The Rush University Medical Center Spine Fellowship program is built on the philosophy of decreasing supervision with increasing responsibility. This fellowship program provides comprehensive training in the surgical and conservative treatment of spinal disorders, covering pediatric spinal disorders, cervical spine, acute spinal injuries, degenerative disorders, adult deformities and tumors. The emphasis is on patient care, surgery and research.

Each fellow works with orthopedic residents, attending surgeons and medical students. Additionally, fellows are actively involved in education of Orthopedic residents and have teaching responsibilities throughout their experience. Expectations include:

• Weekly indications conferences
• Combined pediatric-adult spine deformity conferences
• Monthly Neurosurgery-Orthopedic surgery conferences
• Monthly research meetings
• Journal clubs
• Anatomy laboratory
• Educational teaching sessions are also organized

Fellows are responsible for at least two clinical or basic science research projects and several lectures. Research facilities in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery include the biomechanics laboratory, lifting and gait laboratories, biomaterial and histopathology laboratories, biochemistry and molecular biology, and an animal surgery facility.

This fellowship is ACGME-accredited for three fellows per year and participates in the SF match program.