Spine Fellowship

Developing Spine Surgery Experts

As a spine surgery fellow in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, you’ll become part of a collaborative, high-volume clinical program that will prepare you for a successful career as a spine surgeon. 

The Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship offers a comprehensive, well-rounded, and high clinical volume training experience in spine surgery. Fellows will experience anterior, lateral, and posterior surgical approaches from the skull to the sacrum. The fellowship experience includes a robust exposure to the clinical evaluation and surgical management of degenerative, deformity, oncologic, infectious, and traumatic conditions of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. The fellowship will equally prepare the trainee for a career in either academics or private practice.

What We Do Here Every Year

Spine Infographic

Program Overview

Positions: 1
Duration: 1 year, August 1 - July 31
Stipend: PGY6 level
Call: At least once a month, additional call on a flexible basis
Location: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt Spine Center

Working closely with surgeons and faculty from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Vanderbilt Spine Center and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, you’ll help treat patients with conditions that affect the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, including:

  • Degenerative spinal conditions
  • Spinal deformity
  • Complex revision surgical pathology
  • Oncologic conditions of the spine
  • Traumatic spinal injuries
  • Infections of the spine

As a fellow you will:

  • Gain exposure to the entire spectrum of spine surgery
  • Participate in the operative and post-operative management spine patients
  • Run conferences and journal clubs
  • Participate in research meetings
  • Serve as an educator for residents and medical students

Clinic 

Your time in clinic provides a well-rounded experience and allows you to gain exposure to the clinical evaluation and management of all types of conditions – from degenerative to traumatic — that impact areas of the spine. Spending one day a week in clinic, you will see patients and working alongside our attending surgeons. A strong emphasis is placed on ensuring the fellow is well trained regarding appropriate indications for surgery.

Surgical Experience

In the operating room, you’ll work directly with our surgeons to gain strong foundational training and exposure to technically advanced techniques. You spend three to four days a week in surgery, where you learn techniques such as:

  • Anterior, lateral, and posterior surgical approaches from the skull to the sacrum
  • Decompression
  • Spinal instrumentation and fusion
  • Scoliosis correction
  • Endoscopic spine surgery
  • Minimally invasive techniques
  • Motion-preserving surgery, such as:
    • Cervical disc arthroplasty
    • Cervical laminoplasty and
  • Osteotomies for spinal deformity
  • En-bloc spondylectomy for primary bone tumors of the spine

Research Program

As a spine fellow, you’ll be expected to have at least one manuscript suitable for publication by the end of fellowship. A fellow motivated to publish will have opportunities to do many more projects. The Vanderbilt Spine Registry, which is one of the oldest clinical spine outcomes registries in the country, gives you plenty of opportunities to conduct clinical research. Our research department will also provide statistics and other supports for your research.

Leadership Development

As a fellow, you’ll be appointed as a junior faculty member or instructor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, so you can help teach residents and medical students. 

Conferences and Workshops

Fellows complete a rigorous weekly, bimonthly, and monthly schedule of conferences and workshops. You interact with faculty in neurosurgery, pediatric orthopaedics and other related specialties.

Surgical Indications Conference 
2-3 times per month, Fridays at 0600.
Fellows and faculty discuss patient cases.

Combined Spine Conference – monthly (3rd Friday of the month)

  • Combined conference with neurosurgery, orthopaedics, physiatry and interventional pain

Spine Fracture Conference with residents 
3rd Wednesday of the month, 0700
Fellows and faculty discuss spine fracture cases with residents. Fellow leads discussion of cases and teaches residents.

Quarterly Journal Club
(Time, Day, Week or Month)
The Spine Journal Club meets quarterly with fellows and faculty from orthopedics and neurosurgery to present and discuss interesting cases.

Application Process

Our fellowship program follows the North American Spine Surgery guidelines for the interview and match process. We participate in the SF Match program. 

The application deadline is December 1st of each year. We use the NASS common application. 

For more information about our fellowship program, contact Amy Kiernan, fellowship program coordinator at 615-936-4878 or email amy.l.kiernan@vumc.org.

Interviews will be held on March 1, 2024.

