Here are 31 spine surgeons leading spine surgery fellowship programs. If you would like to recommend another surgeon for inclusion on this list, please contact Anuja at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com.
Todd J. Albert, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Albert is president of Rothman Institute and chair of the department of orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He also serves as program co-director of the spine fellowship offered by Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Rothman Institute. He is a member of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society. His clinical interests include cervical spine diseases and degenerative spine. Dr. Albert completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and completed a spine surgery fellowship at Minnesota Spine Center.
Howard An, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. An is a professor of orthopedic surgery and director of the division of spine surgery and spine fellowship program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He has a professional interest in cervical spine surgery and treatment of scoliosis. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. An is interested in researching tissue engineering of the intervertebral disc and spinal biomechanics. He is a member of several professional organizations, including North American Spine Society, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine and the Cervical Spine and Scoliosis Research Societies. Dr. An earned his medical degree at Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, where he also completed his surgical residency. His additional experience includes fellowships in spine surgery at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and traveling fellowships from American Orthopaedic Association and Scoliosis Research Society.
Paul A. Anderson, MD (University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison). Dr. Anderson is the co-director of the University of Wisconsin Spine Fellowship Program. He has a special interest in spinal trauma and complex cervical spine disorders. Throughout his career, Dr. Anderson has published several articles on spine care. He performs artificial disc replacement, decompression and spinal fusion procedures along with other techniques. Dr. Anderson earned his medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit and completed his residency at affiliated hospitals. His additional training includes a fellowship at Case Western Reserve in Ohio.
Hyun Bae, MD (Cedars Sinai Spine Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Bae is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center as well as co-director of the spine fellowship program. He focuses on minimally invasive microsurgery and the treatment of cervical and lumbar spinal disease. His clinical interests also include motion preservation technology and non-fusion technologies. Dr. Bae completed an orthopedic surgical residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and a spine fellowship at Case Western Reserve Hospital in Cleveland.
Ravi S. Bains, MD (Kaiser Permanente-Oakland Spine Center, Oakland, Calif.). Dr. Bains focuses on orthopedic surgery of the spine. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is the program director of the spine surgery fellowship at the Oakland Spine Center. Dr. Bains completed his residency at University of Southern California Los Angeles and completed a spine surgery fellowship at University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
Sigurd H. Berven, MD (University of California San Francisco). Dr. Berven is an associate professor in residence and director of the spine fellowship program at UCSF. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association and Scoliosis Research Society. His clinical interests include pediatric and adult deformity, degenerative conditions of the spine, spinal tumors and spinal trauma. In terms of research, he is interested in basic science studies in the molecular basis of spine fusion. He completed his residency in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Boston Children's Hospital and completed a spine surgery fellowship at UCSF.
Eugene Carragee, MD (Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Palo Alto, Calif.). Dr. Carragee is the director of the spine center at Stanford Hospital & Clinics and serves as the director of the spine fellowship program at Stanford University School of Medicine. He focuses on spinal reconstructive surgery, cervical and lumbar disc and fusion surgery, spinal tumor and infections and spinal deformities. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine. Dr. Carragee completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Stanford University School of Medicine and has completed a fellowship in spine and pediatric surgery at the University of Hong Kong.
Robert Eastlack, MD (Scripps Health, San Diego). Dr. Eastlack is a fellowship trained spine specialist and co-director of the San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders spine fellowship program. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. His clinical interests include spinal stenosis, spinal deformity, radiculopathy, disc herniations, spondylolisthesis, complex spinal reconstructions and spinal tumors. Dr. Eastlack completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at University of California San Diego. He also completed an orthopedic spine surgery fellowship at Mayo Clinic.
