Visiting Physicians Program

Sonoran Spine Center offers the opportunity for visiting spine surgeons to observe surgery. Surgeons can choose from the ongoing case load which cases they would like to observe and which techniques they would like to see. For surgeons interested in observing surgery, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it through the Sonoran Spine Research and Education Foundation. Examples of commonly performed surgeries include:

• Scoliosis correction in children and adults
• Kyphosis correction in children and adults
• Interbody fusion and instrumentation techniques for degenerative disease
• Spinal osteotomies and realignment procedures for spinal imbalance
• Revision surgery for prior failed spine fusions
• Low stress deformity reduction techniques utilizing direct vertebral translation

Spine Surgery Fellowships

Research and Education Foundation Spine Spine Surgery Fellowships

Sonoran Spine participates in the spine surgery fellowship match, offering the opportunity for tertiary spinal deformity, spinal reconstructive and degenerative surgery. The fellows will function as an integral part of the spine surgery team with responsibilities for work up, decision making, participation in surgery, follow up care after surgery, and spinal research.

The clinical fellow will have the opportunity to have a heavily weighted experience in adult and pediatric deformity with extensive exposure to reconstructive surgery for deformity. A great deal of time will be spent learning the latest techniques in the care and treatment of patients with spinal deformity under the close supervision and mentorship of Drs. Dennis Crandall, MD, and Michael Chang, MD.

There is equal opportunity for exposure to a wider spectrum of clinical cases involving some deformity and more exposure to degenerative cases. The fellow will manage patients with all types of degenerative conditions, tumors, infection, trauma and congenital problems affecting all levels of the spine.  The fellow will receive the same excellent training using both open and minimally invasive techniques to manage the patient population under all our surgeons including Drs. Jason Datta, Terrrence Crowder, Lyle Young, Alec Sundet and Venkat Ganapathy.

Clinical Fellowships

• 1 – 2 per year, August 1 - July 31
• 12 month fellowship
• Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons can apply (completed residency, able to obtain Arizona license)
• Unique expertise and emphasis on adult spinal deformity (extensive exposure to operative care for degenerative disease, pediatric deformity, minimally invasive techniques, spinal osteotomies, cervical reconstruction, some exposure to total disc replacement in cervical and lumbar, less exposure to tumor and level-one trauma)
• Occiput to sacral experience; anterior/posterior/lateral approaches
• Heavy operative experience with 5 fellowship-trained spinal surgeons (SS does 1,200 - 1,300 surgical cases per year)
• Pre and post-op patient evaluation, decision making, creative thinking emphasized
• Opportunity to learn to do selective nerve root blocks and other pain injection techniques if desired (SS Physiatrist, K. Mosallaie)
• Clinical research
• Participate in San Francisco Fellowship Match (SF Match)

Spine Research Fellowships

• 3 month fellowship (option to extend to additional 3 months if desired)
• Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons can apply (completed residency)
• Must be fluent in writing and speaking English
• Observe in OR (unscrubbed)
• Participate in clinical research as principal investigator or as a contributing co-author

Interested applicants should This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it through the Sonoran Spine Research and Education Foundation to find out more, and to receive information regarding the application.