209 Spine Surgeons & Specialists to Know

Here are 209 spine surgeons and specialists to know. This list was devised by the Becker's Healthcare editorial team.

Please direct any questions about the list to Laura at lmiller@beckershealthcare.com.

William Abdu, MD (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H.). Dr. Abdu is the medical director of the Spine Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He has a professional interest in spinal cord injury, spinal stenosis, spinal trauma and disc herniation. He earned his medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Behrooz A. Akbarnia, MD (San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders). Dr. Akbarnia is medical director at the San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders and a clinical professor in the orthopedic surgery department of the University of California, San Diego. During his career, Dr. Akbarnia has been president of the Scoliosis Research Society and a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America. Currently, Dr. Akbarnia is a driving force in the Growing Spine Study Group and founder of the Growing Spine Foundation to support research and educational activities involving early onset scoliosis. Dr. Akbarnia earned his medical degree at Tehran University Medical School in Iran and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center. His additional training includes completion of the Moe Scoliosis Fellowship Program.

Todd Albert, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Albert is president of Rothman Institute and co-director of reconstructive spine surgery as well as the Spine Fellowship Program at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. During his career, he has served as president of the Cervical Spine Research Society and is a member of several other professional organizations, including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Albert has served in editorial roles for The Spine Journal and Seminars in Spine Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Minnesota Spine Center.

Christopher P. Ames, MD (University of California San Francisco Medical Center). Dr. Ames is director of spinal tumor and spinal deformity surgery at UCSF Medical Center and co-director of the neurospinal disorders program and UCSF Spine Center. He is also the director of the Spinal Biomechanics Laboratory at UCSF. He has a professional interest in spinal reconstructive surgery for trauma, tumors and degenerative disease. Dr. Ames is credited with developing the transpedicular approach to removing cervical and cervical thoracic tumors, which he successfully employed in 2009. He directs the neurosurgical spinal deformity service, which treats more than 200 patients annually for correction of a variety of spinal deformities. His research interests include spinal biomechanics and the use of resorbable polymers for spinal reconstruction. Dr. Ames received his medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles, completed his residency at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego and a fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

Howard S. An, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. An is director of the division of spine surgery and spine fellowship program at Rush University Medical Center. He practices with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. His extensive research has been rewarded by the Cervical Spine Research Society and Scoliosis Research Society, and one of his more recent projects is on biological treatment strategies by growth factors and cytokine inhibitors. Dr. An has held leadership positions and been on committees for many organizations, including his 2010 role as president of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine. He has authored or edited more than 20 books on spine topics and serves on editorial boards for multiple publications. Dr. An earned his medical degree from Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Pennsylvania Hospital, both in Philadelphia.

Neel Anand, MD (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Anand is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center. He has a professional interest in treating spinal curvature in adults and was one of the first surgeons to perform a combination of three minimally invasive procedures to correct adult lumbar degenerative scoliosis. He was a founding member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Society for Lateral Access Surgery. He is also the national director of ONE Spine Society and a member of the Society of Nucleus Arthroplasty. He earned his medical degree from the University of Bombay in India and completed residencies at University of Bombay as well as the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London, Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. He received fellowship training in reconstructive spine surgery at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

D. Greg Anderson, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Anderson practices spine surgery with Rothman Institute and is the clinical director of the spine section of the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Dr. Anderson is also the president elect of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and completed was an ABC Traveling Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association in 2011. He is also a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. During his career, Dr. Anderson has authored several articles that appear in publications such as the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques and Spine. Dr. Anderson earned his medical degree at Loma Linda (Calif.) University and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of California, Irvine. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Thomas Jefferson University.

Paul Anderson, MD (UW Health, Madison). Dr. Anderson is a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and practices with the Spine Medicine Clinic of UW Health. He has a professional interest in spinal trauma and complex cervical spine disorders. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Anderson's research focuses on spinal fixation implants, developing the artificial cervical disc and basic research in disc regeneration. His research has been published in professional journals such as Spine. He currently sits on the Surgeon Advisory Board for SI-BONE. Dr. Anderson earned his medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he also completed his residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland.

Gunnar Andersson, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. Anderson is the chair of spinal deformities at Rush University Medical Center and practices spine surgery at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. During his career, Dr. Andersson has authored or co-authored more than 250 academic papers on research topics including intervertebral disc biologic, biomechanics and epidemiology of back pain. This past year he was honored by the North American Spine Society with the Henry Farfan Award for outstanding contributions in spine-related basic science research. Dr. Andersson is a former president of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine and Orthopaedic Research Society. He earned his medical degree at Sahlgren Hospital, University of Goteberg, in Sweden, where he also completed his residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at The London Hospital in the United Kingdom.

Carmina F. Angeles, MD, PhD (The NeuroSpine Institute, Eugene, Ore.). Dr. Angeles has a professional interest in minimally invasive procedures for treating common spinal conditions, including degenerative diseases and stenosis. She is also trained to perform cervical disc arthroplasty and treats patients with more complex pathology, such as scoliosis. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Angeles is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. She earned her medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., and completed her residency in neurological surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Her additional training includes time working in spine neuro-oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and a fellowship in spine and periphera nerve surgery at Stanford (Calif.) University.

Ali Araghi, DO (The CORE Institute, Phoenix). Dr. Araghi is the director of the spine division at The CORE Institute and a member of the North American Spine Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Araghi has served on the board of directors for the American Board of Spine Surgery and as spine section president of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopaedics. He has editorial responsibilities for the Spine Arthroplasty Journal and The Spine Journal. During his career, Dr. Araghi has worked on several clinical investigation studies and has patents pending for devices such as a minimally invasive expandable retractor. Dr. Araghi earned his medical degree at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Peninsula Hospital Center in Fairway, N.Y., Cabrini Medical Center in New York City and Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Lexington, Ky. His additional training includes a spine reconstruction fellowship at Texas Back Institute in Plano.

Vincent Arlet, MD (Penn Comprehensive Spine Center, Philadelphia). Dr. Arlet is a spine surgeon with the University of Virginia Health System, and professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Fluent in French, Dr. Arlet attended medical school in Paris and was awarded the Scoliosis Research Society Traveling Fellowship in 1997. Along with his role as editor of the European Spine Journal, Dr. Arlet shares his clinical expertise by lecturing on spine topics around the globe. He previously served as director of the spine division and spine fellowship program at McGill University in Quebec, Canada. He received his medical degree from Medical School Paris V University and completed his residency at France University of Paris. His additional training includes pediatric and adult orthopedic surgery residencies in Paris.

Henry Aryan, MD (Sierra Pacific Orthopaedic & Spine Center, Fresno, Calif.). Dr. Aryan holds an academic appointment with the University of California, San Francisco's spine center and department of neurological surgery. He is a member of many service organizations, including Los Medicos Voladores, a group of medical professionals providing free healthcare services to rural villages in Mexico and Central America. Dr. Aryan has been a contributing author to more than 75 articles, 10 book chapters and three textbooks. He is a founding member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, completed his residency at the University of California, San Diego, and received fellowship training in spinal oncology and complex spinal reconstruction at University of California, San Francisco.

Hyun Bae, MD (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Bae is the co-director of the spine fellowship program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He has a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and artificial disc replacement. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Bae has spent a great deal of time researching stem cell repair for degenerative disc disease and the use of growth factors to treat spinal cord injuries. He was among the first to use growth factor tissue engineering for intervertebral discs and chaired a course in 2010 for the North American Spine Society about navigating research in spinal biologics. Dr. Bae earned his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his surgical residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Case Western Reserve Hospital in Cleveland.

Paul Baek, MD (Aurora BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay, Wis.). Dr. Baek has been with Aurora Bay Care Clinic since its inception. As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Baek focuses on neurotrauma, peripheral nerve surgery and spine surgery. He performs minimally invasive spine surgery in his practice as well as spinal reconstruction and fusions. Prior to joining Aurora BayCare, Dr. Baek was a member of the U.S. Navy stationed in San Diego and was discharged as a Lt. Commander. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurosurgeons. Dr. Baek earned his medical degree at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency in neurosurgery at affiliated hospitals.

Richard A. Balderston (Philadelphia Spine Center). Dr. Balderston is the chief of spine surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital and practices with Philadelphia Spine Center. His research contributed to ProDisc total disc replacement surgery and he is considered a pioneer in the treatment of degenerative disc disease. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Balderston is a member of several professional societies, including the Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society. He also serves as a clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He received his medical degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency. He received fellowship training at the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Robert J. Banco, MD (The Boston Spine Group). Dr. Banco is president of The Boston Spine Group and an associate clinical professor in the orthopedic surgery department at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. During his career, he has authored more than 150 publications and took part in 12 FDA IDE studies. He has received more than $1 million in grants for his medical research, which has focused on the outcomes for spinal fusion, bone morphogenic protein and bone graft substitute as well as image guided surgery.  Dr. Banco is a member of the North American Spine Society, Society of Lateral Access Surgery and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Banco earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at New England Baptist Hospital, where he previously spent 10 years as spine section chief.

Gordon Bell, MD (Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland). Dr. Bell is the head of spinal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and vice-chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery. He treats patients with cervical and lumbar spinal injuries, athletic spinal injuries and spinal tumors. Dr. Bell's research has been awarded the Volvo Award in Low Back Pain Research from the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine. During his career, Dr. Bell has held leadership positions in several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is also a member of North American Spine Society and the American Orthopaedic Association. In addition to his practice, Dr. Bell has served as co-editor of two spine textbooks and as associate editor for Spine. Dr. Bell earned his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic and a spine fellowship at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Edward Benzel, MD (Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland). Dr. Benzel is chairman of the Cleveland Clinic's department of neurosurgery. His clinical interests focus on spinal disorders, complex spine instrumentation and spine tumors. He is one of the founding members of the Lumbar Spine Research Society, which formed in 2007. He is chairman of the review board for the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine and has reviewed for Spine, The Spine Journal and other publications. He holds several patents for devices such as the Cervical Spine Stabilization Method and System and Spinal Column Retaining Apparatus, and is medical co-director of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Spine Research Laboratory. Dr. Benzel earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery. He received fellowship training in spine surgery and spinal cord injury at VA Medical Center in Albuquerque.

Erica F. Bisson, MD (University of Utah Health Care, Salt Lake City). Dr. Bisson has a professional interest in spine surgery, neurosurgery, occipitocervical disease and spinal fusion. She treats patients with a variety of conditions, including degenerative spinal disorders, spinal tumors, spondylolisthesis and trauma. Within her practice, Dr. Bisson performs image-guided spine surgery. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Bisson is also focused on research and has published articles in professional journals. Previously, she served on senior staff in the department of neurosurgery at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. She earned her medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and completed her residency in neurosurgery at the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington. Her additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Scott Blumenthal, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Blumenthal is a partner and co-director of the Center for Disc Replacement at Texas Back Institute. He served as a principle investigator for the SB III Charite Artificial Disc and was among the first spine surgeons to perform a total disc replacement in the United States. Dr. Blumenthal has been the chairman of the Education Committee of the International Society for the Advancement o Spine Surgery. He is also a member of the North American Spine Society and International Society of the Study of the Lumbar Spine. Dr. Blumenthal earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Evanston and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas. His additional training includes a trauma fellowship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Boachie-Adjei is the chief of the scoliosis service at Hospital for Special Surgery. A native of Ghana, Dr. Boachie-Adjei is also the founder and president of the Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine, where he has helped provide orthopedic medical care to the underserved populations in West Africa and other third world nations. In 2004, his humanitarian work was recognized by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons with the Humanitarian Award, and the following year he received the Science and Peace Gold Medal from the Albert Schweitzer International University in Switzerland. He has been featured in a Discovery Channel documentary "Surgery Saved My Life." During his career, Dr. Boachie-Adjei has been elected president of the Scoliosis Research Society and published extensively on scoliosis. Dr. Boachie-Adjei earned his medical degree at Columbia University in New York City and completed his fellowship at the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center and Minnesota Spine Center.

Scott Boden, MD (Emory Healthcare, Atlanta). Dr. Boden is the director of Emory Healthcare's Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center. He is chairman and founder of the National Spine Network and a member of more than a dozen other medical societies, including the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has issued six different patents and his research focuses on spine fusion, spinal disorders and bone regeneration. More than 150 of Dr. Boden's journal articles have been published, and he has authored or edited more than 42 book chapters and nine books on spine topics. His research on the fundamental mechanisms of bone growth and regeneration has been awarded by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society, International Society for Study of the Lumbar Spine and other professional organizations. He earned his medical degree at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, completed an internship at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and received fellowship training at Case Western Reserve University Hospital in Cleveland.

Christopher M. Bono, MD (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston). Dr. Bono is chief of orthopedic spine service at Brigham and Women's Hospital and treats a range of spinal conditions, including cervical spinal stenosis, cervical disc herniations, spine fractures and dislocations and other conditions. Along with his clinical practice, Dr. Bono is co-director of the combined orthopedic spine fellowship program between Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's — all in Boston. He serves on the board of directors for North American Spine Society and is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Spinal Injury Association and International Society for Study of the Lumbar Spine. He earned his medical degree from State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine in New York City, completed his residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., and received fellowship training in spinal surgery at the University of California, San Diego.

Charles L. Branch, Jr., MD (Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, N.C.). Dr. Branch is a professor and chairman of the department of neurosurgery at Wake Forest's School of Medicine. His clinical specialties include spinal disorders, stenosis and spinal tumors, among others. He has published 20 book chapters, holds 13 patents for spine technology and has served on the editorial boards of many medical publications, including the Journal of Radiosurgery and The Spine Journal. In 2003, Dr. Branch co-founded the Brain Tumor Center of Excellence at Wake Forest to devote research to finding a cure for brain cancer. Four years later, he developed the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma Research, which is dedicated to the treatment of serious spine injuries in children. A former president of the North American Spine Society, Dr. Branch has extended his care beyond American borders on mission programs to Haiti, Nigeria and Guatemala, among other locations. He earned his medical degree from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed residencies at North Carolina Baptist Hospital and University of California, San Francisco.

