50 Spine Surgeons and Specialists to Know

Here are 50 spine surgeons and specialists to know.


Frank Acosta Jr., MD (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Acosta is the director of spine deformity in the department of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai. His research focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of spine disorders, and he has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, Harvard Medical School and Howard Hughes Medical Institute grants and fellowships. He has published more than 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals and other publications, including Spine, Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics and Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. Dr. Acosta earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston. He completed an internship and neurosurgical residency at the University of California, San Francisco, and a fellowship in complex and reconstructive spine surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Christopher P. Ames, MD (UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, Calif.). Dr. Ames is the director of spinal tumor and spinal deformity surgery at UCSF Medical Center and the co-director of the Neurospinal Disorders Program and the UCSF Spine Center. He specializes in spinal reconstructive surgery for trauma, tumors and degenerative disease, particularly en bloc tumor resection for chordoma, chondrosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma, sacral tumors and other primary and metastatic tumors. He developed the transpedicular approach to previously unresectable cervical and cervical thoracic tumors. Dr. Ames directs the Neurosurgical Spinal Deformity service that treats more than 200 patients annually for correction of a variety of spinal deformities. He also performs state-of-the-art percutaneous fusion procedures and has published extensively in 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 and completed a residency at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego and a fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz.

Howard S. An, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. An is the director of spine surgery and the spine fellowship program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and has held the inaugural Morton International Endowed Chair position since 1997. He has published more than 140 articles, 80 chapters and 15 books on spinal surgery and instrumentation. Prior to joining Rush, Dr. An served as director of spine surgery for eight years at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He received his medical degree and completed his internship and residency in orthopedic surgery at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo. He completed a spine surgery fellowship at Rothman Institute-Pennsylvania Hospital and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Dr. An is a recipient of the 1990 North American Traveling Fellowship from the American Orthopaedic Association and the 1995 Scoliosis Research Society Traveling Fellowship. He is currently involved in research in the fields of spinal biomechanics and tissue engineering with funding from the National Institutes of Health, companies in the medical industry and foundations.

Gunnar Andersson, MD, PhD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. Andersson is the chairman emeritus and The Ronald L. DeWald, MD, Chair in Spinal Deformities at Rush University Medical Center. He is author and co-author of more than 250 academic papers and more than 150 books and book chapters mostly related to back pain and back injuries and has been at the forefront of spine surgery research and education for more than 30 years. Dr. Andersson started his career as an orthopedic surgeon at Sahlgren Hospital at the University of Goteborg, Sweden, and is credited with designing the seat in Volvo automobiles. He came to the United States in 1976 as a visiting professor.

John Atwater, MD (McClean County Orthopedics, Bloomington, Ill.). Dr. Atwater is a spine surgeon at the Downstate Illinois Spine Center and McClean County Orthopedics. He treats a wide range of spinal conditions and performs many types of spinal surgery. He currently serves as a medical consultant to several medical device companies. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and interned at John Hopkins University in Baltimore. He completed an orthopedic residency at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a spine fellowship at the University of Louisville. During medical school, he was a member of the "Spinal Chords," an all-male chorus that performed for patients at local hospitals.

David Abraham, MD (Reading Neck and Spine Center, Wyomissing, Pa.).
Dr. Abraham is the founder of The Reading Neck and Spine Center. He is also a partner at The Reading Surgery Center in Wyomissing and at the Surgical Center of Pottsville (Pa.). Dr. Abraham, whose interests include ambulatory and minimally-invasive spinal surgery, attended Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He completed his internship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and his residency at the Rothman Institute, both in Philadelphia. He completed a fellowship in adult spine surgery at William Beaumont Medical Center in Detroit. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, the North American Spine Society and the Pennsylvania Orthopedic Society.

