Spine surgery is fascinating subspecialty that has continuously changed and iterated throughout my residency training and entire career. The continued advancements make it quite easy to maintain great interest in the field. I would put spine surgery up against any medical specialty in terms of continuous improvement and change. I’ve literally reshaped my practice for the better multiple times in my career. I plan to continue changing my surgical offerings as we are able to perform less invasive yet more effective operations.

The main attributes that I advise mentees for a career in spine are curiosity and diligence. The treatment of spinal disorders is always changing so you must be curious and adaptable to maintain your ability to offer patients the best treatments.

Diligence is absolutely necessary to ensure that you are appropriately trained to perform the procedures that you are offering and being diligent with reviewing the outcomes of your treatments. Just because a procedure is novel and less invasive does not mean it is better. Diligent training and then review of novel procedures is how we can best move our field forward safely and effectively for our patients.

NASS is the pre-eminent society for spine surgeons. The meetings are always a fantastic opportunity to collaborate over innovative research and remain updated on the best advancements to help our complex patients.