Robert S. Bray, Jr., MD (DISC Sports & Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Bray is the founding director and CEO of DISC Sports & Spine Center. He was chief of neurosurgery for the U.S. Air Force at David Grant Medical Center in 1989 and the founding director of the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr.  Bray has authored more than 20 publications and contributed to more than 20 patents, copyrights and developments of implants and spinal apparatus. Dr. Bray has served as spine consultant for the U.S. men's volleyball team and the Oakland Raiders, among other professional athletic organizations. DISC is currently the official medical provider of the Los Angeles Kings, Red Bull athletes and the U.S. Olympic Team. After he received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Dr. Bray completed his residency at Baylor Affiliated Hospitals, also in Houston.

Darrel S. Brodke, MD (University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City). Dr. Brodke has a professional interest in treating degenerative and traumatic spinal conditions. His research interests fall into the area of spinal biomechanics. During his career, Dr. Brodke has authored several articles based on his research. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Cervical Spine Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Brodke earned his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco, and completed his residency at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Evalina Burger, MD (University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora). This year, Dr. Burger was named to Cambridge's Who's Who list for her leadership and dedication to spine care. She is first female spine surgeon selected for the South African Orthopaedic Society's ABC fellowship in 2000. She has a professional interest in adult deformity reconstruction and experience with spinal trauma and oncology. Dr. Burger earned her medical degree at the University of Pretoria and completed her residency at a military hospital, both in South Africa. Dr. Burger currently serves as an associate professor of orthopedics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and vice chair at The Spine Center of University of Colorado Hospital. In addition to her clinical practice, she is affiliated with the Scoliosis Research Society, North American Spine Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

J. Abbott Byrd, MD (Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists, Virginia Beach, Va.). Dr. Byrd is 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.

Frank P. Cammisa, Jr., MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Cammissa is the chief of spine service at Hospital for Special Surgery and has treated professional athletes from the New York Knicks, New York Giants and New York Jets. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, computer assistance and microsurgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Camissa is an associate professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. During his career, he has published more than 100 research articles and manuscripts in professional journals and created The National Spinal Research Foundation, which is affiliated with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Dr. Camissa earned his medical degree at College of Physicians & Surgeons on New York City and completed his residency at Hospital for Special Surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of Miami.

Andrew Cappuccino, MD (Buffalo Spine Surgery, Lockport, N.Y.). Dr. Cappuccino is an assistant team orthopedic surgeon with the Buffalo Bills. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of the North American Spine Society. During his career, Dr. Cappuccino has authored several textbook chapters and papers on topics such as cervical disc replacement and cervical spine surgery. He has also lectured across the country on several spine topics, including minimally invasive spine surgery. He also heads the surgeon advisory board for Lanx. Dr. Cappuccino earned his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine in New York and completed a fellowship in spine surgery and scoliosis at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD (Orthopaedic & Spine Center, Newport News, Va.). Dr. Carlson is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Orthopaedic & Spine Center. During his career, he has presented his research on several spine-related topics at professional society meetings. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, AO North American Spine Faculty and International Association for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. Dr. Carlson earned his medical degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and completed the Harvard University Combined Orthopaedic Residency in Boston. His additional training includes fellowships in orthopedic trauma surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and in spine surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital, both in Boston.

Eugene Carragee, MD (Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Stanford, Calif.). Dr. Carragee is the chief of the spinal surgery division, medical director of the service quality and director of the orthopedic spine center at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. He has also served as the spine consultant for Stanford University's NCAA teams. In addition to his practice, Dr. Carragee has served as editor-in-chief of The Spine Journal and on the Neck Pain Task Force in Toronto, Canada. During his career, Dr. Carragee has published his research in several professional journals, including Spine. His current research interests include outcomes assessment of rehabilitative treatment for cervical and lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, the diagnosis and treatment of spine infections and pain management. Dr. Carragee earned his medical degree from and completed his residency at Stanford (Calif.) University School of Medicine, and completed a fellowship at the University of Hong Kong.

John R. Caruso, MD (Neuroscience & Spine Institute, Hagerstown, Md.). Dr. Caruso is a neurosurgeon who has performed numerous spinal procedures including minimally invasive procedures as well as complex instrumentation of the thoracic and lumbar spine. He serves as chairman of the board and medical director of Parkway Surgery Center in Hagerstown. He is co-founder of "Save Our Doctors, Protect Our Patients," a physician rights group that brought liability reform awareness to Maryland. Dr. Caruso is a board member of the Maryland State Surgical Association and a national spokesman for Doctors for Medical Liability Reform. He attended Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, where he also completed a residency. His additional training includes a residency at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Jens R. Chapman, MD (UW Medicine, Seattle). Dr. Chapman is the chief of the University of Washington Spine Service, where he also serves as a professor of spine surgery. Dr. Chapman has also been the interim chair of the department of orthopedics and sports medicine at UW. Dr. Chapman has written two books, The Spine Manual and Spinal Cord Injuries, and many of his articles have been published in professional publications. Since 1997, Dr. Chapman has served on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel for spinal devices. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Chapman is a University of Washington professor in the department of neurological surgery. He earned his medical degree from Technische Universitaet Muenchen in Munich, Germany, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Washington Medical Center in Seattle.

Dean Chou, MD (University of California San Francisco Spine Center). Dr. Chou is a spine surgeon at the University of California San Francisco Spine Center and an associate professor of clinical neurological surgery. His practice focuses on treating patients with spinal deformity, tumors and degenerative conditions. He is trained in minimally invasive surgical techniques, including a mini-open transpedicular corpectomy. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Chou has published articles in professional journals based on his research and served as faculty and lecturer for several spine courses. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at UCSF and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. His additional training includes a fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

James Lloyd Chappuis, MD (SpineCenterAtlanta). Dr. Chappuis is in private practice at SpineCenterAtlanta and holds patents for several spine devices, including an internal pedicle screw insulator apparatus and facet fusion system. Additional patents are pending for devices such as the Doppler retractor and a modular lumbar interbody fixation system. Dr. Chappuis is a member of several professional societies, including North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Chappuis has authored several papers on spinal surgery and served as a clinical instructor at The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Dr. Chappuis earned his medical degree at The Medical College of Ohio in Toledo and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Campbell Clinic/University of Tennessee. His additional training includes the AO Spine Fellowship where he studied in Karlsbad, Germany.

Kingsley R. Chin, MD (Institute for Modern & Innovative Spine Surgery, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). Dr. Kingsley is the founding spine surgeon at the Institute for Modern & Innovative Spine Surgery and inventor of the FacetFuse Minimally Invasive Screw System and MANTIS minimally invasive pedicle screw system for spinal fusion. During his career, Dr. Chin served as the chief of spine surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and has published several articles in professional journals. He is a diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at Harvard University in Boston and completed the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. His additional training includes a fellowship in adult reconstructive surgery at Harvard and a fellowship in spine surgery at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Stephen S. Cook, MD (University Orthopaedic Associates, New Brunswick, N.J.). Dr. Cook is a spine surgeon with University Orthopaedic Associates and a clinical associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and New Jersey Orthopaedic Association. During his career, he has given several presentations on spinal surgery techniques. Dr. Cook earned his medical degree at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md. His additional training includes a spinal cord injury fellowship at VAMC and a spine fellowship at the University Hospital Case Western Reserve, both in Cleveland.  

Larry D. Cordell, MD (Midwest Spine Care, Overland Park, Kan.). Dr. Cordell is on the Board of Councilors for the Kansas Orthopaedic Society. He is a past president of the society and previously served in the United States Army. He has a professional interest in treating patients with deformity, arthritis and tumors in the spine and neck. He practices at Midwest Spine Center and is a member of the North American Spine Society and Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Cordell earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas Medical School in Kansas City and completed his in pediatric orthopedics residency at the Alfred I. DuPont Institute in Wilmington, Del. His additional training includes a residency in orthopedics at Naval Regional Medical Center in Oakland, Calif.

Donald S. Corenman, MD (The Steadman Clinic, Vail, Colo.). Dr. Corenman joined The Steadman Clinic in 1998. He has a professional interest in treating disorders of the lumbar and cervical spine. Along with his practice, Dr. Corenman offers his clinical services to the U.S. Ski Team. He is a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Colorado, a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a charter diplomate of the American Board of Spine Surgery and a diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopaedics. Dr. Corenman earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit and completed residencies at Southern California University in Whittier and Grace Hospital in Detroit. He received fellowship training in spinal disorders and deformities at the University of Colorado in Denver.

Domagoj Coric, MD (Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, Charlotte, N.C.). Dr. Coric practices with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates and serves as the chief of neurosurgery at Carolinas Medical Center. He is also the president of the North Carolina Spine Society and member of the North American Spine Society. During his career, Dr. Coric has served in leadership positions with both the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He has a professional interest in artificial disc replacement, spinal trauma, spinal tumors, spinal cord injuries and endoscopic spine surgery. Dr. Coric earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where he also completed his internship and residency.

Michael F. Coscia, MD (OrthoIndy, Indianapolis). Dr. Coscia is the spinal consultant for the Indiana Pacers and has served as a physician at numerous Olympic trials and the Indy 500. He has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal trauma, scoliosis, infections, tumors and spinal arthritis. During his career, Dr. Coscia has served as a primary investigator for multiple research studies involving the spine. He is a member of many professional organizations, including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society. Dr. Coscia earned his medical degree at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., and completed his residency at the University of Tennessee/Campbell Foundation in Memphis. His additional training includes a fellowship at Minnesota Spine Center and Twin Cities Spine Center at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He also completed the AO Spine Fellowship in St. Gallen and Bern, Switzerland, and has experience studying in France, Italy, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Dennis Crandall, MD (Sonoran Spine Center, Mesa, Ariz.). Dr. Crandall is the founder and medical director of Sonoran Spine Center as well as on the faculty for the Banner Orthopedic Surgery Residency program. He also serves as an attending spine surgeon at Children's Rehabilitative Services Scoliosis Clinic at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. During his career, Dr. Crandall has been a spine consultant for the athletes at Arizona State University. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Crandall founded the Sonoran Spine Research and Education Foundation to fund college scholarships for students with spinal deformities, spinal research projects and educational seminars. He also developed new spinal instrumentation for deformity correction. Dr. Crandall earned his medical degree at St. Louis University, where he also completed his orthopedic surgery residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Bradford L. Currier, MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.). Dr. Currier is an orthopedic surgeon and professor of orthopedics at Mayo Clinic in the department of orthopedic surgery. His research and articles have been featured in many publications, including Spine. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and director of Mayo Clinic's spine fellowship. His clinical research projects involve the Mayo Cancer Center, and he is particularly interested in metastatic and primary tumors of the spine. His recent research focuses on tissue engineering strategies involving the spine. He earned his medical degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., completed his residency in orthopedics at Mayo Clinic and received fellowship training in spine surgery at University of Miami.

Alan Dacre, MD (OrthoMontana, Billings). Dr. Dacre is on the Board of Directors for the Montana Orthopedic Society. He practices with OrthoMontana and has a professional interest in adult and pediatric spine care. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Dacre is a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. During his career, he has published several articles in peer-review journals based on his research in spine surgery. Dr. Dacre earned his medical degree at Loma Linda (Calif.) University and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.

Rick B. Delamarter, MD (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Delamarter is an orthopedic spine surgeon, vice chair for spine services at Cedars-Sinai and co-director of Cedars-Sinai's Spine Center. He is also an associate clinical professor in the Department of Surgery at UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles. He has traveled nationally and internationally to share his expertise on spine topics and has been the principle or co-investigator for numerous research trials, including those on spinal stenosis, lower back pain studies and lumbar fusion models. Dr. Delamarter is a fellow with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and belongs to several professional organizations, including the American Spinal Injury Association and North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree from the University of Oregon Health Science Center in Portland, completed his orthopedic residency at UCLA Medical Center and received spine fellowship training at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He was also awarded a visiting fellowship at Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere in Paris, France.

Francis Denis, MD (Twin Cities Spine Surgeons, Minneapolis). Dr. Denis is the president of Twin Cities Spine and a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Scoliosis Research Society and Orthopaedic Trauma Hospital Association. He has a professional interest in treating patients with deformities and trauma. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Denis has authored several publications on his research, which also focuses on deformities and trauma. He has given presentations at several professional society meetings. Dr. Denis earned his medical degree at Paris University and completed his residency training at New England Medical Center in Boston and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. His additional training includes scoliosis fellowships at Children's Hospital in Boston and Twin Cities Scoliosis Center.

Christopher J. DeWald, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. DeWald is a spine surgeon with a professional interest in treating scoliosis and performing adult spinal reconstruction. He is a physician at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and has served as the chief of the section of spinal surgery and scoliosis at the Hospital of Cook County in Chicago. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. DeWald has served on the editorial board for the Journal of Spinal Disorders and on the editorial advisory board of The Spine Journal. He is also a member of the Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago and completed his residency at the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics. He also completed a research and spine surgery fellowship at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago and additional fellowships at the University of Hidelberg in Germany, Institut Calot in France and Hokkaido University School of Medicine in Japan.

Ara Deukmedjian, MD (Deuk Spine Institute, Melbourne, Fla.). Dr. Deukmedjian is the founder and medical director of Deuk Spine Institute in Florida. He has contributed extensively to minimally invasive spine surgery and developed the Deuk Laser Disc Repair procedure. Deuk Laser Disc Repair is an endoscopically assisted surgery that utilizes a laser to repair damaged discs. Dr. Deukmedjian has treated hundreds using this method with a 95 percent success rate for elimination of pain. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Deukmedjian is the president of the Brevard County Medical and an associate professor of neurosurgery at University of Central Florida's School of Medicine. Dr. Deukmedjian earned his medical degree at the University of Southern California and thereafter was accepted into the nationally recognized neurosurgical training programs at the University of Florida at Shands. Following his fellowship, he traveled overseas to learn the latest advances in laser spine surgery and upon his return brought the advanced surgical techniques to his practice in the United States.

Mohammad Diab, MD (UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco). With expertise in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in children and teenagers, Dr. Diab is chief of the division of pediatric neurosurgery at Benioff Children’s Hospital. He has a professional interest in treating spinal deformity in children, including scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis. His book, Principles of Pediatric Orthopedics, is set to publish in 2012. He is a member of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has given presentations internationally, including lectures in Scotland and Japan. Dr. Diab received his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif., completed his residency at University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and received fellowship training at Harvard University in Boston.