Scott Blumenthal, MD (Texas Back Institute, Plano, Texas). Dr. Blumenthal is a spine surgeon with the Texas Back Institute and the first surgeon in the United States to devote his practice solely to the research and application of artificial disc replacement. He is a leader in spinal arthroplasty working with a large number of discs currently on the market and in trials. He serves as a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas and as an ongoing contributor to the first non-profit created for arthroplasty patients, ADRSupport.org, and serves as a spine consultant for the Dallas Mavericks. Dr. Blumenthal was recently appointed as co-medical director of San Clemente, Calif.-based VertiFlex. Dr. Blumenthal graduated from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago and completed his general surgery internship and orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas. He completed fellowships at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for physical medicine and rehabilitation at Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago for spinal trauma surgery.

Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, MD (The Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Boachie-Adjei is chief of the Scoliosis Service and an associate attending orthopedic surgeon at The Hospital for Special Surgery. He has published and lectured extensively on spine surgery, with special emphasis on surgery to correct spine deformity. He is an inventor who holds several patents for devices used in spine surgery and started the Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine to provide orthopedic medical care to underserved populations in West Africa and other Third World nations. Dr. Boachie-Adjei was elected president of the Scoliosis Research Society for the 2008-2009 year. He received his medical degree from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed his residency in general surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center in New York. He completed a fellowship at the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center and the Minnesota Spine Center in Minneapolis.

Scott Boden, MD (Emory University Hospital, Atlanta). Dr. Boden is the director of Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center and a professor of orthopedic surgery at Emory University. His areas of clinical interest include cervical fusion, kyphoplasty, lumbar disorders, spinal infections, spinal trauma and spondylosis, among many other areas of the treatment of spinal disorders and injuries. He has published extensively and received awards for his research on topics in spinal surgery, including spinal fusion and interbody fusion. Dr. Boden received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He completed his internship and residency at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and completed his fellowship at Case Western Reserve University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Boden is a member of numerous professional societies, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Association, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, the Eastern Orthopaedic Association, the North American Spine Society and the Orthopaedic Research Society.

Lawrence F. Borges, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston).
Dr. Borges is an attending neurosurgeon and director of the Neurosurgical Spine Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Borges has published extensively on spine surgery and the treatment of spinal tumors. He received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Keith H. Bridwell, MD (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo.).
Dr. Bridwell is chief of orthopedic spine surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, which operates Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital. He is also the co-director and founder of the university's Pediatric/Adult Spinal Deformity Service and the spinal fellowship program. He specializes in pediatric and adult spinal deformities, revision spinal surgeries, complex spinal disorders, cervical thoracic and lumbar pathology and spinal tumors, among other areas. Dr. Bridwell has published numerous articles and sits on the editorial boards of several medical publications, including Spine, for which he serves as editor. He received his medical degree from and completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Washington University. He went on to complete three spine/scoliosis research fellowships at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital, the University of Illinois Hospital and the Chicago Shriner's Hospital, all located in Chicago.

Craig Brigham, MD (OrthoCarolina, Charlotte, N.C.).
Dr. Brigham is a surgeon at the Spine Center, part of OrthoCarolina. He has specialized in spine surgery since 1988. His areas of expertise include scoliosis and adult deformity surgery, minimally-invasive surgery and athletic spine injuries. Dr. Brigham received his medical degree from and completed his internship at Northwestern University in Chicago. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center and completed a fellowship in orthopedic spine surgery at the State University of New York.

John R. Caruso, MD (Neurosurgical Specialists, Hagerstown, Md.).
Dr. Caruso is a neurological surgeon with more than 16 years experience who currently practices with Neurosurgical Specialists in Hagerstown, Md. He has performed numerous spinal procedures including minimally-invasive procedures to complex instrumentation of the cranial, thoracic and lumbar spine. He also serves a chairman of the board and medical director of Parkway Surgery Center in Hagerstown. He is cofounder of "Save Our Doctors, Protect Our Patients" which brought liability reform awareness to the state of Maryland and forced a special legislative session. He is a board member of the Maryland State Surgical Association, which evolved out of the "Save Our Doctors" efforts and was established through the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. He is a national spokesman for Doctors for Medical Liability Reform as well. Dr. Caruso attended Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va., and completed residencies at the Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine in Norfolk and at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

G. David Casper, MD (OSSO Healthcare Network, Oklahoma City, Okla.).
Dr. Casper is a spine surgeon with OSSO Healthcare and has been in private practice since 1977. He affiliated with Oklahoma Sports Sciences and Orthopaedics in 1999. For the past 15 years, Dr. Casper has been professionally and academically involved in minimally-invasive spinal surgery and has authored several publications involving his research and has taught minimally-invasive surgical procedures for spine conditions both nationally and internationally. He continues to use laser surgery in many spinal surgeries and is currently involved in the development of a technique for minimally-invasive spinal fusion. Dr. Casper is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, School of Medicine and completed an internship at Maricopa County General Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz. He completed a residency at the Phoenix Orthopaedic Residency Program in Arizona.

