Certifying knowledge, advancing careers: AO Spine Global Spine Diploma Program seeks faculty and examiners

As interest in AO Spine’s Global Spine Diploma Program (GSD) and the GSD Exam continues to grow, members now have a chance to help shape the future of spine surgery by volunteering as faculty and examiners.

The GSD Program, which began with 15 pilot participants last year, is expected to grow to 120 international participants in 2022. That’s why AO Spine is actively seeking both faculty and examiners.

The GSD Program is the first globally developed, ultimate and systematic spine surgery training pathway for recently graduated orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons. Internationally recognized experts certify participants’ knowledge, ensuring their place among the next generation of leading spine surgeons worldwide. To date the GSD Program has had a very high satisfaction rate among participants, with 100 percent saying they would recommend it to colleagues, and 100 percent rating it as effective, very effective, or extremely effective.

 

Faculty opportunities

The GSD currently has 40 faculty members and six module chairs and, as the program grows, additional faculty members will be needed to keep pace with demand. Two faculty members per each 12-member participant group are paired as comoderators who run the weekly online forums, posting questions for participants’ discussion and hosting regular, live case discussions.

The GSD’s online moderation opportunity is open to both experienced and less experienced faculty members who have a passion for education within their specialties: trauma, deformity, lumbar degeneration, cervical degeneration, osteoporosis/arthritis, and infection/oncology. As comoderators, they:

  • Will run the weekly online forum discussions over the course of the 8- to 12-week module
  • Should be comfortable hosting live Zoom sessions to discuss cases with participants
  • At minimum, should have completed a fellowship

Prospective GSD faculty should send their application documents (curriculum vitae, copy of credentials, motivation letter, and a video example showcasing their online presentation skills) to GSD Senior Project Manager at daniela.cassini@aofoundation.org.

The Global Spine Diploma

Opportunities for examiners

There currently are 28 examiners for the GSD Exam and with its global expansion, it is clear that additional examiners will be needed.

The examiner cohort structure includes the GSD Exam chairperson, the GSD Exam Executive Council (reviewers), the GSD Exam Committee, and GSD Examiner Delegation. These contributors are divided into case study authors and multiple-choice-question (MCQ) authors.

Examiners’ main role is to produce high-quality content and increase the bank of case studies and MCQs, as well as run live, oral exams as examiners or observers.

Examiner opportunities are open to experienced surgeons who are passionate about their field(s) of specialty (trauma, deformity, lumber degeneration, cervical degeneration, osteoporosis/arthritis, and infection/oncology. Applicants should:

  • Have previous faculty and/or examiner experience
  • Be able to produce exam content.
  • Be comfortable conducting live, online, exam sessions, each of which is 5–6 hours long.

Prospective GSD Exam examiners should send their application documents (curriculum vitae, copy of credentials, and motivation letter) to GSD Senior Project Manager at daniela.cassini@aofoundation.org.