Singleton, MD, PhD, on their successful completion of the University of Pittsburgh’s seven-year neurological surgery residency program. The event was attended by more than 125 faculty members, colleagues, family and friends.

Dr. Kanaan is headed to East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, while Dr. Kostov is headed to Hampton Roads Neurosurgical & Spine Specialists in Virginia. Dr. Singleton is set to join Neurosurgical Associates, PC, in Richmond, VA.

Department chairman Robert M. Friedlander, MD, (second from right) with 2011 graduating chief residents (left to right) Richard Singleton, MD, PhD, Hilal Kanaan, MD, and Dean B. Kostov, MD.

During the evening, department chairman Robert M. Friedlander, MD, paid special tribute to Peter Sheptak, MD, a major teaching influence in the department for almost 40 years before retiring from active clinical practice in 2008. In his time with the department, Dr. Sheptak assisted in the training of almost 100 neurosurgeons and was honored with the establishment of a endowed chair at the university in 2005. Peter Gerszten, MD, was recently named recipient of the Peter E. Sheptak Chair in Neurological Surgery.

Annual teaching awards were also announced at the dinner with Dr. Kanaan selected as best resident teacher by the staff and Johnathan Engh, MD, chosen as best faculty teacher by the residents.

As the department honored its graduating residents, it took the time to welcome four new doctors into its residency program. Philip Lee, MD, PhD, is a native of Kingsport, TN, and a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. David Panczykowski, MD, is from Colorado Springs, CO, and a graduate of the University of Miami, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Gregory Weiner, MD, hails from Los Angeles, CA, and a graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine. Georgios Zenonos, MD, is from Pafos, Cyprus, and a graduate of the University of Athens.