Here three spine surgeons share the best news they ever received, personally or professionally.
Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.
Next week's question: What advice do you have for spine surgeons who want to continue to grow professionally?
Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, June 1, at 5 p.m. CST.
Question: What is the best professional or personal news you have received?
Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: In terms of my career, it was my letter from the American Board of Neurological Surgery saying that I had passed and become board certified.
Richard Kube, MD, Founder, CEO, Prairie Spine & Pain Institute (Peoria, Ill.): If you count fellowship and non-professional news, then it would be finding out my wife and I were expecting January of my fellowship year — and we had a 1 year old running around at the time. Don't get me wrong, we were as terrified as we were surprised. It was tremendous news though.
Kern Singh, MD, Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, Chicago: Hands down the birth of my two children. No matter the professional success I may achieve, personal and family satisfaction is the most important.
Thomas A. McNally, MD, Director, Chicago Spine Center at Weiss Memorial Hospital: The best news I receive is when I hear my patient is doing better following surgery, especially the challenging surgeries. I recently received a letter from a grandmother from the Chicago area after spine surgery. When I first saw her she thought she would never see her grandchildren in California because she had great difficulty walking and couldn’t travel. She wrote to tell me that she had just returned from a trip to the West Coast, and how happy she was to see her family and not only walk well, but walk well on sand, an unstable surface. I went into medicine to see people feel better, so knowing that they are doing better after being treated is the best news possible.