Leonard Cerullo, MD (NorthShore University Health System, Chicago). Dr. Cerullo is a neurosurgeon with more than 30 years experience and is the founder and medical director of Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch, which recently joined with NorthShore University HealthSystem. He helped pioneer the use of lasers in neurosurgery and has published several articles and books on this subject. Dr. Cerullo attended medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and completed his residency training in neurosurgery at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. Dr. Cerullo held fellowships at the Neurological Institute of New York and Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, both in New York City, and at Hôpital Foch in Surenes, France. Dr. Cerullo has been featured repeatedly in Chicago Magazine's "Top Doctors" issues.

Bruce V. Darden II, MD (OrthoCarolina, Charlotte, N.C.). Dr. Darden is a spine surgeon with the Spine Center at OrthoCarolina. A lifetime resident of North Carolina, Dr. Darden earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in orthopedic surgery at Carolinas Medical Center and was awarded a fellowship in spine surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Darden is a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society, the North American Spine Society, the Spine Society of Europe and the Scoliosis Research Society. He is an expert in spine surgery, including cervical spine and scoliosis surgery.

Vedat Deviren, MD (UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, Calif.).
Dr. Deviren is an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at UCSF. He specializes in the treatment of spinal disorders in children and adults, with particular interest in problems affecting the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, including deformities such as adult scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, failed back surgeries and degenerative conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, fractures and tumors. He has published numerous articles and abstracts on spinal disorders and their surgical outcomes. Dr. Deviren has completed postgraduate theoretical and practical courses in orthopedics and traumatology at Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey. He had additional training in spine surgery as a clinical and research fellow at UCSF.

Curtis Dickman, MD (Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Ariz.).
Dr. Dickman is the director of spinal research and associate chief of the spine section at Barrow Neurological Institute. He also serves as clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. Dr. Dickman has been involved in many clinical and laboratory research projects related to surgical spinal treatments, including cervical interbody fusion devices and pedicle screw fixation. He also serves as a reviewer for many spine-related journals and currently serves as deputy editor of Spine. Dr. Dickman received his medical degree from the University of Arizona and completed his internship at Phoenix Integrated Surgical Residency. He completed his residency in neurological surgery at Barrow Institute and his spine fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

John Dietz Jr. (OrthoIndy, Indianapolis).
Dr. Dietz is a spine surgeon with OrthoIndy and serves as secretary of the board of directors. He is an inventor and has been awarded patents on surgical instruments used in endoscopic spine surgery. He has authored many articles published in medical journals and has presented at numerous national meetings of orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Dietz graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a concentration in civil engineering and received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. He then completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. Dr. Dietz completed a fellowship in spine surgery at Swedish Hospital Medical Center in Seattle.

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 as well as minimally-invasive neurosurgical procedures. He also serves as clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He has published dozens of articles and textbook chapters and has provided presentations and lectures on spinal treatment. Dr. Doppenberg received his medical degree from University Utrecht in the Netherlands and completed residencies at Academic Hospital Dijkzigt in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, where he completed a fellowship in neurotrauma and stroke. He also completed a fellowship in neurosurgical oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Jason Garber, MD, FACS (Western Regional Center for Brain & Spine, Las Vegas).
Dr. Garber is a neurosurgeon with Western Regional Center for Brain & Spine, where he concentrates on the treatment of complex spinal disorders, as well as intracranial disorders. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Cognitive Neuroscience Society and the North American Spine Society. Dr. Garber received his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He completed his internship in general surgery and his residency in neurological surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He completed a spine surgery fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Ziya Gokaslan, MD (Spine Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.). Dr. Gokaslan is a professor of neurosurgery and director of the Spine Center at Johns Hopkins, where he focuses on the surgical treatment of spinal tumors and complex spinal reconstructions. He has developed novel surgical methods to treat some of the most difficult types of spinal cancers. Dr. Gokaslan received his medical degree from the University of Istanbul in Turkey. He completed an internship in general surgery, a fellowship in neurotraumatology and a residency in neurological surgery at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He completed a fellowship in clinical spinal surgery in the department of orthopedics and neurosurgery at the New York University Medical Center.

