INTERVENTIONAL SPINE
The primary goal is to cultivate the next generation of academic and clinical leaders in Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine. This program is meticulously designed to impart specialized knowledge and skills in the management of individuals with spine and musculoskeletal disorders.
The Spine Fellowship Incorporates:
- Exposure to acute, sub-acute and chronic spine and musculoskeletal pathology
- Extensive experience in University of Utah outpatient spine clinics with direct attending supervision, and progressive responsibility for independent work in the fellow’s continuity clinic
- Opportunity to rotate with radiologists, orthopaedic surgeons, and neurosurgeons, and immediate access to these specialists for consultation/education
- Exposure to shadowing spine-specialized physical therapists
- Maintain and sharpen electrodiagnostic skills (optional)
Didactic Education
- Core Fellowship Didactic Lecture Series: Spinal anatomy, kinesiology, diagnostics, therapeutics.
- Spinal procedure case conference
- Journal club sessions
- Ultrasound Bootcamp
- Department of PM&R Grand Rounds
Cadaver Lab
- Opportunity to learn fluoroscopically-guided spinal injections and ultrasound-guided injections under direct attending supervision.
- The mix is approximately 35% cervical, 5% thoracic, 55% lumbar and 5% appendicular.
- Experience includes spinal procedures from upper cervical to sacral levels, spinal and appendicular radiofrequency ablation, basivertebral nerve ablation, peripheral nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, vertebral augmentation, and endoscopic surgical neurectomy.
- Early in the year, the program provides an attending-led cadaver-based training experience focused on the performance of fluoroscopic spine and appendicular procedures. These are hosted in the state-of-the-art University of Utah Surgical Knowledge Integration (SKI) lab.
- Additional labs are available throughout the year dedicated to the advanced pain procedures listed above.
Teaching Opportunities
- Organize journal club conference
- Deliver lectures during didactic conferences
- Facilitate spinal procedure case conference
- Supervise medical students and PM&R residents during their clinical rotations
Research Opportunities
- Adopt and work on impactful spine/musculoskeletal research projects, supported by strong faculty mentorship and outstanding research support staff
- Prepare and give grand rounds style presentations
- Publish peer-reviewed journal articles and research abstracts, supported by strong faculty mentorship
- Publish textbook chapters
- Present at National/International meetings