William H. Dillin, MD (Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, Los Angeles). Dr. Dillin has served as spine surgery consultant at Kerlan-Jobe since 1985 and is co-founder of the clinic's spine center. He is spinal surgery consultant to numerous athletic teams in Los Angeles, including the Lakers, Dodgers and Kings. He also consults for the PGA Tour, Anaheim Mighty Ducks and University of Southern California athletic teams. During his career, Dr. Dillin has traveled around the country to present his expertise, including presentations with emphasis on worker's compensation patients. He earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio and completed residencies at UT at Houston and the University of California, San Francisco. He received fellowship training in spinal surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Edward J. Dohring, MD (Spine Institute of Arizona, Scottsdale). Dr. Dohring is the medical director of Spine Institute of Arizona and treats a spectrum of spinal disorders. During his career, Dr. Dohring has participated in several research projects and pioneered an artificial disc replacement procedure. He also performs minimally invasive surgical techniques. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Dohring has published several articles and book chapters about spinal disorders and is a member of North American Spine Society and World Spine Society. He holds a residency teaching post at Midwestern University/Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Phoenix Integrated Orthopedic Residency Program. Dr. Dohring earned his medical degree at Yale Medical School in New Haven, Conn., and completed additional spine training at the Spine Institute of New England in Burlington, VT.

Egon Doppenberg, MD (Northshore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Ill.). Dr. Doppenberg specializes in the treatment of brain and spine tumors and complex degenerative and traumatic spinal disorders at Northshore University HealthSystem. He also serves as clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He has participated in surgical missions to Central and South America to treat tumors and congenital abnormalities in children. Dr. Doppenberg earned his medical degree from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, completed his neurosurgery residency at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond and received neurosurgical oncology fellowship training in and brain and spine tumors at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston.

Andrew Dossett, MD (The Carrell Clinic, Dallas). Dr. Dossett is a spine consultant to the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars professional hockey team. He also serves as a consultant to several Division I athletic programs. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of the North American Spine Society as well as the National Football League and Major League Baseball Team Physicians Societies. Throughout his career, Dr. Dossett has authored several articles on spinal fusions and neck injuries in athletes. Dr. Dossett earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

Steven G. Dorsky (New Jersey Spine Center, Chatham, NJ). Dr. Dorsky is Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery at New Jersey Medical School as well as the Site Director for New Jersey Medical School’s Orthopaedic Residency Program at Overlook Medical Center. Dr. Dorsky founded New Jersey Spine Center in 1987 as the first multi-disciplinary center in New Jersey for the treatment of spine related disorders. He specializes in microsurgery, complex reconstructions, scoliosis, trauma and the treatment of failed back surgery. Dr. Dorsky attended Brown University Medical School. He completed both his residency training in orthopaedic surgery and spine fellowship at Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City. He is the inventor of a system of spinal instrumentation that has been used worldwide and is well published. 

Randall Dryer, MD (Central Texas Spine Institute, Austin). Dr. Dryer is a spine surgeon with the Central Texas Spine Institute who focuses on treatment of the cervical and lumbar spine. Dr. Dryer is a past president of the Texas Spine Society, fellow with the American College of Surgeons and a member of the North American Spine Society and Cervical Spine Research Society. He served as chief of orthopedic surgery for the U.S. Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio until he joined The Austin Back Clinic in 1988, which later expanded to become the Central Texas Spine Institute. Along with his practice, Dr. Dryer has participated in FDA-approved clinical trials and spearheaded innovative procedures, such as using adult stem cells from a patient's body to aid in tissue regeneration. Dr. Dryer earned his medical degree from University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery, also at the University of Iowa.

E. Hunter Dyer, MD (Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, Charlotte, N.C.). Dr. Dyer is the president of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates. He has a special interest in transsphenoidal surgery, skull based surgery and endoscopic spine surgery. During his career, he has served as chief of neurosurgery for Presbyterian Hospital and as a delegate of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons to the Council of States Neurological Studies. Dr. Dyer earned his medical degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. His additional training includes a fellowship in pituitary and skull base surgery at L'Hospital Foch in Paris.

Robert K. Eastlack, MD (Scripps Clinic, San Diego). Dr. Eastlack is a spine surgeon with the Scripps Clinic division of orthopedic surgery who has professional interest in cervical spine disorders and conditions. Along with his clinical practice, he spends time as a volunteer clinical instructor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and offers his services to veterans at the VA Administration Hospital in La Jolla, Calif. Dr. Eastlack was a founding member of the Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, when it began in 2006. His research focuses on cervical spine injuries and minimally invasive procedures, and he has in-depth understanding when it comes to the treatment of amateur and professional athletes. Dr. Eastlack received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, completed his residency at University of California, San Diego and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Walter Eckman, MD (Aurora Spine Center, Tupelo, Miss.). Dr. Eckman is founder of Aurora Spine Center and affiliated with North Mississippi Medical Center. He has committed much of his career to performing minimally invasive spine surgeries and is a member of the Minimally Invasive Neurological Society. During his career, he has served as president of the Mississippi Neurological Society and member of the North American Spine Society. Last year, he gathered data from his practice and presented on the success he has had with outpatient spinal procedures using a technique called minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Dr. Eckman earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of California in San Francisco. His additional training includes a fellowship in neuropathology at Stanford (Calif.) University.

Eldan B. Eichbaum, MD (Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Santa Rosa, Calif.). Dr. Eichbaum is a neurosurgeon with a professional interest in spinal disorders and conditions. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, California Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Medical Association. Dr. Eichbaum earned his medical degree at the University of California in San Francisco, where he also completed his medical internship. His additional training includes a fellowship in complex and reconstructive spine neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Frank Eismont, MD (University of Miami School of Medicine). Dr. Eismont is chairman of the department of orthopedics and spine division chief at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. He is also the fellow education director at the University of Miami. During his career, Dr. Eismont has published several articles in professional journals based on this research. He earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) School of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland. His additional training includes a fellowship at The Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Sanford E. Emery, MD (West Virginia University, Morgantown). Dr. Emery is the president of the Cervical Spine Research Society. At West Virginia University, he is a professor of orthopedics and chairman of the department of orthopedics. His additional memberships include the North American Spine Society, American Spinal Injury Association and American Orthopaedic Association. In addition to his clinical practice, he is a reviewer for the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques and Spine. Dr. Emery earned his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Strong Memorial Hospital at Rochester, N.Y. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals in Cleveland.

Thomas J. Errico, MD (Hospital for Joint Disease, New York City). Dr. Errico is the chief of spine surgery at New York University School of Medicine and Hospital for Joint Disease, both in New York City. He has participated in multi-institutional investigations and FDA trials, and was most recently the national principal investigator for the Flexicore lumbar total disc replacement trial. He is past president of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery and has served on the editorial boards for Spine and the Journal of Spinal Disorders. Dr. Errico received his medical degree from New Jersey Medical School in Newark, completed his orthopedic residency at New York University Medical Center in New York City and received fellowship training in spine surgery at University of Toronto General Hospital.

David Fardon, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. Fardon is a spine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He is the co-editor of Orthopaedic Knowledge Update for Spine II, which was published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society and is used as a core curriculum text for graduate training in spine surgery. Dr. Fardon has also published three books for the general public on neck care, back care and osteoporosis. In addition, he was a founding member of The Spine Journal and served as the editor-in-chief of Disorders of the Spine. He has professional interest in treating patients with acute or chronic cervical, thoracic or lumbar spinal disorders, including worker's compensation patients. Dr. Fardon earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas in Lawrence and completed his residency at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Richard G. Fessler, MD (Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago). Dr. Fessler, professor of neurosurgery at Northwestern, was the first physician in the United States to perform a human embryonic spinal cord transplant in 1997. He has been a medical specialist and flight surgeon for NASA and participated in the first FDA trial to test the use of embryonic stem cells in patients with thoracic spine injuries. Dr. Fessler has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed papers, 50 book chapters and 16 books. He has been an honored guest of neurosurgical societies in Japan, Mexico, Egypt, South Africa and China, among other countries. Dr. Fessler earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, where he also earned a doctoral degree in pharmacology and physiology. He completed his residency in neurological surgery at the University of Chicago Hospitals.

John Fickenberg, MD (Alvarado/Helix Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, La Mesa, Calif.). Dr. Fickenberg practices with Alvarado/Helix Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine and serves as director of the Spine Center at Alvarado Hospital Medical Center. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Fickenberg is a surgical consultant for a spinal instrumentation company and has developed instrumentation used during reconstructive procedures. He has also published several articles in professional journals and served on the faculty of the North American Spine Society's hands-on surgical course. He has been on the editorial staff of The Spine Journal and SpineLine Journal. Dr. Fickenberg also sculpted statues on display at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Grossmont Hospital Women's Center. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Jeffrey S. Fischgrund, MD (Beaumont Orthopaedic Center, Royal Oak, Mich.). Dr. Fischgrund is a spine surgeon at Beaumont Orthopaedic Center in Royal Oak, Mich. He is a researcher on bone morphogenic proteins and cervical disc replacements. Dr. Fischgrund has authored numerous articles on spine surgery and, in 2009, was named editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society and North American Spine Society, where he has served as chair for several committees. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Fischgrund also instructs medical students, orthopedic residents and spine fellows at William Beaumont Hospital. He earned his medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Beaumont.  

Kevin Foley, MD (University of Tennessee, Memphis). Dr. Foley is a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and director of the spine fellowship program at the University of Tennessee department of neurosurgery. He is also the director of complex spine surgery at Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis. Prior to entering into private practice, Dr. Foley served as an assistant chief of neurosurgery at Brooke Army Medical Center and chief of neurosurgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During his career, Dr. Foley has authored more than 70 journal publications and been a visiting professor at several universities in the United States and abroad. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, image guided spine navigation and spine biomechanics. Dr. Foley has served as an officer of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery.

Daveed D. Frazier, MD (East Coast Premier Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, New York City). Dr. Frazier is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Long Island College Hospital and East Coast Premier Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in New York City. He has served as president of the Orthopaedic Association of New York and is a member of North American Spine Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Frazier has a research interest in developing biodegradeable bone cement and contributing to the advancement of spinal stenosis treatment. He is a board member for NuVasive's Cheetah Foundation and Film Aid. He has also spent time treating general orthopedic patients on a Navajo Indian reservation in New Mexico. Dr. Frazier earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. His additional training includes the Eismont/Jackson Memorial Spine Fellowship and Shufflearger/Doctor's Hospital Spine Fellowship in Miami.

Anthony Frempong-Boadu, MD (New York University Langone Medical Center, New York City). As assistant professor in NYU Langone's department of neurosurgery, Dr. Frempong-Boadu has medical expertise in minimally invasive surgery, spine surgery and endoscopic spinal surgery. He's studied minimally invasive surgery under Richard Fessler, MD, of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and now teaches spinal decompression and fusion techniques at national and international conferences. Dr. Frempong-Boadu currently serves as the director of the division of spine surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. He has published numerous book chapters and journal articles. Dr. Frempong-Boadu earned his medical degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery. He received fellowship training in neurosurgery at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

George A. Frey, MD (Colorado Comprehensive Spine Institute, Englewood). Dr. Frey is founder of Colorado Comprehensive Spine Institute and has a professional interest in complex spinal disorders. Throughout his career, Dr. Frey has focused on the development of new surgical techniques, spinal systems and implants. He holds dozens of patents in the United States and worldwide. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Frey has co-authored several articles on spine surgery. He earned his medical degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency and spine surgery fellowship at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. His additional training includes a fellowship in reconstructive and traumatic spine surgery.

Rolando Garcia, MD (Orthopedic Care Center, Adventura, Fla.). Dr. Garcia is spine surgeon practicing at Orthopaedic Care Center. He has a professional interest in scoliosis care. He is a member of several professional societies, including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. Currently, Dr. Garcia serves as the chairman of the continuing medical education committee of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Garcia has published several articles in professional journals such as Spine and European Spine Journal. Dr. Garcia earned his medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at North Carolina Spine Center.

Mark Gardon, MD (Aurora BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay, Wis.). Dr. Gardon is a neurosurgeon and has been with Bay Care Clinic since its inception. He is a consultant to members of the National Football League and has a professional interest in minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Gardon also performs spinal reconstruction and fusion procedures. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Gardon is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and an active member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Gardon earned his medical degree at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency and internship in neurological surgery with affiliated hospitals.

Steven R. Garfin, MD (University of California San Diego Thornton Hospital, La Jolla). Dr. Garfin practices at University of California San Diego's Thornton Hospital along with UCSD Medical Center - Hillcrest in San Diego. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Garfin is a professor and chair of the orthopedic department. He has edited nine books and authored more than 380 articles and book chapters. He has been involved in the design, use or clinical trials for pedicle screws, lumbar and cervical anterior plating systems, kyphoplasty and artificial discs, among other technologies. Dr. Garfin earned his medical degree from University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, completed his residency at the University of California San Diego and received fellowship training in disorders of the spine at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Fred Geisler, MD (Chicago Back Institute at Swedish Covenant Hospital). Dr. Geisler is a neurosurgeon at Chicago Back Institute at Swedish Covenant Hospital where he focuses on treating patients with cervical disc disorders, scoliosis and spinal trauma. During his career, Dr. Geisler was among the first surgeons in the United States to adopt anterior cervical plating and total disc replacement during his involvement with the Charite artificial disc replacement FDA trial. Dr. Geisler is a member of several professional societies, including North American Spine Society, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. Dr. Geisler earned his medical degree at State University of New York in Buffalo, where he also completed his residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

Daniel E. Gelb, MD (University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore). Dr. Gelb is a past president of the Maryland Orthopaedic Association, where he still serves on the board of directors. He is the co-director of the University of Maryland Spine Program and an associate professor of orthopedics. During his career, Dr. Gelb received the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Grant for Research in Autocrine Regulation of Chondrocyte Maturation. He has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal deformity, spinal tumors and spinal trauma. Dr. Gelb earned his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine in New York City and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Rochester (N.Y.). His additional training includes an orthopedic spine fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis and an Yves Cotrel Fellowship to study spine surgery in Paris.