Michael Goldsmith, MD (Summit Orthopaedics, Chevy Chase, Md.).
Dr. Goldsmith specializes in diagnosis and treatment of spinal conditions at Summit Orthopaedics. He has research experience at institutions including the Twin Cities Spine Center, Georgetown University, Hospital for Joint Disease, New York University, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the National Institute of Health. He has published and presented numerous papers and has contributed chapters to several medical textbooks. Dr. Goldsmith attended New York University Medical School. Following his internship and residency at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., he performed a pediatric orthopedic rotation at Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and completed a fellowship in orthopedic spine surgery at the Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis.

James S. Harrop, MD (Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia). Dr. Harrop is director of the division of spine and peripheral nerve disorders at Thomas Jefferson University and is co-associate director of acute care for Jefferson's Spine Cord Injury Center. He is actively involved in the care and treatment of patients with spinal cord injuries through surgical modalities and has worked with scientists in the field of improving clinical outcomes with cell regeneration and prevention of neuronal loss. Dr. Harrop is the author of more than 30 publications and book chapters and is co-author of The Residents and Fellows Guide to the Fundamentals of Spine Surgery. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed his internship and residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He also completed a fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.

Regis W. Haid Jr., MD (Atlanta Brain and Spine Care, Atlanta).
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 holds several patents concerning such techniques as cervical lateral mass plating, anterior cervical plating, posterior and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion techniques and cervical arthroplasty. Dr. Haid has served as a visiting professor at more than 30 universities worldwide and has lectured and published on spine treatment. He has served on the editorial and review boards of several journals including Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine, Neurosurgery, Spine, The Spine Journal and Journal of Spinal Disorders. Dr. Haid received his medical degree and completed his neurosurgical residency at West Virginia University in Morgantown. He also completed a fellowship with Joseph Maroon, MD, in Pittsburgh. Dr. Haid has been honored as the Richard C. Schneider Lecturer for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Charles Drake Lecturer for the University of Virginia.

Roger Hartl, MD (NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York). Dr. Hartl is the chief of spinal surgery here at Weill Cornell Medical College and serves as the neurosurgeon for the New York Giants. He is also a co-director of NewYork-Presbyterian's Spine Center. Dr. Hartl specializes in complex spine procedures, minimally invasive surgery and treatment of patients with head and spinal cord injury, among other areas. He has lectured and published extensively on the surgical treatment of spine disorders and traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Dr. Hartl received his medical degree from the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, and he completed his neurosurgery residency at Weill Cornell Medical College. After finishing a fellowship in complex spine surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., he re-joined the department of neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College as an attending surgeon.

Iain H. Kalfas, MD (Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio). Dr. Kalfas is a neurosurgeon at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Spine Health and the head of spinal surgery for the Clinic's department of neurosurgery. His specialties include complex spinal surgery and reconstruction including instrumentation and fusion, image-guided spinal navigation, neck and back disorders and minimally-invasive surgery. Dr. Kalfas attended medical school at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio, and completed his internship and residency in neurological surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He completed fellowships at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix and at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Dr. Kalfas edited the book, Spinal Reconstruction: Clinical Examples of Applied Basic Science, Biomechanics and Engineering, and has written numerous book chapters.