Frank Eismont, MD (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine). Dr. Eismont is the chairman of the department of orthopedics, chief of the spine division and director of fellow education at The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. His research interests include treatment for cervical spine disorders, and he has published several articles in professional journals, such as the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, on his research. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Eismont is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) School of Medicine and completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He also completed fellowships at Case Western and Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
Steven Garfin, MD (University of California San Diego). Dr. Garfin is chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at UC San Diego. He also serves as the co-spine fellowship director at UC San Diego. His clinical interests include radiculopathy, reconstructive spine surgery, sciatica, spinal stenosis, failed back syndrome and herniated discs. He has also been involved in the design, use and clinical trial assessment for new techniques that have been developed over the last two decades to treat spinal deformities, disorders and injuries. Dr. Garfin completed his residency at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a spine surgery fellowship at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
Richard D. Guyer, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Guyer is the Texas Back Institute Spine Fellowship Program director and founder and chairman of the board for the Texas Back Institute Research Foundation. He has also served as an editorial board member for Spine and The Spine Journal. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Guyer serves as an associate clinical professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. During his career he has served as the president of the North American Spine Society and earned the Volvo Award in Low Back Pain Research. Dr. Guyer earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes spine fellowships at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and under Leon Wiltse, MD, in Long Beach, Calif.
Jeffrey Goldstein, MD (NYU Langone Medical Center's Hospital for Joint Diseases). Dr. Goldstein is the Director of the Spine Service and Director of the Spine Fellowship at NYU Langone Medical Center's Hospital for Joint Diseases. His clinical expertise includes the surgical treatment of degenerative diseases of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, deformity, trauma and tumors. He has been a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery and artificial disc replacement. Dr. Goldstein is a co-author in the pivotal studies for the FDA trials on single level cervical and lumbar disc replacement as well as two level ProDisc artificial lumbar disc replacements. In addition to his clinical practice Dr. Goldstein has served on the editorial board of The Spine Journal and as a reviewer for several other publications. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and completed his orthopaedic surgery training at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the Maryland Spine Fellowship in Baltimore. Dr. Goldstein is a Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the NYU School of Medicine.
John G. Heller, MD (Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center, Atlanta). Dr. Heller is the Baur Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and is the director of the spine surgery fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. He is a member of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Cervical Spine Research Society and Council of Spine Societies. His clinical interests include cervical fusion, disc degeneration, discectomy, herniated disc, kyphoplasty, laminoplasty, lumbar decompression and lumbar fusion. Dr. Heller completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University and completed a spine fellowship at University of California San Diego Medical Center.
Michael Janssen, DO (Center for Spinal Disorders, Thornton, Colo.). Dr. Janssen is an orthopedic spine surgeon certified by both the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Board of Spine Surgeons. He also serves as the director of the spine fellowship program offered jointly by the Spine Education and Research Institute and CSD. Dr. Janssen's clinical interests include degenerative spine conditions, spinal deformity, spinal tumors, spinal infection and injuries. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and completed a spine fellowship in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Eric O. Klineberg, MD (University of California Davis Spine Center, Sacramento). Dr. Klineberg is an associate professor and assistant residency director at UC Davis Spine Center. He also serves as program director of the spine fellowship program. His clinical interests include spinal degeneration, deformity, tumor and fracture. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and Western Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Klineberg completed his residency at University of Washington in Seattle. He has also completed a spine surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Yu-Po Lee, MD (University of California San Diego). Dr. Lee is an associate clinical professor in the UC San Diego department of orthopedic surgery. He serves as fellowship program director as well. His clinical interests include lumbar stenosis, herniated discs, cervical myelopathy, scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoplasty and minimally invasive fusion. His research interests are focused on disc regeneration and minimally invasive cervical fusions. He is active in the Head North Foundation, a charitable organization that helps spinal cord patients receive needed treatment. Dr. Lee completed his residency at University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine and completed his spine surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.
Thomas E. Mroz, MD (Cleveland Clinic). Dr. Mroz is the director of the Spine Surgery Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, cervical tumors and cervical deformity. In addition to his clinical work, he has lectured internationally on minimally invasive and cervical spine surgery. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. During his career, he has been on the editorial board for The Spine Journal and a reviewer for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Dr. Mroz earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington D.C. His additional training includes fellowships in spine surgery at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and neurosurgery at Semmes Murphy Clinic in Memphis, Tenn.