Zoher Ghogawala, MD (CSI-Greenwich Neurosurgery, Greenwich, Conn.). Dr. Ghogawala is a neurosurgeon practicing with CSI-Greenwich Neurosurgery and director of the Wallace Trials Center at Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital. During his career, Dr. Ghogawala has served as principle investigator on several spine trials and received multiple research grants from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health. He has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed papers and been on the spine executive committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons-Congress of Neurological Surgeons Joint Spine Section. Currently, Dr. Ghogawala serves as the clinical research development chair and board member of the North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School and completed his residency in neurological surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, both in Boston.

Federico P. Girardi, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Girardi is a spine surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery with a special interest in spinal deformity, degeneration, fracture and tumors. His clinical research involves minimally invasive surgery, clinical outcomes of different procedures and imaging modalities of the spine. He is also interested in investigating alternatives to spinal fusion for patients with degenerative disc disease. His research has been published in several professional journals, including the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Girardi is a member of the North American Spine Society, Spine Arthroplasty Society and International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine. Dr. Girardi earned his medical degree at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario and completed his residency at Hospital de Clinicas "Jose de San Martin" at Buenos Aires University, both in Argentina. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine and scoliosis surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

Michael A. Gleiber, MD (Michael A. Gleiber, MD, PA, Spine Surgery, Jupiter, Fla.). Dr. Gleiber is a board certified orthopaedic spinal surgeon with a professional interest in the latest microsurgical, minimally invasive and motion preserving spinal procedures. He is President and CEO of Michael A. Gleiber, MD, PA. He treats all types of spinal disorders, including complex spinal problems such as spine tumors, deformity, and spinal trauma. Dr. Gleiber is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Palm Beach County Medical Society, and a diplomate of The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He has been an invited guest lecturer at research institutions, including Scripps Research Institute. In addition to his clinical practices in Jupiter and Boca Raton, Fla., Dr. Gleiber has a strong research interest in the development and design of spine surgical implants and instrumentation. He has been named to the "Top 40 Under 40" by Jupiter Magazine for his work as a spine surgeon and received the Patient's Choice Award 2008 to 2011. Dr. Gleiber earned his medical degree with honors at The George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, where he was selected as a Chief Resident in his final year. His additional training includes the renown Kenton D. Leatherman Spinal Surgery Fellowship, where he spent a significant portion of his time focusing on spinal trauma and spinal cord injuries. He is on staff at five hospitals in South Florida, including The University of Miami Hospital.

Ziya Gokaslan, MD (Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore). Dr. Gokaslan is the director of the spine center and a professor of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Gokaslan has a professional interest in treating spinal tumors and was previously an assistant professor at University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he focused on the surgical treatment of spinal neoplasms and published extensively on the topic. His research focuses on chemotherapeutic delivery systems for primary and metastatic spinal tumors. He received his medical degree from the University of Istanbul in Turkey and completed an internship, fellowship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He also completed a fellowship in clinical spinal surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.  

Edward J. Goldberg, MD (Rush University Medical Center, Chicago). Dr. Goldberg is a spine consultant for the Chicago Bulls and team physician for the Chicago White Sox. He is a partner with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and serves as an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center. He has a professional interest in treating patients with herniated nucleus pulposus, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Goldberg is a member of North American Spine Society and a fellow of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois in Chicago and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Illinois Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Rush University Medical Center as well as cervical spine fellowships at the University of Miami and University of Marseilles in France.

Jeff Goldstein, MD (Seaport Orthopaedic Associates, New York City). Dr. Goldstein is a spine surgeon with Seaport Orthopaedic Associates and director of spine service as well as associate director of the spine fellowship at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. Dr. Goldstein has a professional interest in minimally invasive surgical technique and disc replacement. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Goldstein participates in clinical trials and serves on the editorial boards for The Spine Journal, SpineLine and The Journal of the Spine Arthroplasty Society. His current research involves the development of biomedical materials and devices. Dr. Goldstein is a member of the North American Spine Society, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery.

Charles R. Gordon, MD (Texas Spine & Joint Hospital, Tyler). Dr. Gordon is a neurosurgeon and co-founder of Texas Spine and Joint Hospital. He has a professional interest in the treatment of spine injury, deformity and degeneration. Dr. Gordon has received patents for more than four spinal devices and served as principal investigator for numerous research trials. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Gordon founded the device company Flexuspine along with Gordon Spine Associates, based in Tyler. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Association of Neurological Surgeons, among other professional organizations. He received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship at The Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.

Wesley E. Griffitt, MD (Aurora BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay, Wis.). Dr. Griffitt is a neurosurgeon with special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and spinal reconstruction and fusion procedures. He has been a course instructor for minimally invasive spine surgery and is a member of North American Spine Society, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons, among other professional organizations. He earned his medical degree from University of Kansas in Kansas City, completed his neurological surgery residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., and received additional training at University of Vienna in Austria and Square Neurologic Institute in London, England.

Purnendu Gupta, MD (Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss Memorial Hospital). Dr. Gupta is medical director at Chicago Spine Center at Weiss and associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago, where he also serves as director of the spine center. He treats many different types of cervical and spinal conditions, such as degenerative disorders, tumors, deformities and trauma-related injuries. His current research focuses on the application of cell-based gene therapy for spinal regeneration and fusion, and he is also involved in clinical studies evaluating treatment techniques for scoliosis and other conditions. Dr. Gupta is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Scoliosis Research Society. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and completed his residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, both in Chicago. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis.  

Richard Guyer, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Guyer is a spine surgeon with Texas Back Institute and director of the Texas Back Institute Spine Fellowship Program. He is also the founder and chairman of the board at Texas Back Institute Research Foundation. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Guyer is on the editorial board for Spine, The Spine Journal and Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is a former president of the North American Spine Society and has received awards for his research in the field. Dr. Guyer earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. His additional training includes spine fellowships at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland with Leon Wiltse, MD, in Long Beach, Calif.

Regis W. Haid, Jr., MD (Atlanta Brain and Spine Care). Dr. Haid is a founding partner of Atlanta Brain and Spine Care and medical director of the Piedmont Spine Center and neuroscience service line at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. His research interests include spinal reconstruction techniques and he has developed numerous patents for spinal devices and technology, with some internationally distributed. He has contributed more than 130 articles to peer-reviewed journals, written more than 85 book chapters on spinal disorders and is editing his 10th textbook. Dr. Haid has traveled internationally to present at spine conferences, including visits to Italy, Russia and Switzerland. He was previously the staff neurosurgeon for the U.S. Air Force at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio. Dr. Haid earned his medical degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, where he also completed his neurosurgical residency. He received fellowship training in spinal disorders at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Mitch Harris, MD (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston). Dr. Harris is the chief of orthopedic trauma at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He has a professional interest in treating spinal tumors, spinal arthritis, trauma and peri-articular fractures. He also serves as an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston. His current research interests include outcomes after spine surgery and geriatric spinal fracture management. Dr. Harris is currently the chair of the governance committee and on the board of directors for the North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedics surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. His additional training includes a spine and orthopedic surgery fellowship at the University of Toronto and Queen's Medical Centre in Canada.

Richard Harrison, MD (Aurora BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay, Wis.). Dr. Harrison is a neurosurgeon with fellowship training in spine surgery. He practices at Aurora BayCare Medical Center. He has special interest in the comprehensive management of spine conditions, including minimally invasive and fusion procedures. He also has interest in the treatment of congenital abnormalities, such as spina bifida. Dr. Harrison earned his medical degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock and completed his residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. He was an international spine fellow at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, England.  

Mark Hartman, MD (Total Spine Specialists, Huntersville, N.C.). Dr. Hartman is a founding physician at Total Spine Specialists with a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, trauma and tumor care. He is training in microendoscopic disc surgery and reconstructive spine surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Cervical Spine Research Society. Dr. Hartman earned his medical degree at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., and completed his residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Robert F. Heary, MD (Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Newark). Dr. Heary is the director of the Spine Center at the Neurological Institute of New Jersey. He is also the director of the neurosurgical intensive care unit and a professor of neurosurgery. His major areas of interest include minimally invasive spine surgery, spine injury, spine tumors and spinal deformity. He has written more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, 35 book chapters and is on the editorial boards of Neurosurgery and the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques. He is currently involved in endowed research on the effects of injured neurons on mesenchymal stem cells. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, completed a residency in neurological surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Andrew C. Hecht, MD (Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City). Dr. Hecht is the co-director of spine surgery at Mount Sinai and spine surgical consultant to the New York Jets, New York Islanders and collegiate teams in the New York City area. His work also extends off the field, as he is the director of the NFL's Spine Care Program for retired players. At Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Dr. Hecht founded the Newton-Wellesley Spine Center and is has been the director of Massachusetts General Hospital's spine surgery fellowship. He received his medical degree from Harvard University Medical School in Boston, completed his residency with the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Program and received fellowship training at Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.  

Michael Heggeness, MD (Baylor Clinic, Houston.). Dr. Heggeness is the president of the North American Spine Society and director of the spine surgery fellowship program at Baylor College of Medicine. He has a professional interest in cervical spine reconstruction and treatment of inflammatory arthroplasties. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Heggeness has been active in research and published several articles on the anatomy and biomechanics of the spine. He has also been involved with the development of new techniques for bone tissue engineering. Dr. Heggeness earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Toronto General Hospital in Ontario, Canada.

John G. Heller, MD (Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center, Atlanta). Dr. Heller has been practicing at Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center since 1994. He has a professional interest in the research and development of cervical spine instrumentation for procedures such as disc arthroplasty and laminoplasty. Dr. Heller has received awards for his research from the Cervical Spine Research Society and was a Kashiwagi-Sukuki Traveling Fellow with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Heller's clinical interests are extensive, including spinal trauma, spinal tumors, scoliosis and others. He earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and received fellowship training at the University of California Medical Center in San Diego.

Harry Herkowitz, MD (Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich.). Dr. Herkowitz is chief of orthopedic surgery at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. Along with his participation on the editorial boards for Spine, Journal of Spinal Disorders and other publications, Dr. Herkowitz has authored four medical texts, 36 textbook chapters and numerous journal articles. His research has earned him the Volvo Award for Clinical Research in Low Back Pain twice. He also served as president of The Spine Journal, as director of the North American Spine Society's research council and on NASS' executive board. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine and Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. Dr. Herkowitz earned his medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Beaumont and received fellowship training in spine at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Alan S. Hilibrand, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Hilibrand is director of medical education for the department of orthopedic surgery at Rothman Institute and Jefferson Medical College. He also serves as a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Hilibrand is a deputy editor of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Throughout his career he has published articles based on his research in professional spine journals and given presentations based on his research. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Cervical Spine Research Society and International Study of the Lumbar Spine. Dr. Hilibrand earned his medical degree at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals. His additional training includes a spine and spinal cord fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Michael Hisey, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Hisey was recently named the medical director of Texas Back Institute. He also serves as the medical director of the SpineMark Clinical Research Organization at Texas Back Institute. During his career, Dr. Hisey has been the principle investigator of many clinical trials, including the Dynesys IDE Trail and Flexicore Lumbar Artificial Disc IDE Trial. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. Dr. Hisey earned his medical degree at the University of California in San Diego and completed his residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Texas Back Institute and the AO Trauma Fellowship at the University Clinic for Traumatology in Austria.

Stephen Hochschuler, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Hochschuler is the co-founder of Texas Back Institute, where he currently continues to practice. He is the chairman of the Texas Back Institute Holdings Corporation and former president of the Spine Arthroplasty Society. During his career, Dr. Hochschuler served on the board of directors for SpineMark and co-founded Innovative Spinal Technologies. He was also one of the founders of the spine division at Veterans Administration in Dallas and the American Board of Spinal Surgery. Dr. Hochschuler earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in Boston, where he also completed his residency in general surgery. His additional training includes a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and Parkland Memorial Hospital, both in Dallas

Ken Y. Hsu, MD (St. Mary's Spine Center, San Francisco). Dr. Hsu is co-inventor – with James F. Zucherman, MD, also at St. Mary's — of the X Stop Interspinous Process Decompression System, which alleviates the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. The process, FDA-approved in 2005, was first in the category of interspinous process devices. Dr. Hsu holds 43 patents, has been the director of spine surgery at St. Mary's Medical Center since 1988 and is a member of the clinical faculty at Stanford University. He received his medical degree from State University of New York, completed a residency in general surgery at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco and an orthopedic surgery residency at St. Mary's. He completed a fellowship in spine and pediatric orthopedic surgery at the University of Hong Kong.

Serena Hu, MD (University of California San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco.). Dr. Hu has been an orthopedic surgeon at the University of California San Francisco since 1991 and is also co-director of UCSF Spine Center. Her clinical interests include the prevention and treatment of adult scoliosis, while her research interests include the prediction and prevention of metastatic spine fractures and disc degeneration. She is a member of a dozen professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Spinal Injury Association. Dr. Hu has written four book chapters and authored articles in publications such as the European Spine Journal and Spine. She earned her medical degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, completed her residency in orthopedic surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and received fellowship training in spine and scoliosis surgery at Rancho Los Amigos in Downey, Calif.

Russel C. Huang, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Huang is the director of the Hospital for Special Surgery Spine Clinic. Dr. Huang's areas of expertise include minimally invasive surgical techniques and treating scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, lumbar stenosis and disc herniation, among others. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, among other professional organizations. Dr. Huang's research has been published in various spine journals, such as the Journal of Spinal Disorders. He earned his medical degree from Harvard University in Boston, completed his residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Richard A. Hynes, MD (Osler Medical, Melbourne, Fla.). Dr. Hynes is a spine surgeon at Osler Medical. He has participated in numerous FDA approved studies and has a professional interest in biologics and the use of stem cells in spinal surgery. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Hynes has served as a director of TXEDAKA, a charity that helps low-income individuals gain access to the medical care they need. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Spine Surgeons and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Hynes earned his medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (then Rutgers Medical School) in New Brunswick, N.J., completed his residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Harvard University.

Robert E. Isaacs, MD (Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.). Dr. Isaacs is the director of spine surgery at Duke and an expert in minimally invasive spine surgery. He was previously the head of minimally invasive spine surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Florida Spine Institute in Weston. He has authored publications for several professional journals, trained physicians across the country in complex spine surgery techniques and has working relationships with six different companies in the spine industry. During his career, Dr. Isaacs has been involved in several clinical trials investigating minimally invasive surgical techniques, image guidance, endoscopic spinal surgery and outcomes for patients undergoing spinal surgery. Dr. Isaacs earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He completed his neurosurgery residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and received fellowship training in complex spine surgery at Rush University in Chicago.

