AMPLify Your Future: Apply to ASSFN Functional Neurosurgery Mentorship Program

ASSFN has launched the third year of the highly successful Authorship, Mentorship, Partnership, and Leadership (AMPLify) mentorship program for medical students and residents. Designed to foster dedicated mentorship, provide coursework, and facilitate a 3-month visiting fellowship at a mentor institution, this initiative offers invaluable educational opportunities within identified stereotactic and functional programs.

ASSFN is currently seeking applications for the 2027-2028 academic year. Last year’s cohort included four high-impact fellowships to outstanding trainees, equipping them with a solid foundation for a career in functional neurosurgery.

Gaining Mentorship, Networking, and Career Growth Through AMPLify

The AMPLify program provides early exposure, practical guidance, and networking opportunities in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. A key feature is a three-month visiting fellowship at a selected mentor’s institution. This immersive experience allows mentees to conduct a planned research project under the direct guidance of their mentor while also gaining valuable clinical experience. Financial support is provided to offset the costs of housing, board, and travel expenses.

Past AMPLify award recipient Akash Mishra, an MD/PhD student at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, shares his experience:   

“The ASSFN AMPLify program provided me with an immersive exposure to functional neurosurgery and hands-on experience with cutting-edge research that would not have been otherwise possible at this early stage of my training. 

The mentorship that I received from my mentor, Dr. Rolston, and the rest of the team at Mass General Brigham has been invaluable in guiding the next steps of my career and advancing my development as an aspiring functional neurosurgeon-scientist.”

Learn more about the 2026-2027 AMPLify award recipients. 

The deadline for application submissions is November 1, 2026. 

To learn more about the program and to apply, visit assfn.org/amplify.

By Nicole Bentley, MD
The University of Alabama at Birmingham