John Kurt Birknes, MD - Dr. Birknes is a staff pediatric neurosurgeon with special interests in diagnosis, clinical and surgical treatment of brain tumors, spinal deformity and scoliosis, Chiari malformation, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and neuro-endoscopy. He is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia where he also completed his neurosurgical residency. He completed a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a second fellowship dedicated to pediatric spinal deformity/scoliosis at the Philadelphia Shriner's Hospital for Children. Dr. Birknes received numerous awards and scholarships while in graduate and post-graduate schools.