Plas T. James, MD (Atlanta Spine Institute). Dr. James practices with Atlanta Spine Institute and is a back and spine consultant for the Atlanta Falcons. He formerly provided spine care for the Atlanta Thrashers professional hockey team. He has also served as a team physician for the US Amateur Boxing Association. Throughout his career, Dr. James has published several articles and given lectures on topics such as spinal manipulation, lumbar spine trauma and chronic vertebral osteomyelitis requiring surgical intervention. He earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed his residency at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. His additional training in spine surgery was completed at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Hospital, both in Boston.

J. Patrick Johnson, MD (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Johnson is a principle investigator for the Bryan Cervical Disc Prosthesis clinical trial. He previously served as the director of the Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders, where he established the combined neurosurgery and orthopedic fellowship program. Now, he serves as a neurosurgeon within the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center. His research interests include biologic stem cell repair of spinal cord injuries, and he has published several articles in professional journals. During his career, Dr. Johnson has served as director of the California Association of Neurosurgeons and is a member of the North American Spine Society. Dr. Johnson earned his medical degree from the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland and completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of California in Los Angeles. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Tennessee in Nashville and a fellowship at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, England.

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 received 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.

Dean Karahalios, MD (NorthShore Neurological Institute, Evanston, Ill.). Dr. Karahalios is a neurosurgeon with NorthShore University Health System. He was appointed to the National Football League's Second Opinion Network of Neurological Surgeons for brain and spine injuries for Chicago. Dr. Karahalios is also assistant professor of neurosurgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He is particularly involved in raising awareness of concussions and has developed reference materials for coaches, parents and teachers on the topic. Dr. Karahalios helped develop several Medtronic products and apparatuses and has authored numerous research publications, book chapters and presentations. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed neurosurgical residencies at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, where he also received fellowship training in spinal surgery.

Christopher Kauffman, MD (University Medical Center, Lebanon, Tenn.). Dr. Kauffman is a spine surgeon with University Medical Center. He is the chair of the Professional Economic and Regulatory Committee and sits on the board of directors for the North American Spine Society. Dr. Kaufman earned his medical degree at State University of New York at Buffalo and completed his residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Camden. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of California, San Diego.

A. Jay Khanna, MD (Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore). Dr. Khanna is an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and biomedical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University and holds patents for an orthopedic screw system and universally deployable and expandable bone and screw anchor assembly. He currently serves on the clinical teams of BOSS Medical and Cortical Concepts, two companies that he co-founded with his colleagues and biomedical engineering students from Johns Hopkins to foster the development of new orthopedic technologies. Dr. Khanna previously served as the Clinical Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Bioengineering, Innovation and Design (CBID) which prepares graduate and undergraduate biomedical engineering students to become leaders in the medical device industry and creates collaborations between clinicians and engineers at Hopkins to develop new technologies and companies.  Dr. Khanna has a special interest in treating patients with cervical spinal disorders and the use of minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of lumbar spinal disorders.   He is a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Khanna has research interests in minimally invasive spine surgery and spinal biomechanics. He earned his medical degree at the Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency at Johns Hopkins. His additional training includes a fellowship spine surgery in the departments of in orthopedic and neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Larry Khoo, MD (Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles). Dr. Khoo, director of minimally invasive neurological spine surgery at Good Samaritan, is the co-founder of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and belongs to several national and international professional organizations. He has authored a lengthy list of peer review articles and book chapters, has served on the editorial board for three different publications — including The Spine Journal and the Spine Arthroplasty Society Journal — and co-authored the book An Anatomical Approach to Minimal Access Spine Surgery, published in 2005. Dr. Khoo has been invited to lecture around the globe, including visits to Chile, Taiwan, Italy and Portugal. He received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his residency in neurosurgery at University of Southern California in Los Angeles.   

Choll Kim, MD (Spine Institute of San Diego). Dr. Kim is an orthopedic spine surgeon at the Spine Institute of San Diego. With an interest in minimally invasive procedures, Dr. Kim is the founder of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and director of the Minimally Invasive Spine Center at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego. He is also a professor at the University of California, San Diego, and the author of approximately 200 publications and presentations. Dr. Kim was previously a voting member on the FDA Orthopedic Devices Panel, which reviews new spinal technology. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of California in San Diego and completed a fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He earned his doctorate degree in molecular biology from the University of California, Los Angeles.   

Youjeong Kim, MD (Orthopaedic Consultants of North Texas, Dallas). During her career, Dr. Kim has volunteered with Orthopaedics Overseas and has spent time treating patients in South Africa and China. She has also authored several book chapters and articles in professional journals about orthopedics and spine surgery. Her professional interests include treating patients with degenerative conditions of the spine and cervical spine disease. She is able to employ minimally invasive surgical technique when possible. Dr. Kim is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and member of the North American Spine Society. Dr. Kim earned her medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine in Houston and completed her residency at the University of California, San Francisco. Her additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.

Richard A. Kube II, MD (Prairie Spine & Pain Institute, Peoria, Ill.). Dr. Kube is founder and owner of Prairie Spine and Pain Institute. He currently affiliated with four different hospitals in southern Illinois and is a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. He was team physician for Saint Louis University's soccer and basketball teams and has presented or lectured at professional seminars in South Korea, Canada, Germany and Hungary, among other locations. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and serves on the board of directors for the Board of Spine Surgery. After Dr. Kube earned his medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his residency at Saint Louis University Hospital and received fellowship training at Spine Surgery PSC in Louisville, Ky.

Carl Lauryssen, MD (Olympia Medical Center, Beverly Hills, Calif.). Dr. Lauryssen is the director of research and education at Olympia Medical Center. He previously served as the director of research and education for Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders in Los Angeles. He currently serves on the editorial boards or as guest reviewer for four professional publications, including the Journal of Spine Disorders and Journal of Neurosurgery. He has participated in neurosurgical medical missions, including one to Kenya, and is currently the consulting neurosurgeon for the St. Louis Rams and ABC News editorial staff. After Dr. Lauryssen received his medical degree from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, he completed an internship at Groote Shuur Hospital in Cape Town along with residencies in general surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada, and University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.

Scott Leary, MD (Senta Clinic, San Diego). Dr. Leary participated in the first clinical trial for the Charite artificial disc, and he will be serving as the principal investigator for the upcoming FDA clinical trial for the next-generation lumbar artificial disc replacement. In his practice, Dr. Leary has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, endoscopic spine surgery, artificial disc replacement and complex spinal reconstruction. During his career Dr. Leary has published several articles in peer-review journals on spine surgery topics and maintains a focus on research and innovation. Dr. Leary earned his medical degree at Washington University in St. Louis and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Los Angeles County — University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles. His additional training includes a fellowship in stereotactic radiosurgery under Michael Apuzzo, MD, and a complex spine surgery fellowship under John Regan, MD, in Los Angeles.

Casey K. Lee, MD (Spine Care and Rehabilitation, Roseland, N.J.). Dr. Lee is a spine surgeon with Spine Care and Rehabilitation and founder of Nexgen Spine, which developed the Physio-L Artificial Disc. He serves as chairman and chief medical officer of Nexgen Spine and continues his interest in the development of artificial disc prostheses. During his career, Dr. Lee has served as president of the North American Spine Society and New Jersey Orthopaedic Society as well as co-founder of the Korean American Spine Society. He has authored several papers published in spine text books and peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Lee earned his medical degree from Kyungpook National University Medical School in Korea and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Carney Hospital/Boston City Hospital in Boston. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lee spent time as a professor of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School in Newark.

James T. Lehner, MD (Orthopaedic Center for Spinal and Pediatric Care, Centerville, Ohio). Dr. Lehner is membership co-chairman of the Ohio Orthopaedic Society. He practices with Orthopaedic Center for Spinal and Pediatric Care and has a professional interest in treating spinal trauma and fractures. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Scoliosis Research Society and Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. During his career, Dr. Lehner has spent time volunteering with Orthopaedic Overseas in Bangladesh, Dominican Republic and Haiti. He earned his medical degree at Ohio State University in Columbus and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. His additional training includes a fellowship in scoliosis at Kosair Crippled Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

Mesfin A. Lemma, MD (Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore). Dr. Lemma is the division chief of orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins and co-director of spine surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore. He has also served as the assistant residency director of orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins. He has a professional interest in treating spinal conditions and disorders using minimally invasive techniques. In addition to his practice, Dr. Lemma has published his research in several professional journals, including Neurosurgery and Spine. His research interests include spinal conditions in the elderly population. Dr. Lemma is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Maryland Orthopaedic Association. He earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland before completing his residency in orthopedic surgery and fellowship in spine surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Lawrence G. Lenke, MD (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis). Dr. Lenke is the co-chief of the adult and pediatric scoliosis and reconstructive spinal surgery program at Washington University as well as a professor of neurological surgery and orthopedic surgery. He sees patients at St. Louis Children's Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children, also in St. Louis. He has clinical interests in pediatric and adult spine deformities, scoliosis, kyphosis and post-traumatic orthopedic spine conditions, among others. He has authored several publications, including one on the male-female differences in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, featured in Spine. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, where he also received fellowship training in adult and pediatric spinal surgery.

Isador Lieberman, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Lieberman has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and scoliosis correction. He holds multiple patents for his technological innovations, including SpineAssist, a robotic tool he recently co-developed that is used for minimally invasive surgery. He has held appointments with Cleveland Clinic as staff surgeon and professor of surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. His developments have been recognized with awards from Cleveland Clinic and the Spine Society of Europe. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lieberman co-founded the Uganda Charitable Spine Surgeon Mission. He earned his medical degree from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada, and completed his residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. He also completed residency programs in orthopedic surgery at two Toronto hospitals along with a clinical fellowship in spine and trauma surgery at The Toronto Hospital.

Steven C. Ludwig, MD (University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore). Dr. Ludwig, chief of spine surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, has a professional interest in a full range of adult spinal disorders with clinical interest in spinal tumors, infections and sports-related injuries, among others. He has received awards from the Cervical Spine Research Society and American Orthopaedic Association for his research. Along with his practice, Dr. Ludwig is co-director of the University of Maryland's spine center and an associate professor of orthopedics. He earned his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Newark, N.J., and completed surgical residencies at Thomas Jefferson University and the Rothman Institute, both in Philadelphia. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at Emory University in Atlanta.

James Lynch, MD (SpineNevada, Reno, Nev.). Dr. Lynch is a neurological surgeon who specializes in complex spine surgery, as well as minimally invasive spine surgery. He is the founder and CEO of SpineNevada and chairman and director of spine at the Surgical Center of Reno. He is on staff at St. Mary's Hospital and Renown Regional Medical Center, both located in Reno. Dr. Lynch has also served as director of spine services, for Regent Surgical Health, where he directs Regent's program to help physicians develop spine-focused ASCs and specialty spine hospitals. His work has been published in several professional publications including The Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery and Spine. He earned his medical degree from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, followed by a residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Lynch completed three spine fellowships at the Mayo Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, England, and the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

Steven Mardjetko, MD (Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Morton Grove, Ill.). Dr. Mardjetko is a spine surgeon at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, where he specializes in spinal surgery, pediatric and adult spinal deformities and pediatric orthopedics. His areas of interest include scoliosis and other spinal disorders, spinal cord injuries and tumors neuromuscular disorders and complex cervical spine disorders. Dr. Mardjetko holds several academic appointments, and is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics, Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois Medical School in Chicago, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. He completed two fellowships at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago — one in pediatric orthopedics and the other in spinal deformity and reconstruction.

Robert Masson, MD (NeuroSpine Institute, Orlando). Dr. Masson is the founder and president of NeuroSpine Institute and a retired Lieutenant Commander of the United States Naval Reserve. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and was a developer of the iMAS surgical principles, techniques and products for Synthes Spine. The iMAS is an interpedicular minimal access surgery of the lumbar spine. During his career, Dr. Masson has treated several professional athletes, including football and basketball players. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Masson is a member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. He was also featured on a Discovery Health documentary as a neurological surgery expert. Dr. Masson earned his medical degree at the University of Florida and completed his neurological surgery residency in Gainesville, Fla. His additional training includes a fellowship in skull base surgery and neurotology at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles.

Joseph C. Maroon, MD (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Dr. Maroon is vice chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his 30 years with the Steelers, he has performed numerous surgeries on professional football players and elite athletes. He also serves on the National Football League's Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee and co-developed ImPACT, a neuro-cognitive test for athletes who have suffered concussions. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive procedures and research interests include brain tumors, concussions and spinal diseases. Dr. Maroon earned his medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in neurological surgery. He also received microneurosurgery training at the University of Vermont.

Bryan J. Massoud, MD (Spine Centers of America, Fair Lawn, N.J.). Dr. Massoud is an orthopedic spine surgeon and has a professional interest in minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery. He has more than 1,000 minimally invasive procedures under his belt. Dr. Massoud is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and belongs to numerous other societies, including the North American Spine Surgery Society. Along with his clinical practice, Dr. Massoud is an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Seton Hall University's School of Health and Medical Sciences in South Orange, N.J. He earned his medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J., completed his orthopedic surgery residency at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., and received fellowship training in spine surgery at the Texas Back Institute in Plano.

Paul C. McCormick, MD (Columbia University Medical Center, New York City). Dr. McCormick is the medical director of the spine center at Columbia University Medical Center. His clinical practice and research focuses on the evaluation and management of patients with spine and spinal cord disorders. Along with his practice, Dr. McCormick is a professor of clinical neurosurgery at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has authored more than 120 articles and book chapters and also served on editorial boards for numerous spine and neurosurgery journals. He has held numerous leadership positions with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, including his role as chair of the section on disorders of the spine and peripheral nerves. Dr. McCormick earned his medical degree from Columbia University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Columbia's Neurological Institute. He received fellowship training in spinal surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Geoffrey M. McCullen, MD (Neurosurgical and Spine Surgery, Lincoln, Neb.). Dr. McCullen is the secretary and treasurer of the Nebraska Orthopedic Society. He practices at Neurological and Spine Surgery and has a professional interest in adult and pediatric spine care. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. McCullen is the author of several medical textbook chapters and studies published in peer review spine journals. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and previously served as a clinical instructor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. McCullen earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, N.H. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, N.Y.

