AO Spine NA Newsletter June 2025

Spine Newsletter – May/June 2025

Welcome from Dr. Ryan Spiker

Dear AO NA Spine Community,

I am excited to share a new edition of the AO Spine North America Newsletter, outlining the engaging programs, opportunities, and events within our community.

Since the last issue of this newsletter, there have been many exciting developments within AO Spine NA—both by the Community Development Committee and the organization. You’ll read about many of these below, including the launch of the Early Career Mentorship Program, an update on the 2025 fellows, and a recap of the OneAO 2025 program. Included in this newsletter is also a spotlight on long-time AO Spine faculty member and incoming Community Development Committee Chair, Dr. Elizabeth Yu.

It has been my pleasure to serve as your CDC Chair for the last three years and I look forward to passing the baton to Dr. Yu this summer and seeing how the work of the CDC continues and expands under her guidance.

Sincerely,

Ryan Spiker, MD
AO Spine NA - Community Development Committee Chair

Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah

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Early Career Mentorship Program

By Nicholas Spina, MD
Community Development Committee Member

Spine surgery is a challenging calling and a rewarding career. However, we all experience cycles of complications, practice challenges, financial uncertainty, and long hours. As I reflect on my first 10 years in practice, I can attest to all of these.

There were periods where I questioned my surgical skills, my passion for spine surgery, and my general attitude at work. Some would call these experiences burnout, and unfortunately a few in the spine surgery community have lost this battle culminating in addiction, retirement, career change, and the worst-case scenario of physician suicide. The stories that end poorly are heartbreaking and leave us wondering what we could have done to help, to pull people out of the rut, or just simply how we could not know he or she was struggling. In analyzing my challenges over the last 10 years, I think of what pulled me out of the isolating and challenging times and it is simple: my mentors.

Mentorship takes many shapes and forms. In its clear form, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, a mentor is a person with experience in a job who supports and advises someone with less experience to help them develop in their work. It is easy to find a mentor during residency and fellowship, as we are surrounded by people who we can mimic, find time to have conversations between cases, and who can see subtle changes in our personality when we are struggling.  Yet, as we move out towards practice, surgical independence, and into our early career it can be much more challenging. Some will take jobs in private practice, some in academics, some in hospital systems. For most, these practice opportunities will be foreign, and our decisions based on personal experiences while interviewing. The interview day may be filled with promises; however, the actual practice and day-to-day operations may be difficult.

As spine surgeons, we are mostly type A individuals who have done nothing but work to finally be in the position of surgical independence. Pride inherently comes with the amount of required work, and in turn reaching out for help may prove challenging. We may be hesitant to ask our former residency of fellowship’ mentors for guidance, as this may be seen by the individual as letting down the people who trained us. No one wants to be perceived as the person who is failing, yet we must acknowledge these feelings rather than walk towards a dark walled room of isolation. I have been fortunate to train residents and fellows through my career and can almost predict when my phone rings 3 months after he or she starts practice what the conversation will entail. It always resonates with my own career, as I was that person calling 3 months into practice.

Ryan Spiker, MD, and the Community Development Committee recently deployed an AO Spine mentorship program for young surgeons and former AO fellows. The goal is to provide young surgeons with a local system of help. The program pairs surgeons with a geographical mentor and other young surgeons with the hope of sharing experiences, providing guidance, and most importantly building a sense of community.  We have all experienced challenging times in our career and can all point to the people who helped us out of the darkness. I ask that you reflect on this article, speak with your current trainees, and if inspired please reach out to the community development committee to become involved.

 

Fellows Update

Reflecting on OneAO 2025

From inspiring sessions to meaningful connections and energizing conversations, OneAO held in April 2025 was a true celebration of surgical learning, leadership, and community. As Dr. Nicholas Spina, member of the AO Spine NA Community Development Committee, remarked, “OneAO was a tremendously successful meeting, with impressive representation by AO Spine NA.”

Supporting this year’s meeting theme of AI-Potential, Reality, and Impact, Ananth Eleswarapu, MD presented an illuminating talk entitled Use of AI in Clinical Care during the Surgeon Panel: AI Application in Medicine. John France, MD and Emmanuel Menga, MD represented AO Spine NA during the Sages on Stage session, along with moderator Brian Neuman, MD. This was a unique opportunity to hear career informing insights from these long-time members, as well as the impact that AO membership has played in their professional trajectory.

The Educator of the Year Awards presented each year during OneAO recognize those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing surgical and medical education. Dr. Richard Bransford, MD, a globally recognized spine surgeon, was awarded the John France Educator of the Year Award. Read more details about each 2025 winner here.

The knowledge transfer continued through the successful delivery of the Principles and Treatment in Spinal Disorders course held at the end of the meeting. Led by Keith Jackson, MD and Michael Weber, MD, this experience brought together an enthusiastic group of residents for an engaging introduction to AO principles and related training.

Reflecting on this year’s event, Dr. Amy Kapatkin, Chair of AO NA Board of Directors, shared, “One AO 2025 had many memorable moments for me. The community of surgeons, from all clinical divisions, learning and socializing together is always my favorite aspect. Every year, I learn new nonclinical competencies that help me be a better colleague, leader, mentor, surgeon and person. One AO continues to evolve, and every year is better than the previous one.”

 

Course Spotlight: Advanced MISS Techniques

Advanced MISS Techniques (With Human Anatomical Specimens)

Join leading regional experts in Raynham, MA on October 24- 25, 2024 to gain an advanced understanding -- including the approaches, procedures, and technologies -- of minimally invasive spine surgery.

Focusing on MIS TLIF with navigation, LLIF, and ALIF procedures, this two-day course is ideal for Spine surgeons (orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons) with some experience in MISS techniques, but not with complex MISS. Share experiences with colleagues through case-based discussions, combined with panel discussions and practical exercises with expert faculty.

View all Upcoming Courses

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