Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Undergraduate: Washinton and Lee University
Medical School: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Robert Naftel, a native of Birmingham, Alabama received his undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University. Returning home, Rob completed his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Focusing his surgical training on neurosurgery, Rob is completing his residency at UAB. Neurosurgery training, Dr. Naftel notes, has provided him with the most personal and professional growth of any interval in my life. The experiences have imparted perspective on life and reinforced personal values.
It is my desire to practice medicine in a specialty that has the capability of affecting a global population. Neurosurgery's patient population with the greatest public health need is the hydrocephalus population. My current clinical focus explores the diagnostic test characteristics of clinical factors surrounding hydrocephalus the culture surrounding these patients.
To date, all of my published works, awards, and meeting presentations have centered on research in hydrocephalus and endoscopy. My other interests in neurosurgery include spine surgery, endoscopy, and brain tumor surgery. Performing spinal surgery sparked a curiosity into assessing patient reported outcomes.
Outside of medicine, my hobbies revolve around outdoor activities including running, mountain and road biking, fishing, and skiing. I also enjoy spending time with friends, watching movies, listening to audiobooks, and reading the newspaper. I value a balance in life between these activities and work. When I have this balance, I find that I am most productive.
In the end, my first priority remains becoming a clinically and technically safe neurosurgeon with compassionate patient-physician relationships. I believe that my academic interests will work synergistically toward this goal.