Here are 20 spine surgeons who are focused on ethics.
If you would like to recommend another surgeon for inclusion on this list, please contact Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com.
Jamie Baisden, MD (Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee). Dr. Baisden is an associate professor at Medical College of Wisconsin and a member of the Ethics Committee for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. She has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal tumors, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis and fractures. She performs minimally invasive surgical procedures. During her career, Dr. Baisden has authored several professional articles published in journals such as The Spine Journal. Dr. Baisden earned her medical degree at West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown and completed her fellowship in spine surgery at Medical College of Wisconsin affiliated hospitals. Her additional training includes a fellowship in spinal cord injury at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee.
Kara Beasley, DO (Boulder Neurological & Spine Associates, Boulder, Colo.). Dr. Beasley is one of the only dually credentialed neurosurgeon bioethicists in the world. She participated in Neuroethics as a special concentration at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and also completed a dual degree in medicine with a Masters of Arts in bioemedical ethics at Midwestern University Glendale, Ariz. She focuses on cranial and spinal trauma, endoscopic and open tumor surgery, radiosurgergery, complex disorders of the spine including tumor and degenerative spinal disease, epilepsy surgery and neuromodulation. She completed her neurosurgery residency at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has also completed a Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery Embedded Fellowship at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., as well as a functional neurosurgery fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
J. Abbott Byrd, MD (Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists, Virginia Beach, Va.). Dr. Byrd has served as the Ethics Committee chair of the Scoliosis Research Society. He currently practices with Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists and previously served as chief of spine surgery at West Virginia University in Morgantown. He has a professional interest in treating patients with complex spinal problems, scoliosis and trauma. During his career, he has focused on innovation and holds numerous patents, including one for the Syngery Spinal System. His research has been published in professional journals and he lectures nationally and internationally on spine-related topics. Dr. Byrd is an active member of the North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia School of Medicine in Richmond and completed his residency training at Duke University Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Twin Cities Scoliosis Center in Minneapolis.
Daniel Alexander Capen, MD (Rancho Spine, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.). Dr. Capen is an orthopedic spine surgeon with a special interest in spinal cord injury. He serves on the Professional Conduct and Ethics committee of the North American Spine Society and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In 1984, Dr. Capen served as the official spine surgeon for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. During his career, Dr. Capen has contributed to professional publications, including the Journal of Spinal Disorders and American Journal of Orthopedics. His topics of interest are spinal injuries, epidemiology of spinal cord injuries, spinal trauma and emergency medicine related to spinal trauma. Dr. Capen earned his medical degree at Albany (N.Y.) Medical College and completed his residency at the University of California in San Francisco. His additional training includes a fellowship in spinal cord injury at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey, Calif.
Jeffrey Crecelius, MD (Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Indianapolis). Dr. Crecelius is a member of the Association for Ethics in Spine Surgery. He is a neurosurgeon practicing with Goodman Campbell Brain. He focuses on degenerative, traumatic and neoplastic disorders of the spine, brain tumors and normal pressure hydrocephalus. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree at the University of Kentucky in Lexington and completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Marjorie Eskay-Auerbach, MD, JD (Spine Care & Forensic Medicine, Tucson, Ariz.). Dr. Eskay-Auerbach has served as Chair of the Ethics Committee of the North American Spine Society and she has been a significant contributor to the NASS Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee and the NASS Conflict of Interest Review Panel. She was also a co-author in The Spine Journal Ethics Committee paper on Conflict of Interest in Professional Medical Associations. She is a former spine surgeon and currently focuses on forensic orthopedics. In 2013, she was the recipient of the David Selby NASS Service Award.
Alexander Ghanayem, MD (Loyola Medicine, Maywood, Ill.). Dr. Ghanayem is the chief of spine surgery at Loyola Medicine and a member of the Ethics Committee of the Lumbar Spine Research Society. He is also a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society and North American Spine Society. Dr. Ghanayem has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal fractures, lower back pain and spondylolisthesis. During his career, Dr. Ghanayem has served as the medical director of orthopedic specialty clinics of Loyola University Health System. He earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Evanston, Ill., and completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
James Kang, MD (McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh). Dr. Kang is the vice chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a program of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He also serves as the chair of the Ethics/Conflict of Interest Oversight Committee of the Cervical Spine Research Society. In addition to his other leadership roles, Dr. Kang is the director of the Ferguson Laboratory for Spine Research and endowed chair of orthopedic spine surgery at UPMC. He has a professional interest in practicing minimally invasive spine surgery and treating degenerative spinal disorders, scoliosis and spinal stenosis. During his career, Dr. Kang has authored nearly 300 professional publications and earned recognition from North American Spine Society and International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine. Dr. Kang earned his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.
Scott Lederhaus, MD (Inland Neurosurgery Institute, Ponoma, Calif.). Dr. Lederhaus is a member of the Association for Medical Ethics board and has spoken at a symposium discussing medical ethics. He is also a member of the Association for Ethics in Spine Surgery. He is a neurosurgeon at Inland Neurosurgery Institute, and he provides care at Casa Colina Surgery Center in Pomona. He is board-certified and a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and California Association of Neurological Surgeons. He has a professional interest in head and neck disorders, cervical herniated discs and degenerative spine conditions. He earned his medical degree at Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago. He completed his residency at the University of California, Irvine.
Seth Neubardt, MD (Brain & Spine Surgeons of New York, White Plains). Dr. Neubardt is a member of the Association of Ethical Spine Surgeons. He is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Brain & Spine Surgeons of New York, and a member of North American Spine Society and the World Spine Society. He has been a major contributor to the advancement of minimally invasive spinal surgery technology. For example, he has developed an electrically insulated surgical probing tool and an apparatus and method for locating defects in bone tissue. His clinical interests include cervical disc replacement, lumbar microdiscectomy and spinal fusion. He earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He has also completed a combined orthopedic and neurological spine fellowship at New York University Medical Center.