Praveen Mummaneni, MD (UCSF Medical Center). Dr. Mummaneni is the director of minimally invasive and cervical spine surgery at UCSF as well as the director of the Minimally Invasive and Complex Spine Fellowship Program. He also serves as co-director of spinal surgery and the UCSF Spine Center. During his career, Dr. Mummaneni has been invited as a guest lecturer at international meetings in Brazil, India, Japan, Taiwan and Korea. He was among the first neurosurgeons to obtain active membership in the Scoliosis Research Society's Edgar Dawson Memorial Scholarship and the SRS Traveling Fellowship Award. Previously, he served as scientific program chair and annual meeting chair of the AANS-CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine and has published several articles in peer-review journals. Dr. Mummaneni earned his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine and completed his residency in neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. His additional training includes a complex spine fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta.
Gregory M. Mundis, Jr., MD (San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders, La Jolla, Calif.). Dr. Mundis is an orthopedic spine surgeon and co-director of the San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders spine fellowship program. He focuses on adult and pediatric spine deformity surgery as well as cervical spine surgery. He is also interested in research and is an active member of the International Spine Study Group and the Growing Spine Study Group. He is also a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Mundis completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and a spine surgery fellowship at San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders.
Andrew E. Park, MD (Texas Spine Consultants, Dallas). Dr. Park founded one of the only spine fellowship programs in Dallas recognized by the North American Spine Society and serves as the fellowship director for the Dallas Spine Fellowship Program. He has a professional interest in treating complex spinal disorders and minimally invasive spine surgery. During his career, he has become a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Mid-America Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Park earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School and completed his residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, both in Chicago. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Emory University in Atlanta.
Lee H. Riley, III, MD (Johns Hopkins, Baltimore). Dr. Riley is the division chief of spine surgery at Johns Hopkins and director of the Johns Hopkins Orthopaedic Surgery Spine Surgery Fellowship. He has a special interest in treating the cervical spine and adult spinal disorders. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Riley is an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University. His research interests include disc degeneration, metastatic disease, vertebroplasty and cervical spine disorders. Dr. Riley earned his medical degree and completed his residency at Johns Hopkins. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Miami.
Andrew A. Sama, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Sama is the Fellowship Director of the Spinal Surgical Service at Hospital for Special Surgery. He also serves as the director of orthopedic spine surgery at New York Spine Hospital. He has a professional interest in treating patients with traumatic, degenerative and deformity-related conditions. Throughout his career, he has lectured nationally and internationally on spine surgery and served on multiple editorial review boards for professional publications. He is a member of the North American Spine society, AO Spine North America and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Sama is involved in basic science research on the biology and biomechanics of spinal fusion and fusion alternatives. Dr. Sama earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship in spinal surgery, disorders and deformities at Hospital for Special Surgery/ Weill Cornell Medical College.
David Schwartz, MD (OrthoIndy, Indianapolis). Dr. Schwartz is the director of the OrthoIndy Spine Fellowship and an assistant clinical professor at the Indiana University department of orthopedic surgery. During his career, Dr. Schwartz has been recognized with the North American Spine Society's outstanding research award and he is the inventor of the Anteres Spinal Instrumentation System used for treating spinal fractures, scoliosis and tumors. He has authored numerous articles for professional journals and presented at national and international conferences. Dr. Schwartz earned his medical degree at Loyola University in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Leatherman Spine Center, Kosair Children's Hospital and the University of Louisville in Kentucky.
Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Vaccaro is director of the spine program and the vice chairman of the department of orthopedics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He also serves as co-director of the spine fellowship program. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Scoliosis Research Society. His clinical interests include cervical spine diseases, degenerative spine, discectomy, joint surgery arthroplasty and kyphosis. He completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University and a spine fellowship at the University of San Diego.
