Dr. Szper commenced his college education at the University of Toledo in September of 1965. During those years he became Vice President of the Student Body, President of the Student Senate, and President of his Fraternity. Prior to graduation, he was awarded Student Senator of the Year (1968), inducted to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities (1969), Chaired Earth Day activities for the whole campus in 1970, and was elected to the Blue Key National Honor Society.

He obtained his Master’s of Science degree in 1970, and went on to Medical School at the Medical College of Ohio.

Due to his interest in the brain, he performed his Master’s Thesis on gold-thio-glucose stereo tactic implants in the ventro-medial nucleus of the hypothalamus (satiety center) of the White Leghorn Hen. By ablating this nucleus, a behavior was hoped to be achieved that would iniate weight gain. By having the Hen be totally preoccupied with eating, and only eating, a “heftier” chicken would come to market! He didn’t set the world on fire, but his research did stimulate his interest in “Brain Surgery”, eventually leading to his residency choice of Neurological Surgery. Commensurate with his Masters he maintained an appointment as Instructor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Toledo.

He entered Northwestern University’s Neurological Surgery program in July of 1973 under the direction of the esteemed Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Tony Raimondi.

This was a totally academic program, encompassing 7 years (usual training at that time being 5 years). One of the inherent requirements of the residency was to teach sophomore medical student’s Neuroanatomy lab and this became one of his responsibilities. He honed these teaching skills with a fervor which gave him, during his professional years, the fluent ability to communicate complex anatomical and physiological concepts to his patients.

During his residency, he helped found a micro neurosurgical laboratory, sharpening his scalpel as well as his educational skills, while teaching other residents as well as visiting neurosurgeons, the new world of microscopic surgery. During his last year of training he was asked and honored to be an abstractor for the prestigious journal Surgery, Gynecology, & Obstetrics.

Prior to his graduation from Northwestern in 1980, he was the recipient of many awards. These included the Sherry Kallick award for the best neurosurgical research (1975), Anne Addington Research award (1979), and first prize for Research for the whole Department of Surgery (1980).

In 1978 he received the Taylor Blackwell Award for Foreign Study as well as a French Post Doctorate Scientific Scholarship, which allowed him to further his studies, education and “scalpel skills”. He spent seven months in the outskirts of Paris, France, at Hopital Foch, learning skull base surgery, as well as compiling data and surgical experience with trans-oral surgical techniques. Beyond the expected improvement in surgical skills, he became fluent in French, which he glibly speaks to this day, as well as becoming a novice French-wine oenophile.

Prior to completion of his residency in 1980, he was asked to stay and become a Junior Attending at one of the local teaching hospitals in Chicago affiliated with Northwestern University. He chose, rather, to move to the outskirts of Los Angeles, where he became “the Neurosurgeon” joining three neurologists at the Los Angeles Neurological Institute.

The relationship was short-lived, and he went on to his own private practice, maintaining his privileges at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center (LBMMC), Los Alamitos Medical Center (LRMC), Lakewood Regional Medical Center (LRMC) and Miller Children’s Hospital (MCH).

During the past quarter century, Dr. Szper has held many positions, some appointed though many were elected. These included: Chief Neurosurgery Section 1994-96, Chief of Surgery LBMMC 1996-1997. This was followed by 2 year stint as Chief of Staff, and he was then re-elected for another 2 year term. This was the first time anyone had been re-elected to such a prestigious position in the history of the hospital (LBMMC is the second largest private hospital west of the Mississippi). Presently, since 2004, he carries the title of the Director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Service at MCH.

Due to these feats, as well as his surgical prowess, he was elected to Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare 2000-2006, as well as being on the list of the “Best of L.A. Physicians” since 2000, i.e. the last six years running.

Throughout his twenty-five years in private practice he found himself on many hospital committees inclusive of the following:

• Medical Affairs
• Finance
• Board of Governors
• Medical Executive
• Surgical Credentials
• Quality Assurance
• Operating Room Advisory Committee
• Children’s Audit
• Trauma
• Neuroscience taskforce
• plus many more

His love for education, especially attempting to simplify the aforementioned complex neuroanatomical and physiological conditions has led him to become a well-sought after orator at many different conferences at all of his attending hospitals. This “knack” has also bode well in the courtroom, as many medical malpractice defense attorneys have utilized his verbal services on the witness stand.