Amir A. Mehbod, MD (Twin Cities Spine Center, Minneapolis). Dr. Mehbod is a director at large of the Minnesota Orthopaedic Society. He practices with Twin Cities Spine Center and has a professional interest in scoliosis, disc replacement and minimally invasive surgical technique. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Mehbod is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society. He is also on the board of directors for the Foundation for Advancement of Spinal Knowledge. Dr. Mehbod earned his medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. His additional training includes spinal fellowships at Twin Cities Spine Center and the University of Bordeaux in France.

Ehud Mendel, MD (Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus). Dr. Mendel is a neurosurgeon with fellowship training in spine surgery and director of Ohio State University's spine program. He is also clinical co-director of the OSU Spinal Biodynamics and Ergonomics Laboratory. Since 2007, Dr. Mendel has been a member of the Spine Oncology Study Group, which is comprised of national and international spine experts who develop guidelines to treat spine tumors. He has authored several articles for neurosurgery and oncology publications, and traveled internationally to present on topics related to spine tumors, including visits to Italy, Germany, Brazil and Israel. He is a fellow with the American College of Surgeons and a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Congress of Neurosurgeons and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University of Health Sciences in New Orleans, completed his residency at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and received fellowship training in reconstructive spine surgery at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Charles Mick, MD (Pioneer Spine and Sports, Northampton, Mass.). Dr. Mick practices spine surgery at Pioneer Spine and Sports and currently serves as the first vice president of the North American Spine Society. He has been a NASS board member for 25 years and is active in health policy. He is on the NASS board of directors and is a board liaison to the Value Task Force and member of several other NASS committees. He earned his medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Srdjan Mirkovic, MD (Northwestern Orthopaedic Institute, Chicago). Dr. Mirkovic is a spine consultant for the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire professional soccer team. Throughout his career, Dr. Mirkovic has served on committees with the North American Spine Society and the Spine Arthroplasty Society. He has published articles in several issues of Spine, Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. He has a professional interest in spine arthroplasty and operative management of the degenerative spine. Dr. Mirkovic earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center.

William Mitchell, MD (New Jersey Neurosciences Institute at JFK Medical Center, Edison, N.J.). Dr. Mitchell is an attending neurosurgeon at JFK Medical Center and serves as director of Health Policy Co-Council with the North American Spine Society. He is also a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Mitchell participates in research and has authored multiple articles for professional publications. He earned his medical degree at the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles and completed his residency in neurological surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.

George Miz, MD (Bone & Joint Physicians, Oak Lawn, Ill.). Dr. Miz is a partner at Bone & Joint Physicians and has a professional interest in scoliosis care. He also works with patients who have degenerative spinal conditions and performs artificial disc replacement. Dr. Miz earned his medical degree at Loyola University School of Medicine in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Southern Illinois University and affiliated hospitals in Springfield. His additional training includes a fellowship in scoliosis and spinal surgery at New York University and Bellevue Hospital in New York City.

Alan Moelleken, MD (The Spine and Orthopedic Center, Santa Barbara, Calif.). Dr. Moelleken has published numerous articles and presentations on the treatment of spinal disorders and has been the chairman of the monthly Tri-County Spine Conference for the past 10 years. He is a member of the North American Spine society and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, among other professional organizations. Dr. Moelleken earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, completed his residency at University of California, Los Angeles, and received fellowship training in neurological surgery and orthopedic surgery at New York University in New York City.

James F. Mooney, III, MD (Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston). Dr. Mooney is chief of the division of pediatric orthopedic surgery at Medical University of South Carolina, where he treats pediatric patients with spinal deformities and fractures, among other conditions. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of the Surgical Orthopaedic Advances and is a reviewer for three other professional journals. He is a fellow with the Scoliosis Research Society and is active in 10 other professional organizations. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Mooney is a professor of orthopedic surgery at Medical University of South Carolina. He earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at North Carolina Baptist Hospital/Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. He received fellowship training in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Children's Hospital of Boston.

Daniel B. Murrey, MD (OrthoCarolina, Charlotte, N.C.). Dr. Murrey is a spine surgeon and has served as CEO of OrthoCarolina. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Cervical Spine Research Society and Scoliosis Research Society. He has a professional interest in treatment of both surgical and nonsurgical spinal disorders, cervical spine surgery, spinal deformities and disc replacement. Dr. Murrey is involved in teaching and training other surgeons as well as in developing new spine technologies. Dr. Murrey earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston, completed his residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Seth Neubardt, MD (Seth Neubardt, M.D. & Jack Stern, M.D., Ph.D., White Plains, N.Y.). Dr. Neubardt is the sole inventor of several medical patents, including one for a spinal procedure to safely insert screws which is now used at more than 25 hospitals in 15-plus countries. He has a professional interest in developing technology for minimally invasive spine surgery, such as an electrically insulated surgical probing tool and an apparatus and method for locating defects in bone tissue. He is a fellow with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and member of the North American Spine Society. Dr. Neubardt earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Montefiore medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. His additional training includes an orthopedic and neurological spine fellowship at New York University Medical Center in New York City.

Michael G. Neuwirth, MD (Spine Institute of New York, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City). Dr. Neuwirth was named director of the Spine Institute of New York at Beth Israel Medical Center in 1996. Dr. Neuwirth's areas of expertise include complex spinal deformities in adults and children. He authored The Scoliosis Handbook and has also contributed his research to numerous medical publications. He is member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons and serves as a board member for the Scoliosis Research Society. He earned his medical degree from State University New York Down State Medical School completed his orthopedic residency at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, both in New York City. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago.

Pierce D. Nunley, MD (Spine Institute of Louisiana, Shreveport). Dr. Nunley is the chairman of the American Board of Spine Surgery and director of the Spine Institute of Louisiana. He also serves as an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. During his career, Dr. Nunley has published articles in several professional journals and presented his papers internationally. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and sits on the board of the American College of Spine Surgery as well as the Spine Institute of Louisiana Foundation. Dr. Nunley earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical College and completed his residency at LSU Health Sciences Center. His additional training includes spine fellowships at the University of Basel in Switzerland and at the Dallas Spine Group.

Patrick F. O'Leary, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. O'Leary is the former chief of the spine surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery and currently serves as an associate attending spine surgeon. He has a professional interest in cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine surgery with expertise in complex procedures. During his career, Dr. O'Leary has treated professional athletes, including players for the New York Mets and New York Knicks. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Cervical Spine Research Society. Dr. O'Leary earned his medical degree at University College Cork in Ireland and completed residencies at Roosevelt Hospital and Hospital for Special Surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Toronto East General Orthopaedic Hospital in Canada.

Joan O'Shea, MD (The Spine Institute of Southern New Jersey, Marlton). Dr. O'Shea is a dually trained neurological and orthopedic spine surgeon. She has concentrated her training and dedicated her career to the surgical treatment of spinal disorders. She is a member of the North American Spine Society and Women in Neurosurgery, among other professional organizations. She received her medical degree at the State University of New York Upstate Health Center in Syracuse, completed a residency in neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center and completed an additional orthopedic spine surgery fellowship at the Hospital for Joint Disease and the Spine Institute of Beth Israel Medical Center, both in New York City.

Burak Ozgur, MD (DISC Sports & Spine Center, Newport Beach, Calif.). Dr. Ozgur is the director of DISC Sports and Spine Center in Newport Beach, Calif., and chief of spine neurosurgery and minimally invasive spine surgery at Hoag Hospital. He has a strong interest in stem cell research, spinal biomechanics and minimally invasive spine surgery. Throughout his career, Dr. Ozgur has published several articles in peer reviewed journals related to spine surgery and given presentations at various venues. He is a member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, North American Spine Society and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Ozgur earned his medical degree at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of California San Diego Medical Center. His additional training includes fellowships in orthopedic spine surgery and neurospine surgery at the University of California San Diego Medical Center.

Andrew E. Park, MD (Texas Spine Consultants, Dallas). Dr. Park is a spine surgeon with interest in complex spinal disorders and minimally invasive spine surgery. He has instructed other surgeons at various seminars and symposiums and published his original spine surgery research in several peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his practice, Dr. Park is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and the Mid-American Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Park also founded the first fellowship training program recognized by NASS and serves as director of the Dallas Spine Fellowship Program. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, completed his residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Emory University in Atlanta.  

John Peloza, MD (Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Dallas). Dr. Peloza is the founding surgeon of the Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery, which was founded earlier this year through a partnership between local physicians and Meridian Surgical Partners. Dr. Peloza is also the founder of the Center for Spine Care. He has a professional interest and is a pioneer in true minimal access spinal technology and performs micro-endoscopic procedures for herniated discs, along with other procedures. He is a clinical investigator on numerous medical research studies related to the spine. He was instrumental in the launch of spinal treatments, including SEXTANT, MET-Rx and the MAVERICK total disc replacement. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. His additional training includes fellowships in knee and shoulder reconstructive surgery and spinal surgery.

Brian Perri, DO (Beverly Hills Spine Surgery, Beverly Hills, Calif.). Dr. Perri is an orthopedic spine surgeon with a professional interest in treating spinal deformity and tumors. He practices with Beverly Hills Spine Surgery and is the associate director of orthopedic spine surgery at Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders in Los Angeles. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Perri conducts research on degenerative spinal diseases and the development of a classification system for correcting kyphotic deformities. He is a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He earned his DO at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his orthopedic residency at Pinnacle Health Systems in Hershey, Pa. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Kenneth A. Pettine, MD (Rocky Mountain Associates, Loveland, Colo.). Dr. Pettine is a co-founder of Rocky Mountain Associates and a surgeon at Loveland (Colo.) Surgery Center. He has an extensive background in spinal surgery, research and rehabilitation and is co-inventor and co-designer of the Maverick Artificial Disc, a disc replacement device for the neck and back. He has also been chief investigator for eight FDA studies involving non-fusion spine technology. Dr. Pettine is a distinguished speaker at national and international symposiums and the author of nearly 20 research publications. He is also co-founder of the Society for Ambulatory Spine Surgery, launched in November 2011. He received his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver. He completed his residency and his master's degree in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and completed a fellowship at the Institute for Low Back Care in Minneapolis.

Frank M. Phillips, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. Phillips is the director of the section of minimally invasive spine surgery at Rush University Medical Center. He has a professional interest in cervical and lumbar reconstructive surgery as well as motion preserving and minimally invasive surgical techniques. In addition to his practice, Dr. Phillips conducts research on the biomechanics of spinal reconstruction and the biologic strategies for treating spinal conditions. Dr. Phillips has previously served as the director of The Spine Center at the University of Chicago and currently serves as a professor of orthopedic surgery at Rush. He is vice president of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and a member of the North American Spine Society. Dr. Phillips earned his medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand Medical School in South Africa and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Chicago Hospitals. He received fellowship training in orthopedic surgery at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Steven C. Poletti, MD (Southeastern Spine Institute, Charleston, S.C.). Dr. Poletti is the immediate past-president of the South Carolina Orthopaedic Association, and member of the executive committee directors. He practices with Southeastern Spine Institute and is a member of several professional societies, including the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Poletti also holds a faculty appointment at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He earned his medical degree at the University of California in Irvine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. His additional training includes a fellowship with Dallas Spine Group.

Gregory Przybylski, MD (JFK Medical Center, Edison, N.J.). Dr. Przybylski is a neurosurgeon with extensive fellowship training in spinal surgery. He is the director of neurosurgery at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center and a professor of neurological surgery at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. He is immediate past president of the North American Spine Society and has held numerous leadership positions with other professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association and Council of State Neurological Societies. His research interests include spinal biomechanics, spinal cord injury and clinical outcomes. Dr. Przybylski earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and completed his residency in neurological surgery at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He completed fellowships in spine surgery at UPMC, Hospital St. Vincent De Paul in Paris, France, Hospital St. Roch in Nice, France, and Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Sheeraz A. Qureshi, MD (Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City). Dr. Qureshi is an assistant professor of spinal surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in the department of orthopedic surgery. He also serves as the chief of spinal trauma at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York City. He has written several chapters for spine textbooks, along with publications for various professional journals. His research interests include outcomes after spine surgery and biological and biochemical effects of motion sparing spinal technology. Dr. Qureshi received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed a spinal surgery fellowship at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.

Richard S. Rabinowitz, MD (Barrington Orthopedic Specialists Hoffman Estates, Ill.). Dr. Rabinowitz maintains a variety of professional interests, including operative and non-operative treatment of neck and back conditions, minimally invasive disc surgery and artificial disc replacement surgery. He is a fellow with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of numerous professional organizations. His research has been recognized with awards for outstanding papers and research from the North American Spine Society and Cervical Spine Research Society. He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., and completed a fellowship in spine surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Raj D. Rao, MD (Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee). Dr. Rao is a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin with fellowship training in spine surgery. He treats patients through the college's clinics at hospitals in the Milwaukee area. Dr. Rao's special interests include minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal tumors, spine trauma and spinal deformities. Dr. Rao is an associate editor of The Spine Journal and serves as the chair of the North American Spine Society's advocacy committee and on the board of directors. He was appointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel on orthopedic and rehabilitation devices. Dr. Rao earned his medical degree from University of Bombay (India), completed his residency at University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles and received fellowship training in spine surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

John Ratliff, MD (Thomas Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia). Dr. Ratliff is a neurosurgeon with an interest in complex spinal surgery. He is a member of several professional societies, including North American Spine Society, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He is also involved with the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. During his career, he has published several articles in peer review journals on topics such as spondylolisthesis and lumbar pedicle screw placement. Dr. Ratliff earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his residency in neurological surgery at Louisiana State University. His additional training includes a clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health and a spine surgery fellowship at New York University in New York City.

Bernard Rawlins, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Rawlins is a spine surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is also a consultant for the New York Knicks and New York Mets, and serves as a professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical School in New York City. Dr. Rawlins has a wide range of special expertise and regularly volunteers his time to teach and lecture on spine surgery in West Africa. He has received recognition for his research from the Scoliosis Research Society and Orthopaedic Research Society. His research interests include spine biomechanics, gene-mediated spine fusions and spine surgery techniques. He received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical School and completed his orthopedic residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, both in New York City. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at the Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis.

