A physician leading volunteer efforts and nine more spine surgeons to know:
Editor's note: This is not a list of top surgeons but a list highlighting professional accomplishments. Becker's does not endorse surgeons featured on this list. To nominate a surgeon for future lists, please contact Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com.
Paul Gause, MD. Spine Institute of Arizona (Scottsdale). Dr. Gause is an active researcher and has worked on laboratory and clinical projects. He is trained in microsurgery, minimally invasive techniques and motion preservation.
Carl Graf, MD. Illinois Spine Institute (Schaumburg). Dr. Graf was chief resident at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He has worked on multiple research papers and book chapters covering topics including spine trauma and spinal fusion rates.
Michael Groff, MD. Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston). Dr. Groff is director of spinal neurosurgery, vice chair of neurosurgery and co-director of comprehensive spine surgery. His research interests include spinal biomechanics, health services research and evidence-based medicine.
Craig Humphreys, MD. Kenai Spine (Soldotna, Alaska). Dr. Humphreys founded Kenai Spine in 2011 and has performed more than 5,000 spine surgeries. He does volunteer work in Kenya and has completed more than 100 free surgeries for children.
Ehsan Jazini, MD. Virginia Spine Institute (Reston). Dr. Jazini is the first in the nation to perform a laminectomy with augmented reality-assisted technology. More than 90 percent of his patients are treated without surgery.
Youjeong Kim, MD. Golden Gate Spine (San Francisco). Dr. Kim is a member of the North American Spine Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Her specialties include minimally invasive spine surgery and total disc replacement.
Hooman Melamed, MD. The Spine Pro (Marina Del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Melamed founded The Spine Pro in 2005. He is director of scoliosis at Cedars Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital.
Rojeh Melikian, MD. DISC Sports and Spine Center (Newport Beach, Calif.). Dr. Melikian's focus areas include minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal trauma and disc herniation. During his residency at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital, he helped treat victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Stephen Ritter, MD. Forté Sports Medicine and Orthopedics (Carmel, Ind.). Dr. Ritter is an expert and educator in modern spine surgery and helps train fellow and industry professionals. He has served as a spine surgery consultant for the Indianapolis Colts and the NFL Combine for more than a decade.
Richard Schlenk, MD. Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Schlenk is the neurosurgery residency training program director at Cleveland Clinic. Outside of work, he builds guitars in his woodshop and gives them away in a "pay it forward" exchange.