Tushar Patel, MD (Commonwealth Orthopaedics, Fairfax, Va.). Dr. Patel is an orthopedic spine surgeon with a special interest in treating complex cervical spine cases, practicing at Commonwealth Orthopaedics. He has served as the chair of the Conflict-of-Interest/Ethics Committee of the Lumbar Spine Research Society. He previously served as chief of staff of the section of spine surgery at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and has been involved in researching tissue regeneration as it applies to spinal conditions. In addition to a his clinical word, Dr. Patel serves as section editor for the Orthopaedics Knowledge Update of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Patel earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.
Craig H. Rabb, MD (University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City). Dr. Rabb serves on the ethics committee for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He has also previously served on the Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee of the North American Spine Society. He is director of the neurotrauma program at OU Medical Center. He previously served as chief of neurosurgery at Denver Health Medical Center. He is an associate editor of The Spine Journal and an associate section editor of Neurosurgery. Dr. Rabb earned his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed his neurosurgery residency at University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Charles D. Rosen, MD (University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine). Dr. Rosen is a spine surgeon with the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine and president of the Association for Medical Ethics. The organization promotes financial transparency in medical research and the use of evidence-based medicine. Dr. Rosen testified in support of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act of 2008 to establish a national database listing payments and other gifts physicians receive from device companies. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Rosen is an associate editor of the Journal of Ethics in Biology and focuses his research on the field of ethics and spinal biomechanics. Dr. Rosen earned his medical degree from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute in New York City. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery and rehabilitation at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey, Calif.
Jerome Schofferman, MD (Spine Care Medical Group/San Francisco Spine Center). Dr. Schofferman is an internal medicine and pain management physician with a special interest in treating spine pain. He currently serves as the chair of the Committee on Ethics & Professionalism of the North American Spine Society. During his career, he has served as the medical director of Hospice of San Francisco and founded the first AIDS Hospice. He is currently the director of research and education at the San Francisco Spine Institute. He is also a member of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine and International Association for the Study of Pain. Dr. Schofferman earned his medical degree at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center and completed his residency in internal medicine at Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, Calif.
Mark A. Spatola, MD (Orange Park Neurosurgery, Orange Park, Fla.). Dr. Spatola is chair of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons ethics committee. He has been on staff at Orange Park Medical Center since 1988, where he serves on the credentials committee, as the section chief of neurosurgery and as a member of the board of trustees. He has previously served as chairman of Ethics Committee and Institutional Review Board at the medical center. He is a member of the Florida Medical Association, Florida Neurosurgical Society and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at New Jersey Medical School in Newark and completed his surgical and neurosurgical residency at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein University in New York.
Daryl Sybert, DO (OrthoNeuro, Columbus, Ohio). Dr. Sybert is a member of the Association for Ethics in Spine Surgery. He is a partner at OrthoNeuro as well as an associate clinical professor in orthopedics at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens and The Ohio State University in Columbus. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Osteopathic Association. He is the director of medical education at the Mount Carmel New Albany (Ohio) Surgical Hospital, where he oversees the spine fellowship program. He also serves editorial review panel of The Spine Journal. He earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Doctor's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a spinal reconstruction fellowship at the Cleveland Spine and Arthritis Center.
Vincent C. Traynelis, MD (Rush University Medical Center, Chicago). Dr. Traynelis is the director of the neurosurgery spine service and vice chairman of the department of neurosurgery at Rush University Medical Center. He has served on the Ethics/Conflicts of Interest Oversight Committee for the Cervical Spine Research Society. During his career, Dr. Traynelis has served as president of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and Cervical Spine Research Society, as well as chairperson of the Joint Section of Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. Currently, he is the chairman of the editorial board of the Journal of Neurosurgery. Throughout his career, Dr. Traynelis' research interests have included spinal infections and spinal biomechanics. His clinical interests include spinal arthroplasty, spinal reconstruction and spinal cord tumors. Dr. Traynelis earned his medical degree from Western Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery.
F. Todd Wetzel, MD (Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia). Dr. Wetzel has been active on the North American Spine Society Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee. He is an orthopedic surgeon, professor and vice chair for the department of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He is board-certified and focuses on spine surgery and pain management. He has expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical herniated discs, cervical spine diseases and lumbar spinal stenosis. Dr. Wetzel earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He completed his residency at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and a fellowship in spinal reconstructive surgery at Tulane University and St. Charles General Hospital in New Orleans.
Richard Wohns, MD (South Sound Neurosurgery, Puyallup, Wash.). Dr. Wohns is a neurosurgeon with a special interest in spine surgery, including minimally invasive spinal procedures, complex spine surgery and lumbar disc arthroplasty. He has served on the Ethics Committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and is past president of the Washington State Association of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Wohns was one of the first surgeons in the United States to perform the extreme lateral interbody fusion technique and has published several scientific papers on spinal procedures. Dr. Wohns earned his medical degree at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his residency at the University of Washington in Seattle. He also obtained his JD from Seattle University School of Law.
Ken Yonemura, MD (Lakeview Hospital, Bountiful, Utah). Dr. Yonemura has been the chair of the North American Spine Society Professional Conduct and Ethics subcommittee. He is a neurosurgeon practicing at Wasatch Neurological Surgery in Bountiful, Utah, and provides care at Lakeview Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He has a professional interest in cervical herniated discs, cervical spine disorders, degenerative spine disorders, lumbar degenerative disc disease and lumbar spinal stenosis. He earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and completed his residency at University of California Irvine Medical Center. He has completed a fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.
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