Charles Reitman, MD (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston). Dr. Reitman is the chief of orthopedic spine surgery at Ben Taub General Hospital and interim chair of the department of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also the interim director of the Trauma Fellowship Program at Baylor. Dr. Reitman has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal trauma and disorders. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society, where he serves as research compilation and analyst chair. During his career, Dr. Reitman has been active in evidence-based clinical guidelines development as well as mentoring and teaching programs. He earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency and fellowship in spine surgery.

B. Stephens Richards, MD (Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas). Dr. Richards is the president of the Scoliosis Research Society. He also serves as the assistant chief of staff and medical director of inpatient services at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Richards is on the editorial board of the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and serves as a reviewer for Spine. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Spine Surgery. He previously served as president of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.  Dr. Richards earned his medical degree at the St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

K. Daniel Riew, MD (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis). Dr. Riew is the chief of Washington University School of Medicine's surgical spine center and director of the university's Cervical Spine Institute, also in St. Louis, where he treats patients. He performs more than 250 cervical spine operations each year, including minimally invasive procedures to the treatment of complex spinal deformities. Patients from throughout the country — as well as around the globe — have sought his expertise and treatment from him. At Washington University, Dr. Riew was selected to lead a group of spine experts to treat retired National Football League players. He is affiliated with Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Dr. Riew earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at George Washington (D.C.) University Hospital and received fellowship training in spine at Case Western.

Thomas F. Roush, MD (Roush Spine, Lake Worth, Fla.). Dr. Roush is spine surgeon with Roush Spine, which has four Florida offices. He is a member of several professional organizations, including North American Spine Society. Dr. Roush is a co-author of the 2009 book Motion Preservation Surgery of the Spine: Advanced Techniques and Controversies along with several other research publications. He has instructed courses on the anatomy of the spine at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Dr. Roush earned his medical degree from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center and received fellowship training in spine surgery and spinal arthroplasty at Texas Back Institute in Plano.

Michael Roh, MD (Rockford Spine Center, Rockford, Ill.). Dr. Roh is co-founder of Rockford Spine Center and one of the select core faculty members for the Prestige Cervical Disc. He has lectured across the country on spinal deformity correction and minimally invasive surgical technique. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and a cabinet member for the Scoliosis Research Society. During his career, Dr. Roh has received the Spinal Deformity Advancement Award from the Spinal Deformity Education Group. He earned his medical degree at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, R.I., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at New York Orthopaedic Hospital in New York City. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Mike Russell II, MD (Azalea Orthopedics, Tyler, Texas). Dr. Russell is a spine surgeon at Azalea Orthopedics and president-elect of Physician Hospitals of America, a national trade organization representing physician-owned hospitals. He holds hospital privileges at the Texas Spine and Joint Hospital, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital and the East Texas Medical Center, all located in Tyler. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Medical Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Texas Orthopedic Association and Texas Medical Association. Dr. Russell attended medical school and completed his orthopedic training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He completed a fellowship in spine surgery at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.

J. Rafe Sales, MD (Summit Orthopaedics, Portland). Dr. Sales is founder and director of spine surgery at Summit Orthopaedics' Summit Spine Institute. He is also the medical director of spinal trauma at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland. He is a member of several professional societies, including the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Sales has authored several articles on spine surgery published in professional orthopedic and trauma journals. Dr. Sales earned his medical degree from Albany (N.Y.) Medical College and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at San Francisco Spine Institute.

Andrew A. Sama, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Sama is an attending orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery and a clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. He also serves as the director of orthopedic spine surgery at New York Hospital. Dr. Sama is a fellowship director for the spinal surgical service at Hospital for Special Surgery and active on the review board of several professional publications. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Sama is a member of North American Spine Society and fellow of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His research interests include basic science involving the biology and biomechanics of the spine, and he has received funding from the National Institutes of Health for his study on treating lower back pain. 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 at Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical College in spinal disorders and deformities.

Harvinder S. Sandhu,, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Sandhu is an associate attending orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery and an assistant scientist in the hospital's research division. He has a special interest in endoscopic spine surgery, computer-assisted spine surgery and the use of biologics. During his career, Dr. Sandhu has published several articles in peer-review publications in areas such as biologic enhancement of spine surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Sandhu participated in the development of medical devices and instrumentation for spine surgery. He currently holds multiple patents for the diagnosis and treatment of spinal disorders. Dr. Sandhu earned his medical degree at Northwestern University in Chicago and completed his residency at State University of New York. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles, and he previously served as chief of the spinal surgery service at UCLA Medical Center.

Rick Sasso, MD (Indiana Spine Group, Indianapolis). Dr. Sasso is president and co-founder of Indiana Spine Group. During his career, he pioneered the development of minimally invasive spine surgery and is active in the development of instrumentation and technology for treating spinal disorders. He was among the first surgeons in the United States to perform a cervical disc replacement and is a member of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Cervical Spine Research Society. He also serves in a leadership position with the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. Dr. Sasso earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Texas Medical School. His additional training includes spine fellowships at Northwestern University in Chicago, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Thomas C. Schuler, MD (The Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, Va.). Dr. Schuler is the president and CEO of The Virginia Spine Institute, which he founded in 1992. Along with his practice, he has been the spine consultant for the Washington Redskins since 1993 and frequently treats professional and amateur athletes. Dr. Schuler is the program director for the institute's physician assistant fellowship program, president of the board of directors for the Spinal Research Foundation and a founding member of the Lumbar Spine Study Group. He is considered an innovator in the development of non-operative treatments for spinal disorders, and is involved in research of bone morphogenetic protein. He earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, completed an internship and orthopedic surgery residency at Beaumont Hospital – Royal Oak (Mich.) and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.  

David G. Schwartz, MD (OrthoIndy Northwest, Indianapolis). Dr. Schwartz has clinical interest in spinal deformities, kyphosis, scoliosis and low back pain, among other spinal conditions. Dr. Schwartz is the director of OrthoIndy's Spine Fellowship and the inventor of the Anteres Spinal Instrumentation System, which is used for the treatment of spinal fractures, scoliosis and tumors. Along with his clinical work, he is an assistant clinical professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at Indiana University in Bloomington. He earned his medical degree from Loyola University in Chicago, completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago and received fellowship training in spine surgery at the Leatherman Spine Center, Kosair Childrens Hospital and the University of Louisville, all located in Louisville, Ky.

James Schwender, MD (Twin Cities Spine Center, Minneapolis). Dr. Schwender is a spine surgeon with Twin Cities Spine Center with a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal deformities and trauma care. He is past president of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society. He is also a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. Over the past few years, Dr. Schwender has given presentations around the country about surgical techniques and served as the course chairman and moderator for the Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Symposium in New Orleans. Dr. Schwender earned his medical degree at State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Vermont in Burlington. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis.

Navinder Sethi, MD (Potomac Valley Orthopaedic Associates, Gaithersburg, Md.). Dr. Sethi is board certified and practices general orthopedic surgery with a specialty in spine surgery at Potomac Valley Orthopaedic Associates. He is also chief of spine surgery at Medstar Montgomery Medical Center in Columbia, Md., and runs an international fellowship program for spine surgeons. During his career, Dr. Sethi has lectured nationally and internationally on spine-related topics. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. He completed his orthopedic residency at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. He then completed a spine fellowship at the Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.

A. Nick Shamie, MD (UCLA Health System). Dr. Shamie is the president of the American College of Spine Surgery. He is also the co-director of the UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center. In his practice, Dr. Shamie focuses on bone protein implants, cervical spine surgery and metabolic bone disease. Beyond his clinical work, Dr. Shamie focuses on researching spine-related topics. He has authored articles published in the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques and earned the UCI School of Medicine Excellence in Research recognition. Dr. Shamie earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at St. Mary's Medical Center. His additional training includes fellowships in spine surgery and bone research at UCLA School of Medicine.

Khawar Siddique, MD (Beverly Hills Spine Surgery, Calif.). Dr. Siddique is a neurosurgeon with a special interest in spine surgery practicing at Beverly Hills Spine Surgery. He performs advanced minimally invasive spine surgery and correction for spinal tumors and deformity. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Siddique has research interests in spinal cord injuries and is currently principle investigator at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the Duragen IDE trial on reducing post-operative scarring after lumbar discectomies. His previous research has been published in professional journals and he has taught several dissection courses to other spine professionals. He is a member of the Congress of Neurosurgeons and American Association for Cancer Research. Dr. Siddique earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the Institute for Spine Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Hal Silcox III, MD (Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic, Duluth, Ga.). Dr. Silcox is the secretary of the Georgia Orthopaedic Society and a partner at Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic. He previously served as chief of spine surgery at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the resident/spine surgery fellowship education coordinator at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. During his career, Dr. Silcox has been the principle investigator for two FDA trials in Georgia. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and is a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Silcox earned his medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery and fellowship in spine surgery at Emory University affiliated hospitals.

Allen Kent Sills, Jr. MD (Semmes-Murphey Neurologic & Spine Institute, Memphis, Tenn.). Dr. Sills is the founder and executive director of the Memphis Regional Brain Tumor Center and medical director of the Methodist Neuroscience Institute at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis. He also serves as the consulting team neurosurgeon for the Memphis Grizzlies. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Sills is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Society of Neuro-Oncology and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. During his career, Dr. Sills has published several articles in professional journals, such as the Journal of Neurosurgery and Journal of Spinal Disorders. Dr. Sills earned his medical degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, where he also completed his residency in neurological surgery. His additional training includes a neuro-oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Kern Singh, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. Singh has a professional interest in researching and performing minimally invasive, motion sparing spine procedures. Each year, he performs nearly 200 minimally invasive procedures and is the principal investigator in several FDA trials on motional preserving spinal technology. Dr. Singh has authored textbooks on spinal surgery and is the current editor of the American Journal of Orthopedics. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Singh is an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, completed his residency at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago and completed a fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta.

Paul J. Slosar, MD (Spine Care Institute of San Francisco, San Francisco). Dr. Slosar is medical director of Spine Care Institute and president of SpineCare Medical Group. Along with his practice, Dr. Slosar serves on the board of directors for the American Board of Spine Surgery, as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and on the review board for Spine. He is a member of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, North American Spine Society and American College of Spinal Surgery, among other professional organizations. Dr. Slosar has contributed chapters to four different textbooks and his research has been published in several spine journals, including the Journal of the Spinal Research Foundation. He received his medical degree from Rush University Medical College in Chicago, completed a residency and internship at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., and received fellowship training in spine surgery at The San Francisco Spine Institute.

Samuel E. Smith, MD (Front Range Orthopedics, Longmont, Colo.). Dr. Smith is the secretary treasurer of the Colorado Orthopaedic Society. He is also a past president of the society. He has a professional interest in treating spine and scoliosis disorders, and performs procedures such as lateral lumbar interbody fusion and disc arthroplasty. Dr. Smith currently practices at Front Range Orthopedics and previously served as chairman of orthopedic surgery and chief of staff at Longmont (Colo.) Hospital. Dr. Smith earned his medical degree at the University of Nebraska, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spinal disorders at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and Elmwood Hospital in New Orleans.

Richard Spiro, MD (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh). Dr. Spiro is the director of adult spine services at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He has a professional interest in treating spinal disorders using minimally invasive techniques and incorporates real-time CT guidance for complex spine surgery. He also has an expertise in spinal reconstruction, spinal tumors and spinal fusion. In addition to his practice, Dr. Spiro is an assistant professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. He has published several articles in professional journals, including Neurosurgery. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Spiro earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile and completed his residency in neurosurgery at UPMC.

Mark J. Spoonamore, MD (University of Southern California University Hospital, Los Angeles). Dr. Spoonamore is the medical director of the USC Center for Spinal Surgery at University Hospital. He also serves as chief of the spine surgery service at Los Angeles County Hospital and has special interest in spine tumors, spine trauma and spinal deformities along with pediatric spinal disorders. Dr. Spoonamore has researched spinal cord injuries and bone biology, and his scoliosis research has been awarded by the Scoliosis Research Society. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and serves as a reviewer for Spine. Dr. Spoonamore earned his medical degree from University of Illinois at Chicago, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City and received fellowship training in spinal surgery at USC Medical Center.  

Philip F. Stahel, MD (Denver Health). Dr. Stahel is the director of the department of orthopedics at Denver Health. He has a professional interest in orthopedic and spine surgery and trauma care. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Stahel conducts research in spinal cord injury, management of complex peri-articular fractures and the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury. He is a member of several professional societies, including the Orthopaedic Trauma Association and American Spinal Injury Association. During his career, Dr. Stahel served in editorial positions of the European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology. Dr. Stahel earned his medical degree at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and completed his residency in the department of trauma surgery at the University Hospital in Zurich. His additional raining includes a trauma fellowship at Charite University Medical Center in Berlin and a research fellowship at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Brian R. Subach, MD (The Virginia Spine Institute, Reston). Dr. Subach is a spine surgeon and director of research at The Virginia Spine Institute. He has clinical expertise in non-operative and operative management of spinal disorders. He is director of research for The Spinal Research Foundation and also editor-in-chief for the foundation's journal. Along with his role in developing bone morphogenetic protein, Dr. Subach has been a principal investigator for Medtronic's controlled investigation of the Prestige artificial cervical disc. He earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan School of Medicine in Ann Arbor and completed neurosurgery residencies at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He received fellowship training in complex spinal disorders at Emory University in Atlanta.  

Fred Sweet, MD (Rockford Spine Center, Rockford, Ill.). Dr. Sweet co-founded Rockford Spine Center and currently serves as president of the practice. During his career, he developed a technique for performing spine surgery and is one of the few spine surgeons performing the technique in the United States. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Scoliosis Research Society. Before founding his practice, Dr. Sweet participated in a tour of duty to the United States Navy as a medical officer. Throughout his career, Dr. Sweet has been dedicated to providing charitable care for children in third world countries through Childspring International. Dr. Sweet earned his medical degree at Rush University Medical Center and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Washington University.

Robert L. Tatsumi, MD (Pacific Spine Specialists, Tualatin, Ore.). Dr. Tatsumi is an orthopedic spine surgeon who has had extensive experience with minimally invasive procedures and motion preservation technology, such as artificial disc replacement for the cervical and lumbar spine. He instructs and trains surgeons on minimally invasive technology and recently finished a research project evaluating radiation exposure to surgeons while performing lateral lumbar procedures. His research has been awarded by various professional organizations, including the Cervical Spine Research Society and the Western Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Tatsumi earned his medical degree from Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at LA Spine Institute in Santa Monica, Calif.