Dean Karahalios, MD (NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Ill.). Dr. Karahalios is a leading authority on the treatment of patients with complex spinal disorders and is particularly well known for his use of implants, fusion systems, instrumentation and innovative complex spine techniques to treat patients with degenerative problems and traumatic injuries to the spine. His other interests include a unique and aggressive multi-modality approach to primary and metastatic tumors of the spine, which includes cutting-edge surgical approaches and spinal radiosurgery. He is highly skilled in the use of image-guided and minimally-invasive surgical techniques, which reduce the risks and speed the recovery time of spine surgery. Dr. Karahalios earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He completed an internship in general surgery at the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz., and a residency neurological surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. Dr. Karahalios is an active author, lecturer, educator and researcher and written numerous articles and book chapters on the topic of complex spinal surgery.

Jordi Kellogg, MD (Kellogg Brain & Spine, Portland, Ore.). Dr. Kellogg is a neurosurgeon who has published more than 40 professional articles and abstracts since 1997 and is a regular speaker at neurosurgery conferences. In private practice since 2001, Dr. Kellogg is an investor-owner in the highly successful East Portland Surgery Center. He also practices at Portland Adventist Medical Center and Providence Portland Medical Center. Dr. Kellogg attended medical school at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and completed his residency and fellowship at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of National Surgeons and the American Medical Association.

A. Jay Khanna, MD (Johns Hopkins Orthopaedics, Baltimore, Md.).
Dr. Khanna is co-director of the division of spine surgery at John Hopkins Orthopaedics at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore. He specializes in the treatment of a wide range of spinal diseases and disorders including spine tumors, spine trauma, cervical, thoracic and lumbar stenosis and osteoporotic spine fractures. Dr. Khanna received his medical degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He completed an internship at Beth Israel Hospital-Harvard Medical School in Boston and an orthopedic surgery residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He completed a spine surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Khanna is a member of several professional societies, including the American Medical Association, the North American Spine Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

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 also serves as director, spine services, for Regent Surgical Health, where he directs Regent's program to help physicians develop spine-focused ASCs and specialty spine hospitals. 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. His work has been published in several professional publications including The Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery and Spine.

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 and the Scoliosis Research Society, where he serves on its board of directors. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and stayed for his residency training in orthopedic surgery at the University of Illinois Medical Center. He received expert specialty training by completing two postgraduate fellowships at Rush University, one in pediatric orthopedics and the other in spinal deformity and reconstruction.

Alan Moelleken, MD (The Spine & Orthopedic Center, Santa Barbara, Calif.).
Dr. Moelleken is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in disorders of the spine. Aside from seeing patients at The Spine & Orthopedic Center, he also performs surgery at Carrillo Surgery Center and is on the attending staff of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Community Hospital. 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 nine years. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed an orthopedics residency at UCLA. He then went on to complete a fellowship in neurosurgery and orthopedic spine surgery at New York University.

Daniel Murrey, MD (OrthoCarolina, Charlotte, N.C.).
Dr. Murrey is the CEO of OrthoCarolina and a physician at the OrthoCarolina Spine Center. He specializes in treatment of both surgical and nonsurgical spinal disorders, with special interest in cervical spine surgery, spinal deformities and disk replacement. He is involved in teaching and training other surgeons and in developing new spine technologies. Dr. Murrey is a graduate of Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and his fellowship in spine surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.

John D. Peloza, MD (Center for Spine Care, Dallas). Dr. Peloza is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine care, with offices in Dallas and Frisco, Texas, where he serves as medical director of the Center for Spine Care. He has served as a clinical investigator for many medical research studies related to the spine and has launched several spine devices including SEXTANT, MET-Rx and the MAVERICK total disc replacement. He received his medical degree with highest honors from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He has completed fellowships in knee and shoulder reconstructive surgery and spine surgery. He is also an associate with the prestigious Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo., and is a spine consultant to the U.S. Ski Team.

