Kim James Burchiel was born April 23, 1950 in Holyoke, Massachusetts. After grade school education in Massachusetts and Connecticut, the family moved to Redding, California where Dr. Burchiel attended high school. His undergraduate education was 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.

Under the tutelage of Drs. Ward, Ojemann, Loeser and Wyler, Dr. Burchiel's interest in functional neurosurgery was established with a specific interest in pain, functional neurosurgery and epilepsy surgery. Upon completion of the residency program in 1982, Dr. Burchiel remained on the staff of the University of Washington as Assistant Professor and Chief of Neurosurgery at the Seattle VA Medical Center. During his six years at University of Washington, most of his laboratory efforts were devoted to the study of mechanisms of peripheral neuropathic pain and clinical interests in the treatment of pain with a major clinical interest in the treatment of pain.

In 1988, Dr. Burchiel accepted the position of Professor and Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. During his tenure there, the OHSU Division of Neurosurgery has expanded to become a clinically active program with a fully accredited residency training program in Neurosurgery with emphasis on clinical and basic neurosurgical research. In 1997 the Department of Neurological Surgery was established by the Dean of the School of Medicine.

Dr. Burchiel's honors include: High Honors, University of California, Davis (1972); University of California President's Scholar (1973); Mead Johnson Excellence in Research Award (1975); Roche Laboratories Award in Neuroscience (1975); Western EEG Student Prize (1978); American EEG Society Hans Berger Award (1978); Western Neurosurgical Society Resident Award (1978); World Dr. Burchiel's honors include: High Honors, University of California, Davis (1972); University of California President's Scholar (1973); Mead Johnson Excellence in Research Award (1975); Roche Laboratories Award in Neuroscience (1975); Western EEG Student Prize (1978); American EEG Society Hans Berger Award (1978); Western Neurosurgical Society Resident Award (1978); World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Seventh International Congress Award (1981); Seattle Surgical Society Resident Award (1982)); Best Doctors in American (1995-2015); Edgar Kahn Lecturer, University of Mighigan (1997); Nurham Avman Lecturer, University of Ankara (1998); Sir Sydney Sunderland Lecturer (1998); Harry A. Kaplan Lecturer, UMDNJ (1998); honored guest-Japanese Society of Functional and Sterotactic Neurosurgery (2000); Charles B. Wilson Lecturer, UCSF, 2004; Jeanette and Bernard S. Post Lecturer, Mt. Sinai, 2007; Peter B Moyes Lecturer, U British Columbia, 2007; John D. Loeser Lecturer, AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pain, 2007.Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Seventh International Congress Award (1981); Seattle Surgical Society ResidenNINCDS Teacher Investigator Development Award (1983); Best Doctors in American (1995-2008); Edgar Kahn Lecturer, University of Mighigan (1997); Nurham Avman Lecturer, University of Ankara (1998); Sir Sydney Sunderland Lecturer (1998); Harry A. Kaplan Lecturer, UMDNJ (1998); honored guest-Japanese Society of Functional and Sterotactic Neurosurgery (2000); Charles B. Wilson Lecturer, UCSF, 2004; Jeanette and Bernard S. Post Lecturer, Mt. Sinai, 2007; Peter B Moyes Lecturer, U British Columbia, 2007; John D. Loeser Lecturer, AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pain, 2008; Dr. Charles Taylor Memorial Lectureship, University of Calgary, 2009; Philip L. Gildenberg Lectureship, Baylor Colleg of Medicine 2011; Honorary Lecturer, International Basic Course, Turkish Neurosurgical Society, 2012; Ben and Mary Louise Levy Visiting Professor, Louisiana State University, 2012; Christopher Getch Memorial Visiting Professor, Northwestern University, 2012; Robert L. Campbell Lecture, Indiana University, 2012; E. Harry Botterell Professor, University of Toronto, 2012; Society of University Neurosurgeons, Distinguished Service Award, 2011.

Dr. Burchiel is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and has served on the CNS Executive Committee, and Nominating Committee.  He is a former Chairman of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pain.  He is Past-President of the Society of University Neurosurgeons.  He is a member of the American Society for Sterotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, and the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons.  He is active in the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and has served as a member of the AANS Nominating Committee.  He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, is Past-President of the American Board of Pain Medicine.  He is a member of the American Academy of Pain Medicine and of the International Association of the Study of Pain.  He is Past-President of the Western Neurosurgical Society.  He is a former Director, and past-Vice-Chairman of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He is Past-Secretary, and Past-President of the Society of Neurological Surgeons. He is Past-Vice Chairman, and current Chairman of the ACGME Residency Review Committee for Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Burchiel currently serves as the John Raaf Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, and sits on the Executive Committee of the OHSU Medical Group.

He and his wife Debra live in Portland and have four children: Jessica (32), Adrienne (31), Meridith (23), and Cole (18). His main non-neurosurgical interest is his family. Other interests include music, ru