The spine fellowship program is a combined adult and pediatric orthopaedic spine program offering experience in a comprehensive spectrum of spinal disorders using non-operative and operative interventions. Fellows train at UAB Hospital as well as Children's of Alabama. UAB Hospital is the only Level 1 Trauma Center verified by the American College of Surgeons in the state of Alabama as well as a tertiary referral center for reconstructive spine surgery. And, with more than 3.5 million square feet, Children's of Alabama, ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, is one of the largest pediatric medical facilities in the US.
Fellows have progressive responsibilities, including assisting in surgery, teaching residents, and serving as first-surgeon as skill levels mature. The fellow will be expected to develop and complete their own research project by the end of the fellowship. There are two spots for the fellowship, one of which is a combined clinical and research position.
The clinical fellow will develop and complete at least one research project to be presented at AO Fellows Forum. Past fellows had been very productive and involved in multiple research projects. Excellent support is available through a well-established research fellowship program and cross-collaboration with various departments.
Fellows graduate the program with a well-rounded trainee experience, typically logging greater than 350 surgical cases during their time with the department. The spine fellow will spend about four days in the operating room and one day in the clinic. The fellowship provides exposure to lumbar, cervical, and thoracic regions and covers many diagnostic categories, including degenerative, trauma, deformity, tumor, and pediatric.
In addition to a well-rounded caseload experience, fellows can expect to participate in the AO Spine Fall Fellows Course and the AO Spine Fellows Research Conference. Applicants from approved orthopaedic residencies will be considered.
The fellowship matches with qualified applicants through the Spine Surgery Fellowship Match. The program encourages applicants to complete the requirements for application distribution by Sept. 1.
Meet the Faculty
Interested applicants should contact the Program Coordinator, Rebecca Kuykendall at rikuykendall@uabmc.edu.
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