Global Spine Diploma Program Modules

The GSD Program includes five 8-week modules covering all major areas of modern spine care—trauma, cervical degeneration, lumbar degeneration, adult and pediatric deformity, tumor and infection.

Interested in focused learning?

Some individual modules are also available for surgeons seeking focused training in a specific area of spine care.

Trauma (August–October 2026)

Deformity (August–October 2026)

Or enroll in the 12-month training program

Each module is grounded in the trusted AO Spine Curriculum, ensuring globally consistent, expert-validated content. It addresses core competencies needed for the surgical management of spinal disorders: patient assessment and diagnoses, evidence-based treatment planning, patient communication and shared decision-making, multidisciplinary collaboration, choosing and performing appropriate surgical procedures, complication prevention and management.

Explore the modules

Format of the modules

Module content opens week-by-week. It includes journal articles, book chapters, teaching videos, and other learning assets for self-directed learning. Participants are asked to contribute to weekly faculty-moderated discussion forums and attend live case discussions held online.

Assessment

Assessment tasks include brief weekly quizzes and discussion forum contributions.

AO Spine Spinal Trauma Pathway - master spinal trauma surgery in 3 steps!

The Global Spine Diploma Program modules are an integral part of the AO Spine Competency-Based curriculum courses.

Explore courses and events

The AO Spine Principles

The four AO Spine Principles that create the foundation for proper spinal patient management lie at the core of the design and delivery of the curriculum.