Though I may not be that old, I come from an era when printed journals and in-person congresses were our main sources of knowledge. During my Orthopedic residency, pedicle screws had just arrived in Brazil. I learned to perform spine surgery with Harrington rods, Luque wires, and Hartshill rectangles — totally old school.

My first NASS Annual Meeting was in Chicago, 2004. I was amazed by the access to new implant technologies that enabled entirely new approaches in spine surgery. I was introduced to cervical and lumbar disc arthroplasty and witnessed the expansion of pedicle screw fixate on beyond the lumbar spine — in the thoracic spine we previously relied only on hooks.

Beyond science, the networking opportunities with colleagues from around the world were transformative. Those connections led me to visiting fellowships with some of the greatest masters in our field — Drs. Alexander Vaccaro and Todd Albert at Thomas Jefferson University, and Drs. Daniel Riew and Lawrence Lenke at Washington University in St. Louis.

That first NASS experience sparked a commitment that has only grown stronger over the years: the pursuit of innovation, the exchange of knowledge across borders, and the privilege of learning from the best in our field. Today, I strive to give back to that same global community through my work as a reviewer and contributor — a community that has shaped me as a surgeon and continues to inspire my career.

The most important skill in spine surgery today? Listening to the patient. It sounds simple, yet it may be the one most often forgotten. We must remember that imaging studies are complementary tools; we do not operate on scans — we treat patients. Understanding the patient's chief complaint and offering the best treatment tailored to them is the foundation of our practice.

As the population ages, we will increasingly encounter complex patients — spines with significant deformities that may have little to no correlation with the patient's actual symptoms. This is where minimally invasive approaches, such as endoscopy, shine. Not every case requires a major deformity correction. If the complaint is focal and can be addressed with a less invasive approach, that should be our default.

Equally important is working as a team — discussing cases, welcoming different perspectives, and never hesitating to ask for help from colleagues more experienced in techniques or surgeries where we are still on the learning curve. Completing a fellowship is an important milestone, but true expertise is built over years of practice.

Stay curious. Stay humble. And never stop listening — to your patients and to your colleagues.

Being indicated member and later President of the CET — the Commission of Education and Training of SBOT (Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology). Before I became a spine surgeon, I remain — first and foremost — an orthopedist. Leading the commission that guides orthopedic education across my country — the same body responsible for the annual board examination granting SBOT Titular Member status — was a profound honor.

During our term, we administered the exam to over 1,200 candidates and implemented the Orthopedic Resident Progress Tracking System, a tool that continues to shape how residency training is evaluated in Brazil.

I see this achievement as the culmination of years of dedication to academic medicine — a journey that included serving as president of the SBOT state chapter, reviewing for journals such as RBO and The Spine Journal, and evaluating scientific submissions for both SBOT and NASS annual meetings.

All of these are PRO BONO activities. I have even been questioned by colleagues for investing so much time and effort in work with no financial return. But the recognition that follows — these roles, and now this Distinguished Fellowship from NASS — is not the point. The point is that we contribute, in our own way, to the dissemination of knowledge.

Knowing that our work might leave a small mark on the legacy of spine and orthopedic surgery — that is what I am most proud of.