Alan T. Villavicencio, MD (Boulder Neurosurgical & Spine Associates, Boulder, Colo.). Dr. Villavicencio is a senior practicing partner at Boulder Neurosurgical & Spine Associates. He also serves as director of the orthopedic and neurosurgical spine fellowship program offered jointly by The Justin Parker Neurological Institute, and its founding organization, Boulder Neurosurgical & Spine Associates. Dr. Villavicencio focuses on complex spinal reconstruction surgery, including treatment of scoliosis and other types of spinal deformity. He is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He completed his neurosurgical residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and also completed an orthopedic spine surgery fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Jeffrey C. Wang, MD (University of California Los Angeles). Dr. Wang is a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery and co-director of UCLA Spine Center. He also serves as director of the spine surgery fellowship program at the center. He is a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society and North American Spine Society. He also serves as the deputy editor of The Spine Journal. His clinical interests include kyphoplasty, laminectomy, lumbar tumor surgery, microsurgery, minimally invasive surgery, myelopathy, spondylolysis and vertebroplasty. Dr. Wang completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at UCLA School of Medicine, and he has completed a fellowship in spine and spinal cord injury at University Hospitals of Cleveland.
Jon White, MD (Hoag Orthopedic Institute, Irvine, Calif.). Dr. White is board certified and practices at Hoag Orthopedic Institute. He is the director of the institute's spine fellowship program. He focuses on orthopedic and spine surgery and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and American Spinal Injury Association. Dr. White completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at University of California at Irvine and completed a spine surgery fellowship Northwestern University in Chicago and Elmwood Medical Center in New Orleans.
Kirkham B. Wood, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston). Dr. Wood is the chief of the orthopedic service and program director for the Spine Surgery Fellowship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He has a professional interest in treating adult spinal disorders, including scoliosis, trauma and degenerative conditions. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Wood is focused on research projects, including the effects of instrumentation on spinal deformity, the dynamics of the intervertebral disc and alternative methods for spine surgery. He has also worked with European scientists to develop resorbable implants for spinal fixation. Dr. Wood earned his medical degree at Albany (N.Y.) Medical College and completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship at Minnesota Hospital & Clinic in Minneapolis.
James J. Yue, MD (Yale-New Haven Hospital Spine Center, New Haven, Conn.). Dr. Yue is the co-director of the Yale Spine Center and also serves as director of the Yale Comprehensive Integrated Spine Fellowship program. He is also the director of the Center for Motion Preserving Spine Surgery & Studies. His clinical interests include arthritis, cervical discectomy, cervical surgery, disc replacement, endoscopic scoliosis, fractures, lumbar discectomy and lumbar herniated disc. His research focuses on non-fusion technology and cervical and lumbar disc replacement. Dr. Yue completed his orthopedic surgery residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland and completed a spine fellowship at Queens Medical Center in New York and University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.
Thomas Zdeblick, MD (University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison). Dr. Zdeblick is the chair of the department of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He is a co-program director for the University's Spine Fellowship Program. Dr. Zdeblick has clinical interests in cervical spine deformity, anterior thoracolumbar spinal instrumentation, interbody fusion cages, artificial discs and minimally invasive spine surgery. He is the designer and innovator for the Z-plate anterior thoracolumbar spinal fixation system and the Novus interbody lordic fusion cage. Dr. Zdeblick earned his medical degree at Tufts University in Boston and completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. His additional training includes a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
James Zucherman, MD (St. Mary's Spine Center, San Francisco). Dr. Zucherman is a senior partner at San Francisco Orthopaedic Surgeons and is one of the founding members of the St. Mary's Spine Center. He is also the co-director of the Stanford/ St. Mary's Hospital combined spine surgery fellowship program. He focuses on the surgical treatment of degenerative conditions of the spine and is the inventor and co-developer of the X-STOP, an interspinous process device for the treatment of spinal stenosis. Dr. Zucherman completed his general surgery residency at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco and completed a pediatric/orthopaedic spine surgery fellowship at the University of Hong Kong.
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