Mentorship

The Surgical Education Task Force of the ILAE Surgical Therapies Commission is pleased to announce a new local mentorship program. The goal of this program is to introduce new epilepsy surgery centers around the globe and expand access to surgical care worldwide. Each mentorship experience will include a collaboration between 1) a volunteer epilepsy neurosurgeon and neurologist team from an experienced surgical center, and 2) the clinical team at the new surgical center receiving mentorship.

The mentorship program typically includes several months of preparation and conference discussions of potential surgical cases, which is performed virtually, as well as approximately two weeks of on-site, hands-on mentorship during which the mentors visit the site to oversee surgical cases.

The ideal candidate center for the program will be in a location where epilepsy surgery is not available or not common, but also a center that already has in place the key personnel, resources, facilities, and motivation to launch a new epilepsy surgery program.

If you would like to suggest a potential center for mentorship, or if you would like to volunteer as a mentor, please contact the chair of the Surgical Therapies Commission.

Mentorship Program Reports

2025

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (July 2025 | December 2025)
Mongolia-Japan Hospital
Local organizers: Prof. Tovuudorj Avirmed, Dr. Enkhbold Dorjgotov, Dr. Altan-Ochir Sanjdorj, Dr. Tseren-Ochir Batbayar, Dr. Gansuvd Oidovdorj, Dr. Mendjargal Naranbat, Dr. Solongo Tsogt, Dr. Budlkham Jamiyan, Dr. Amarsanaa Lkhagvasuren, and Dr. Enkhjargal Manjiilaa
Mentors: Prof. Kensuke Kawai, Prof. Naoto Kunii, and Prof. Hideaki Shiraishi

Lublin, Poland (2025)
Medical University of Lublin
Local organizers: Jacek Gawlowicz (Neurology) and Pawel Szmygin (Neurosurgery)
Mentors: Cristine Cukiert (Neurology), Sallie Baxendale (Neuropsychology), and Arthur Cukiert (Neurosurgery)

Sfax, Tunisia (2025)
Habib Bourguiba University Hospital
Local organizers: Pr Chahnez Charfi Triki, Pr Fatma Kamoun, Pr Zaher Boudawara, Pr Hichem Ammar, Pr ag Fatma Kolsi and Dr Wafa Bouchaala
Mentors: Pr Bertil Ryhendag and Pr Cigdem Ozkara

2024

Mexico City, Mexico (2024)
National Medical Center of the ISSSTE
Local organizers: Lizbeth Itzel Sandoval Olivares, Cuauhtemoc Gil-Ortiz Mejía and Noel Plascencia
Mentors: Arthur Cukiert and Cristine Cukiert

Tbilisi, Georgia (2024)
Iashvili Children’s Hospital
Local organizer: Lado Tsikarishvili
Mentors: Christian Dorfer and Ekaterina Pataraia

Surabaya, Indonesia (2024)
Soetorno General Hospital
Local organizer: Heri Subianto
Mentors: Sarat Chandra and Manjari Tripathi

2023

Assuncion, Paraguay (2023)
Hospital IPS
Local organizer: Oscar Servin
Mentors: Arthur Cukiert and Cristine Cukiert