I always expected to become a general orthopaedist in my hometown, but I found myself drawn to spine surgery during my first rotation on the spine service. Because I was undecided, I missed the fellowship application deadline. Almost immediately, I regretted that choice and spoke with my mentor. He offered me a fellowship position, and that opportunity changed the entire course of my career and life.

I have been involved with NASS guidelines for many years. My mentor, Will Shaffer, first encouraged me to participate, and it proved to be excellent advice. Working on the guidelines has strengthened my ability to review and interpret the literature, while also deepening my trust in the guideline development process and the importance of producing rigorous, reliable guidance.

NASS is an outstanding organization with many meaningful ways to contribute. In many ways, I feel I have gained more from my service on the CPG committee than I have given. As a volunteer, you can help shape the future of spine care by contributing to guidelines and appropriate use criteria within a multidisciplinary organization with international reach. NASS offers countless opportunities to learn, teach, and make a meaningful impact on patient care. I would encourage any early career spine practitioner to engage with the organization to find your place in making spine care better for our society.