Kenneth A. Pettine, MD (Rocky Mountain Associates, Loveland, Colo.). Dr. Pettine is a co-founder of Rocky Mountain Associates and a surgeon at Loveland Surgery Center, a spine center of excellence for Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He has an extensive background in spinal surgery, research and rehabilitation. He is co-inventor and co-designer of the Maverick Artificial Disc, a patented disc replacement device for the neck and back He is a distinguished speaker at national and international symposiums and the author of nearly 20 research publications. Dr. Pettine received his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. 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 Phillips, MD (Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago). Dr. Phillips is the director of the section of minimally-invasive spine surgery at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. He specializes in the spine and has special interests in cervical and lumbar reconstructive surgery, with expertise in motion-preserving and minimally-invasive spinal procedures. He is the principal investigator of various national US FDA clinical trials evaluating cervical and lumbar disc replacement procedures. Before joining Midwest Orthopaedics, Dr. Phillips served as the director of The Spine Center at The University of Chicago. He is currently the vice president of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and is on various committees of the North American Spine Society and the Spine Arthroplasty Society. He received his medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Dr. Phillips completed his orthopedic residency at The University of Chicago Medical Center and completed a fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Joan O'Shea, MD (The Spine Institute of Southern New Jersey, Marlton, N.J.).
Dr. O'Shea is a dually-trained neurological and orthopedic spine surgeon. She has concentrated her training and dedicated her career to the treatment of spinal disorders. She helped found the Spine Institute of Southern New Jersey and previously practiced neurosurgery at Cooper Medical Center in Camden, N.Y. She received her medical degree at the State University of New York Upstate Health Center in Syracuse. She completed a residency in neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York and completed an additional orthopedic spine surgery fellowship at the Hospital for Joint Disease and the Spine Institute of Beth Israel Medical Center, both located in New York City. She has been an invited lecturer for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons annually since 1996. Dr. O'Shea was recognized in 2009 in SJ Magazine as a "Top Doc" in Southern New Jersey for neurosurgery.

Mike Russell II, MD (Azalea Orthopedics, Tyler, Texas). Dr. Russell is a spine surgeon at Azalea Orthopedics in Tyler, Texas and is 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. 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. He is a member of the National Association of Spine Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons the Texas Orthopedic Association and the Texas Medical Association.

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 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. He joined Potomac Valley Orthopaedics in 2001.

Arya Nick Shamie (UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Shamie is a board-certified spine surgeon, associate professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery, and co-director of the UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center in Los Angeles. Among his areas of clinical focus are minimally-invasive approaches to the spine, clinical trials and spinal stenosis, for which he has also conducted his own clinical research on devices indicated for treatment of this condition. He was recently named as co-medical director for VertiFlex. Dr. Shamie received his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He completed his internship in general surgery at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles and a residency in orthopedic surgery at St. Mary's Medical Center. He finished his training with fellowships in spinal surgery and bone research at UCLA School of Medicine.

Volker K. H. Sonntag, MD (Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Ariz.). Dr. Volker Sonntag is a spinal neurosurgeon who specializes in spinal disorders and serves as vice chairman of the division of neurological surgery, chief of the spine section and director of the neurosurgery residency program at Barrow Neurological Institute. His subspecialties include spine disease, spine tumors and fractures. Dr. Sonntag has published more than 200 articles and 60 book chapters on neurosurgery. He received his medical degree from the University of Arizona and completed his neurosurgical residency at Tufts New England Medical Center Hospital in Boston. He is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and is on the board of directors of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the American Association of Neurological Surgery.

John T. Stinson, MD (The Orthopaedic Center, Rockville, Md.). Dr. Stinson is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spinal disorders in children and adults. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., and he trained in general and orthopedic surgery in Boston at hospitals affiliated with Tufts and Harvard Universities, including Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Stinson completed a fellowship in reconstructive spine surgery at St. Luke's/Case Western University in Cleveland where he also performed research on electrical monitoring of the spinal cord during surgery. He is responsible for the publication of original clinical research, several text book chapters, numerous presentations and lectures. He also co-edited a symposium entitled Spine Problems in the Athlete, published in 1993. He has received commendations from the governments of Ecuador and Afghanistan for surgical services rendered to injured children in these countries. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American College of Surgeon and the North American Spine Society. Dr. Stinson is a clinical professor in orthopedic surgery at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and is an adjunct clinical professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences.

