NASS DFNS CLASS OF 2026
Christopher Kleck, MD
University of Colorado
Aurora, CO
Orthopedic Surgeon
NASS Member Since 2011
Tell us about one of your mentors and the best piece of advice they gave you.
During my fellowship, Dr. Evalina Burger, an amazing mentor, involved me early in an idea to utilize planning and patient-specific rods for the correction of spine mal-alignment. This mentorship and collaboration catapulted my academic career. The University of Colorado was the second site in the United States to place the rods, and with the evolution of our spine program, we have led the use and development of this technology. A concept that was at first novel, with limited use around the country has now passed the adoption phase in and is now the gold standard in the world, providing patients with better, more reliable outcomes, decreasing the need for future revision surgeries, and utilizing the latest technologies in the delivery of healthcare.
What is your favorite memory from a NASS Annual Meeting or other event?
My favorite memory from a NASS Annual Meeting was at the Annual Meeting in Boston when I was able to present on patient specific rods. It was amazing to introduce new technology that on such a large scale. Knowing the impact it can have on patients lives and being able to share the information with such a distinguished group was priceless.
What originally drew you to the field of spine care?
As a teacher, seeing students grasp a concept for the first time fueled my passion teaching high school. However, growing up, I knew I wanted to provide a deeper level of care for those around me. I had the notion to become a doctor and applied to medical school during my time teaching. Little did I know that my love for teaching would be so invaluable as I transitioned into medical school and throughout my career. As an undergraduate I worked in the Orthopedics Biomechanics lab at Oregon Health and Sciences University and was able to complete a three-month internship at the National Institutes of Health National Human Genome Research Institute. During my internship, I sequenced DNA samples looking for mutations that led to limb deformities in two related syndromes. These early experiences laid the groundwork for my eventual decision to pursue an Orthopedic Residency. During the first day on spine rotation, I had the audacity to tell my attending that I didn’t find spine surgery to be interesting. As chance would have it, he convinced me to keep an open mind. In a complex case, I saw a patient undergo corrective surgery for scoliosis, and immediately my passions had found their match. It was this same group of surgeons who I observed treating a rare infection, coccidioiodomycosis, taking an algorithmic approach to surgical care of the spine. They were able to perform complex surgeries, use local antibiotics, and reconstruct the spine, not only providing treatment, but saving the lives of patients who were often immune-compromised. I made the choice to become a spine surgeon, and from my second year of residency to my time at the University of Colorado as a fellow and now faculty, I devoted myself to complex spine and infection care.