William Taylor, MD (UC San Diego Health System). Dr. Taylor is the president of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. He is a clinical professor of surgery in the division of neurological surgery with the UC San Diego Health System. He has a professional interest in endoscopic spine surgery, craniotomy and treatment for carotid stenosis. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Taylor is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Taylor earned his medical degree at UCLA School of Medicine and completed his residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.

Vincent C. Traynelis, MD (Rush University Medical Center, Chicago). Dr. Traynelis is the director of the neurosurgery spine service at Rush University Medical Center, as well as vice chairperson and professor of the department of neurosurgery. He specializes in complex spine surgery, spinal deformity, spinal arthroplasty, spine tumors and minimally invasive surgery. He has authored four books, more than 50 book chapters and more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. He has traveled internationally to lecture on spine topics, with visits to Italy, Switzerland and Brazil among others. He has been secretary of the Lumbar Spine Research Society, director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and chairman of the editorial board for Journal of Neurosurgery Spine. He earned his medical degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, where he also completed residencies in neurosurgery and general surgery.

Nicholas Theodore, MD (Barrow Neurological Institute). Dr. Theodore is chief of spine surgery at Barrow Neurosurgical Institute and medical director of the Neurological Trauma Program at Barrow. He is also the Neurological Institute associate director of the neurosurgery residency program. He has a professional interest in treating complex spinal disorders and spinal cord injury. Before joining Barrow, Dr. Theodore served as senior medical officer with the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa, Japan. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Theodore has published several peer-review articles based on his research and was recently one of the senior investigators in a multi-center study on a new medication for spinal cord injury. He received an NIH grant to study spinal injuries. Dr. Theodore earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute.

Eeric Truumees, MD (Seton Spine and Scoliosis Center, Austin, Texas). Dr. Truumees is a spine surgeon with Seton Spine and Scoliosis Center and Education Publishing Chair of the North American Spine Society. He is a member of several other professional societies as well, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Cervical Spine Research Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Truumees serves on the editorial review boards for professional journals such as the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques and Journal of Biomechanics. During his career, Dr. Truumees has been a site principle investigator for the KAVIAR clinical research study comparing kyphoplasty to vertebroplasty. He also participated in studies on osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures and the OP-1 product for spinal fusions in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. Dr. Truumees earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Vaccaro is a spine surgeon at Rothman Institute and a professor and attending surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, where he is also the vice chairman of the orthopedic department. He has been president of the American Spinal Injury Association and co-director of the Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley in Philadelphia. Dr. Vaccaro has authored hundreds of publications and more than 100 book chapters. He has been the recipient of the Leon Wiltse Award from the North American Spine Society for his leadership and clinical research. His research interests include timing of surgery after traumatic spinal cord injury, using alternative bone graft substitutes and developing implants for traumatic and degenerative spinal disorders. After he earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., Dr. Vaccaro completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University and received fellowship training at the University of San Diego.

Cathleen S. Van Buskirk, MD (Alpine Spine, Boulder, Colo.). Dr. Van Buskirk practices at Alpine Spine and is on staff at the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute Outpatient Spine Surgery Center in Lafayette, Colo. During her career, Dr. Van Buskirk has published multiple teaching books, such as Surgical Approaches to Spine and Contemporary Management of Spinal Cord Injury, in addition to various articles on spine surgery. Her goal is to stay on the cutting edge of new techniques to advance the field of spine surgery through research and continuing education. She is a member of the North American Spine Society, Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Van Buskirk earned her medical degree at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed her residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of New Mexico. Her additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and in pediatric orthopedic spine surgery at Vincent De Paul Hospital in Paris.

Lawrence Vogel, MD (Chicago Shriners Hospital for Children). Dr. Vogel is the president of the American Spinal Injury Association. He is the chief of pediatrics, medical director of the spinal cord injury program and assistant chief of staff at the Chicago Shriners Hospitals for Children. He is also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and past president of the Chicago Pediatric Society. During his career, Dr. Vogel has devoted his time to patients with spinal cord injuries. He has also published several articles in peer-review journals and given presentations at multiple professional meetings. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois and completed his residency at Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Hospital. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at Michael Reese Hospital and the University of Chicago.

Jeffrey Wang, MD (UCLA Spine Center, Santa Monica, Calif.). Dr. Wang is director of the UCLA Spine Surgery Fellowship. He has authored more than 100 research publications and presented on various spine topics to audiences around the world, including visits to Japan, Argentina and Singapore. Dr. Wang is on the board of directors for the North American Spine Society and holds committee positions within the Cervical Spine Research Society and Scoliosis Research Society, among others. He received his medical degree from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at UCLA School of Medicine and received fellowship training in spine and spinal cord injury at University Hospitals of Cleveland.

William Watters III, MD (Bone & Joint Clinic of Houston, Texas). Dr. Watters is a spine surgeon at the Bone & Joint Clinic of Houston. He is the current treasurer for the North American Spine Society, and was founding member of the NASS Evidence-Based Guidelines Committee which he chaired from 2003 to 2007. He is a past president of the Texas Spine Society and a member of more than a dozen professional organizations, including the World Spine Society, North American Spine Society and International Spinal Injection Society. He also serves on the editorial advisory board of The Spine Journal. Dr. Watters attended Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed two residencies, one in internal medicine and one in orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

James N. Weinstein, DO (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H.). Dr. Weinstein is currently president and CEO of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System. He is founder of the spine center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and has been president of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic and director of The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. His research has received over $50 million in federal funding and has been a principal investigator of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial, the largest study funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Dr. Weinstein developed the primary classification system used for treating spine tumors, now used internationally. He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed papers and is the editor-in-chief of Spine. Dr. Weinstein earned his doctorate of orthopedic medicine degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago.

Stuart L. Weinstein, MD (University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City). Dr. Weinstein is a spine surgeon and a professor of orthopedic surgery at University of Iowa, with expertise in pediatric orthopedic surgery and spinal deformities. He is a former president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, among other organizations. He has affiliations with orthopedic societies from around the globe, including Thailand, New Zealand, Australia and Germany. Along with his positions on the editorial board of Spine and Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Dr. Weinstein has edited five orthopedic textbooks. He earned his medical degree and completed his residency at the University of Iowa, and completed an internship at the University of California, San Francisco.

F. Todd Wetzel, MD (Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia). Dr. Wetzel is the vice-chairperson of the department of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine at Temple University Medical School. His clinical interests include spine surgery and pain management. Dr. Wetzel serves as the Governance Committee chair of the North American Spine Society and on the NASS board of directors. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Wetzel has authored several articles based on his research for publications like Spine and The Spine Journal. He earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. His additional training includes a spinal reconstructive surgery fellowship at Tulane University and St. Charles General Hospital in New Orleans.

P. Merrill White, III, MD (Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics, Knoxville). Dr. White is the president-elect of the Tennessee Orthopaedic Society. He practices with Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics and has a professional interest in spine surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. White is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Previously, he served as an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at North Carolina Baptist Hospital. Dr. White earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. His additional training includes an adult spine surgery fellowship at Rothman Institute and Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.

Richard Wohns, MD (South Sound Neurosurgery, Puyallup, Wash.). Dr. Wohns is a spine surgeon and a leader in the development of ambulatory spine practices. He is the founder and president of South Sound Neurosurgery in Puyallup, Wash., and founded NeoSpine, a spine ambulatory surgery center development company that is currently part of Symbion Healthcare. He was one of the first neurosurgeons in the United States qualified to perform the lateral lumbar interbody fusion. Dr. Wohns attended medical school at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Washington in Seattle. He holds an executive MBA from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing a law degree from Seattle University School of Law.

Christopher E. Wolfla, MD (Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee). Dr. Wolfla is the president of the Congress of Neurological Surgery and an associate professor at Medical College of Wisconsin. He also serves on the executive committee for the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. He has a professional interest in performing minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal fusion and treating spinal instability. Previously, Dr. Wolfla was the chair of neurosurgery at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center. Dr. Wolfla earned his medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed his neurological surgery residency at the Indiana University Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Michael J. Yaszemski, MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.). Dr. Yaszemski is a principle investigator of Mayo Clinic's tissue engineering and biomaterials laboratory and maintains his clinical practice in spinal surgery with a special interest in adult scoliosis. He has served in leadership positions with the Scoliosis Research Society and authored more than 100 research publications that appear in journals such as Spine and The Journal of Orthopaedic Research. In 2007, Dr. Yaszemski, along with a team of 11 Mayo Clinic specialists successfully performed a risky, 20-hour procedure where a woman's pelvis was cut in half to remove a tumor and then reconstructed. After earning his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., he completed residencies at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, earned a doctor of philosophy degree in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., and received fellowship training at Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Anthony T. Yeung, MD (Desert Institute for Spine Care, Phoenix). Dr. Anthony Yeung is an orthopedic spine surgeon who specializes in diagnosing the causes of back pain and sciatica from degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. He founded Desert Institute for Spine Care and developed the FDA-approved Yeung Endoscopic Spine System. He was one of the first spine surgeons to utilize endoscopically guided laser for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. Dr. Yeung has authored more than 70 scientific publications on his technique and has been president of the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeons. Dr. Yeung received his medical degree from University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, completed his residency at Maricopa County General Hospital in Phoenix and served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corp., in Subic Bay, Philippines.

Christopher A. Yeung, MD (Desert Institute for Spine Care, Phoenix). Dr. Yeung has been the principal investigator in several FDA studies, including the Flexicore lumbar artificial disc replacement, Cervicore cervical artificial disc replacement and DASCOR total nucleus replacement. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery. In addition to his clinical practice at Desert Institute for Spine Care, Dr. Yeung serves as the team spine surgeon for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Rattlers arena football team. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Yeung earned his medical degree at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic residency at the University of California Irvine Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at the USC Center for Orthopedic Spine Surgery/Los Angeles Spine Surgery.

Ken Yonemura, MD (Lakeview Hospital, Bountiful, Utah). Dr. Yonemura is a neurosurgeon with a special interest in spinal deformity, trauma, tumor and degenerative conditions of the spine at Lakeview Hospital. He is a member of several professional societies, including the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He also holds a committee position with the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. During his career, Dr. Yonemura was one of the first surgeons involved with the FDA evaluation of threaded fusion cages and helped pioneer minimally invasive surgical techniques for the lumbar and cervical spine. Dr. Yonemura earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and completed his residency at the University of California at Irvine Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

Jim Youssef, MD (SpineColorado, Durango). Dr. Youssef is the co-founder of SpineColorado, where he has a professional interest in minimally invasive surgery, fracture care, complex spinal disorders and alternative methods to bony fusion in spine surgery. Dr. Youssef is also co-founder of the Evidence & Technology Spine Summit, a continuing medical education conference. During his career, Dr. Youssef has participated in several clinical trials and authored 25 articles for peer-review publications. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Youssef earned his medical degree at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. He completed his fellowship in spine surgery at the University of California, Davis Medical Center.

James Yue, MD (Yale Medical Group, New Haven, Conn.). Dr. Yue is the co-director of the orthopedic spine service and the director of the Yale Spine Fellowship at Yale University Medical Center. He has a professional interest in treating patients with spinal deformity, tumors and fracture management. Dr. Yue is also chairman of the publications committee of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Yue also focuses on research in disc replacement and motion-sparing technology. Dr. Yue earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland. His additional training includes fellowships in spine surgery at Queen's Medical Center and in orthopedic and spine trauma at RA Cowley Shock Trauma Hospital in Baltimore.

William R. Zerick, MD (Central Ohio Neurological Surgeons, Westerville, Ohio). Dr. Zerick is a neurosurgeon with fellowship training in the treatment of degenerative and traumatic cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal disorders. He treats patients with degenerative disc disease, disc herniation and spinal stenosis. He has been with Central Ohio Neurologic Surgeons since 1994 and his interests include surgical care of the spine involving degenerative, traumatic and tumor conditions. He is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and North American Spine Society, among other organizations. He earned his medical degree from West Virginia School of Medicine in Morgantown, completed his residency in neurosurgery at Ohio State University in Columbus and received fellowship training in spine surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

Jack Zigler, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano). Dr. Zigler is a spine surgeon with Texas Back Institute. During his career, Dr. Zigler has been president of the American Spinal Injury Association and Federation of Spine Associations. He has led committees with the Cervical Spine Research Society and North American Spine Society. Dr. Zigler has also been a representative on the Council of Musculoskeletal Specialty Societies and a spinal injury consultant to the Los Angeles Olympic Committee. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Zigler has been the associate editor for the Spine Arthroplasty Society Journal and on the editorial board for the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. Dr. Zigler earned his medical degree at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Christian G. Zimmerman, MD (Idaho Neurological Institute, Boise). Dr. Zimmerman is the chairman and founder of the Idaho Neurological Institute. Dr. Zimmerman is a member of North American Spine Society and the Section of Spinal and Peripheral Disorders, among other professional organizations. He was principal investigator for Sygen Spinal Cord Injury Protocol and has published research on the success of PEEK rods as lumbar fusion material. He earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland in Baltimore, completed his residency at Oregon Health Science University in Portland and received fellowship training in complex spinal disorders and instrumentation at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

James Zucherman, MD (San Francisco Orthopaedic Surgeons). Dr. Zucherman is a senior spine partner at San Francisco Orthopaedic Surgeons Medical Group and inventor and co-developer of the X-Stop, an interspinous process device for treating lumbar spinal stenosis. He is also in the process of developing the Starflex motion preservation minimally invasive spine stabilization device through Spartek. During his career, Dr. Zucherman has pioneered several surgical techniques and developed one of the first laparoscopic lumbar spinal fusions and percutaneous cervical discectomy procedures in the United States. He has been a principle investigator for the ProDisc and Flexicore FDA lumbar disc replacement trials as well as the Prestige and Cervicore cervical disc replacement trials. Dr. Zucherman earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery through the San Francisco Orthopaedic Residency Program. His additional training includes a pediatric and orthopedic spine surgery fellowship at the Duchess of Kent Children's Orthopaedic Hospital of the University of Hong Kong.