Practitioners
Christopher Sturm, MD, FAANS, FACS
Christopher Sturm, MD, FAANS, FACS Dr. Sturm earned his medical degree at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and completed his neurological surgery residency at the Saint Louis University Hospital in Missouri. Dr. Sturm is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the North American Spine Society. Dr. Sturm is the medical director of the Mercy Regional Neurosurgery Center and Mercy Institute of Neuroscience.
Dr. Sturm sees patients at:
Mercy Michael Berry Clinic, Janesville
- Certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- Member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- Member of the North American Spine Society
- Listed in the Who's Who of Medical Professionals and Executives
- Listed in the Guide to America's Top Physicians
- Nominated by ABI (American Biographical Institute) for "Man of the Year, 2005"
- Contributed to several neurosurgical publications and book chapters
- Co-authored two books, Head Injury: A Family's Guide to Coping and Neurosurgical Review
- Medical director of the Mercy Regional Neurosurgery Center and Mercy Institute of Neuroscience
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"I take the management of my patients very personally, and I am committed to utilizing every appropriate option available to lead to an improvement in their lives. We do not lose sight of what is most important, that being the patient's well being. Through a well thought out, coordinated treatment plan, we will continue to provide the most comprehensive, compassionate and state-of-the art care to our patients."
Dr. Sturm has particular expertise in the operation of the StealthStation, a frameless image-guided computer system used in performing minimally invasive intracranial and spinal surgical procedures. For several years, Dr. Sturm worked very closely with one of the inventors of the StealthStation.
Dr. Sturm specializes in managing of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar degenerative disease, as well as brain and spine tumors.
For additional information, see Dr. Sturm’s videos on Youtube
Merle Rust, MD
Dr. Rust earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, and completed his neurological surgery residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine-OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria. Dr. Rust is a member of the American Medical Association.
Dr. Rust sees patients at:
Mercy Michael Berry Clinic, Janesville
Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center, Lake Geneva
- Member of the American Medical Association
- Contributed to several neurosurgical publications and presentations
As a member of the Mercy Institute of Neuroscience, Dr. Rust treats a full spectrum of brain-related and spine-related problems including:
- Cervical and lumbar degenerative diseases
- Cervical and lumbar herniated discs
- Brain tumors
- Spinal tumors
- Head and spinal cord injuries
- Brain hemorrhage and hematomas
For additional information, see Dr.Rust’s videos on YouTube
Jennifer Bestland, APNP
Jennifer received her undergraduate degree at Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, and completed her Master of Science in Nursing degree at Marquette University, Milwaukee. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association of Neuroscience Nursing and the Association of Operating Room Nurses. She is a registered nurse first assistant and a certified registered nurse practitioner. Jennifer assists Mercy's neurosurgeons in the operating room and is the clinical coordinator of the Mercy Institute of Neuroscience.
Kelli Casper, APNP
Kelli received her undergraduate and Master of Science in Nursing degrees at the University of Wisconsin College of Nursing, Madison. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and is a certified registered nurse practitioner. Kelli cares for patients during their hospital stay and through their post-operative treatment in the clinic.
