Spine Institute of Arizona

Spine Surgery Fellowship

All Fellowship applications  must go through the San Francisco Match Program.  The San Francisco Match program is sponsored by the North American Spine Society (NASS).   Spine Institute of Arizona Medical Director Edward J. Dohring, M.D. is the chairman of the NASS Resident and Fellow Education Committee. 

Interested applicants can apply here: www.sfmatch.org/fellowship/f_spn/index.htm

Edward J. Dohring, M.D., Fellowship Director
Paul R. Gause, M.D., Fellowship Co-Director
Daniel Lieberman, MD (Neurosurgeon)
Gregory White, MD (Pediatric Spine Surgeon)

Spine Institute of Arizona
9735 North 90th Place
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258
Phone: (602) 953-9500; Fax (602) 953-1782 E-mail: spineinstituteofaz@msn.com
Website: www.spineaz.com

Description:

The Spine Institute of Arizona Fellowship provides a unique experience for training in a multidisciplinary spine care setting, with providers who specialize in Orthopaedic Spine Surgery, Neurosurgical Spine Surgery, Pain Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy. Our comprehensive spine clinic will allow the Fellow to gain expertise in both the surgical and non-surgical treatment of spinal disorders. The Fellow will be instructed by a faculty of six surgeons while he/she rotates through coordinated orthopaedic and neurosurgical spine services that focus on cervical, thoracic and lumbar pathology. These disorders include degenerative diseases, pediatric and adult deformity, trauma, tumors, and infection. Various surgical approaches to these conditions will be taught including anterior, posterior and direct lateral exposures utilizing both minimally invasive and open techniques for nerve decompression and spinal fusion. Additionally the Fellow will also be exposed to artificial disc technology and kyphoplasty procedures. Along with this strong surgical experience, the Fellow will have the opportunity to learn how to perform cervical and lumbar injections through an optional rotation with our Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialists. The Fellow will have the ability to participate in clinical research projects as well as multiple IDE studies involving emerging technology.

The Spine Institute of Arizona is a multi-disciplinary spine care practice, with providers that specialize in orthopedic spine surgery, spinal injections, pain management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, chiropractic care, and physical therapy. We are affiliated with the University of Arizona College of Medicine and the Banner Good Samaritan Orthopedic Residency Program. Medical students and orthopaedic residents frequently rotate through the practice and are an integral part of the therapeutic team. The Spine Institute of Arizona receives referrals from throughout the southwest United States and southern California. Our surgical caseload encompasses cervical, thoracic, and lumbar anterior and posterior decompression and instrumented reconstruction for degenerative and deformity cases, both primary and complex revision cases. We frequently participate in clinical trials (i.e. lumbar and cervical artificial disc replacement, intraspinous process spaces, bone morphogenic protein usage) and our faculty have ongoing prospective clinical research projects. The fellow is encouraged to participate in research and clinical trials.

The fellowship emphasizes patient selection and progressive surgical skills. We believe that the key to successful surgical outcomes in spine surgery requires precise diagnosis of pathology, appropriate conservative care prior to surgical intervention, proper judgment regarding surgical patient selection, and management perioperative surgical issues. In addition to experience with surgical and non-surgical care of spinal disorders, fellows will learn "survival skills" crucial to the management of a spinal surgery practice, including marketing, contracting, proper medical/ legal and billing documentation, billing & collections, and second opinion and medical/ legal opinion skills.

Applicants must be Board-eligible/ Board Certified by the ABOS, graduates of an accredited U.S. Orthopaedic residency program, and eligible for Arizona medical license, malpractice insurance, and hospital privileges. Fellows will be provided with health insurance, malpractice insurance with tail coverage, and a competitive salary. The fellowship generally begins August 1st and ends July 31st.