Kim Burchiel is John Raaf Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University. He is the President-elect of the Society of Neurological Surgeons. Kim completed his undergraduate education at the University of California, Davis, majoring in Biochemistry and Genetics. He then went to medical school at the University of California, San Diego, graduating in 1976. He completed his surgical internship at the UCLA/Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, California and entered neurosurgical residency at the University of Washington under the leadership of Dr. Arthur A. Ward.