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The Fellowship Program is designed to provide a comprehensive educational experience in spinal pathology, including deformities, fractures, tumors, infections, degenerative and metabolic disease. All areas of the spine are included - cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and lumbosacral - as well as both surgical and non-surgical methods of treatment. The faculty consists of all staff physicians at the Center. A rotation schedule permits the Fellow to have equal experience with each faculty member and in the various areas of learning.
Fellows are accepted for the purpose of their education. Learning comes through a multitude of pathways:
- Reading of textbooks and articles
- Assistance and performance in the Operating Room
- Participation in clinic
- Participation in weekly teaching conferences and lectures
- Participation in research projects
- Conducting rounds
- Writing orders
- One-to-one relationship with the faculty
The majority of the training takes place at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, with other area hospitals used occasionally. Outpatient clinics are conducted mainly at the Twin Cities Spine Center office, located within the Abbott Northwestern Hospital campus. Fellows are responsible for the day-to-day care of all surgical patients, although the ultimate responsibility lies with the staff surgeon. All major care decisions, especially regarding ambulation, bracing, discharge, and follow-ups are made by the staff surgeon.
A teaching conference is held weekly with the fellows providing all case presentations. In addition, the staff surgeons provide lectures once a week and a journal club is arranged once a month. Fellows are expected to do the appropriate reading and be prepared to enter the discussion regarding assigned topics.
Fellows must complete at least one clinical research project during their year of training. The subject will be mutually agreed upon early in the fellowship. One faculty member supervises the project. A full research department is available and works closely with the physicians in coordinating the research projects.
Fellows are paid an annual salary. In addition, health and dental insurance coverage for the Fellow will be provided. Dependent coverage is available at an additional cost to the fellow. Malpractice coverage is paid by the Twin Cities Spine Center.
Application Process
Eligible candidates include orthopaedic surgeons or neurosurgeons who have, or will have by the start of the fellowship, completed residency in a certified residency program. Candidates must be a licensed physician in the United States. Foreign candidates must have passed the ECFMG and FLEX examinations. All fellows must obtain a Minnesota state medical license.
The formal application process begins with the completion of the application form (MS Word or PDF) being completed and returned with official medical school transcripts and three letters of reference (one from the chief of the residency program and the other two from the other faculty members). Incomplete application forms cannot be processed.
All applications must be filled out in detail and received at our office by August 15 two years preceding the desired fellowship. After initial screening, all viable applicants are scheduled for personal interviews with the staff surgeons either at our Center in Minneapolis or at another mutually agreed upon location. Fellowship programs start on the first of August and end on the last day of July.
This fellowship is available to all persons meeting the above requirements. There is no discrimination in regard to age, race, religion, color or sex.
Questions or requests for further information should be directed to the Education Coordinator: 612-775-6257 or education@tcspine.com.
Download a Fellowhip application in MS Word or PDF format.
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