Larry L. Teuber, MD (Black Hills Surgery Center, Rapid City, S.D.).
Dr. Teuber serves as director of Medical Facilities Corp. and as the physician executive of Black Hills Surgery Center in Rapid City, S.D., which he founded in 1997. Dr. Teuber is also the founder and current managing partner of The Spine Center in Rapid City. He provides consultative services and frequently speaks to physician organizations concerning the development of surgical facilities for neurosurgical and spinal care. Dr. Teuber earned his medical degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. He completed his general surgery internship and neurosurgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Teuber served for 17 years in the active and reserve Army, retiring with the rank of major after serving in Desert Storm.

Terry Trammell, MD (OrthoIndy, Indianapolis). Dr. Trammell is a spine surgeon with OrthoIndy and is a certified as a diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and American Board of Spinal Surgery. He is best known for his work in providing care to motorsports athletes as the past medical director and Sr. Orthopaedic consultant to CART. He is currently an orthopedic spinal consultant to the Indy Racing League. Dr. Trammell received medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Indiana University Affiliated Hospitals and a fellowship in spinal surgery under the direction of E.H. Simmons, MD, at the University of Toronto.

Alexander Vaccaro, MD, PhD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Vaccaro is a professor of orthopedic surgery and co-director of the Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley and of the Spine Fellowship Program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. At Jefferson's Rothman Institute, he is co-director of the Reconstructive Spine Service. Dr. Vaccaro is currently working on a prospective, randomized study to evaluate the timing of surgery on neurologic recovery following spinal cord injury and is also conducting several grant-sponsored investigations concerned with the cervical spine. He has served on committees for the Cervical Spine Research Society, the North American Spine Society and the Federation of Spine Surgery. Dr. Vaccaro is the recipient of many awards and has published more than 200 chapters, papers, abstracts and presentations on topics related to the adult and pediatric spine, the disorders and conditions that can afflict it, surgical and medical treatment options available and rehabilitation of the patient. He has served as editor of various publications and is currently on the editorial review committees for Spine, Current Opinion in Orthopedics, the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery and Emedicine, among others.

Corey J. Wallach, MD (Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic, Arlington, Va.). Dr. Wallach is medical director for the Anderson Clinic Spine Center, where he addresses spine care with an emphasis on conservative management, as well as the latest in minimally-invasive treatment options. He has overseen the development and growth of the new center and remains actively involved in clinical research aimed at improving spine care. Dr. Wallach received his medical degree at the University of California, Davis, where he received the Lipscomb Award for Excellence in Orthopaedic Surgery. He completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and completed his spine fellowship at the UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center.

William Watters III, MD (Bone & Joint Clinic of Houston, Texas). Dr. Watters is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spinal surgery at the Bone & Joint Clinic of Houston. He is the current research council director for the North American Spine Society and is the chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon's Guideline and Technology Assessment Oversight Committee, which oversees all clinical practice guideline development and technology assessments produced by the AAOS. He also serves as clinical associate professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Watters attended Harvard Medical School and completed two residencies, one in internal medicine and one in orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Jeffrey C. Wang, MD (UCLA Spine Center, Los Angeles). Dr. Wang is currently chief of the University of California Los Angeles Spine Service and director of the UCLA Spine Surgery Fellowship. In addition to a busy clinical practice, Dr. Wang runs a science laboratory where he develops new methods for treating spinal disorders. Dr. Wang has received numerous research grants and is currently involved in many clinical trials in the treatment of spine problems. Dr. Wang attended medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at UCLA and a fellowship in spine surgery at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Richard Wohns, MD, MBA (South Sound Neurosurgery, Puyallup, Wash.). Dr. Wohns is a spine surgeon and one of the first physicians involved with the development of ambulatory spine practices. He is the founder and president of South Sound Neurosurgery in Puyallup, Wash. He also founded NeoSpine, a spine ASC development company, which is currently part of Symbion Healthcare. His areas of expertise in the field of neurosurgery include brain tumor and skull base surgery, numerous complex minimally invasive spinal surgical techniques, teleradiology, computer-based neuronavigation and stereotaxis. He was one of the first neurosurgeons in the United States qualified to perform the XLIF technique for minimally-invasive lumbar fusions. Dr. Wohns attended medical school at Yale University School of Medicine 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.

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