Benefits 

Our fellows enjoy life in Nashville and additional educational opportunities, such as:

  • 24/7 access to our orthopedic anatomy cadaver lab on the medical campus
  • Administrative assistance for licensing, travel, vacation and workspace
  • Office with computer and workspace
  • Support for research activities that facilitate basic science, clinical or database research projects
  • Three weeks of vacation

Our Current and Past Fellows

Devin St Clair

 Devin St. Clair, MD
Hometown: Joplin, MO
Undergrad: University of Arkansas - Fayetteville
Medical School: University of Missouri School of Medicine
Residency: University of Missouri

Division Research 

Highlights of our recent research include:

  • Labrum JT IV, Khan I, Archer K, Abtahi A, Stephens BF.  Lowest Instrumented Vertebra (LIV) Selection in Posterior Cervical Fusion: Does Cervicothoracic Junction LIV Predict Mechanical Failure? SPINE. 2020, October. [EMID:926cf374bf7884e6]
  • Weisenthal BM, Doss DJ, Henry AL, Stephens BF.  Optimal Trajectory and Length of S2 Alar Iliac Screws: A3-Dinensional Computer-aided Design Study.  Clin Spine Surg. 2019 Aug;32(7): E335-E339. doi: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000000837.PMID: 31162183
  • Stephens BF, Rhee JM, Neustein T, Arceo R. Laminoplasty does not lead to Worsening Axial Neck Pain in the Properly Selected Patient with Cervical Myelopathy: A Comparison with Laminectomy and Fusion. Spine. 2017, December 15;42(24):1844-1850. [PMID: 28658033]
  • Van Eck CF, Fourman MS, Abtahi AM, Alarcon L, Donaldson WF, Lee JY. Risk Factors for Failure of Nonoperative Treatment for Unilateral Cervical Facet Fractures. Asian Spine J. 2017 Jun;11(3):356-364. DOI: 10.4184/asj.2017.11.3.356 PMCID: PMC5481590 [PMID: 28670403]
  • Presson AP, Zhang C, Abtahi AM, Kean J, Hung M, Tyser AR. Psychometric properties of the Press Ganey® Outpatient Medical Practice Survey. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2017 Feb 10;15(1):32. DOI: 10.1186/s12955-017-0610-3 PMCID: PMC5301343 [PMID: 28183312]
  • Abtahi AM, Lyman KS, Brodke DS, Lawrence BD, Zhang C, Spiker WR. Patient Satisfaction is Not Associated with Self-reported Disability in a Spine Patient Population. Clin Spine Surg. 2016 Oct 19. DOI: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000000431 [PMID: 27764055]

  • 2022

    Waddell WH, Weisenthal BM, Stephens BF, Golinvaux N, Henry AL, Pennings J, Wanner JP, Gupta R, Yoshii T, Feifei Z. Comparative Utilization of Laminoplasty in the United States and Japan. Spine Surgery and Related Research. January 2022.

    Zheng B, Shaaya E, Feler J, Leary OP, Hagan MJ, Bajaj A, Fridley JS, Hassel F, Gardocki RJ, Grau RC, Lewandrowski KU, Telfeian AE. Endoscopic Techniques for Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Principles and Context. Biomed Res Int. 2022 Mar 19;2022:4979231. doi: 10.1155/2022/4979231. PMID: 35345525; PMCID: PMC8957448.

    Zheng B, Shaaya E, Feler J, Leary OP, Hagan MJ, Bajaj A, Fridley JS, Hassel F, Gardocki RJ, Grau RC, Lewandrowski KU, Telfeian AE. Endoscopic Techniques for Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Principles and Context. Biomed Res Int. 2022 Mar 19;2022:4979231. doi: 10.1155/2022/4979231. PMID: 35345525; PMCID: PMC8957448.

    Carlile CR, Rees AB, Schultz DJ, Stieinle AM, Nian H, Smith MD, Guillamondegui O, Archer KR, Penning JS, Zuckerman SL, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF. Predicting Mortality in Elderly Spine Trauma Patients. Spine. April 21 2022. PMID 35472062

    White-Dzuro CG, Makhoul AT, Pontell ME, Stephens BF, Drolet BC, Abtahi AM. Perspectives of Orthopedic Surgery Program Directors on the USMLE Step 1 Scoring Change. Orthopedic. April 29th, 2022. PMID: 35485884

    Abtahi AM, Rees AB, Croft A, Stephens BF. Case Report – Traumatic L5-S1 Instability: Are Upright Radiograph Potentially Dangerous?  International Journal of Spine Surgery. DOI: IJSSURGERY-D-22-00061

    Warner JP, Penning JS, Nian H, Sivaganesan A, Gupta R, Asher AL, Bydon M, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL, Devin C, Archer KR, Stephens BF.  Rating Spine Surgeons: Physicians Rating Websites verus a Patient Reported Outcomes-Derived Raking Clinical Spine Surgery. May 5, 2022. PMID: 35509107

    Chanbour H, Gardocki RJ, Zuckerman SL. Commentary: Endoscope-Assisted Retroperitoneal Prepsoas Approach to Lumbar Intervertebral Disk Decompression. Technical Note. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2022 Jul 1;23(1):e49-e50. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000000255. Epub 2022 May 9. PMID: 35726934.

    Roth SG, Chanbour H, Gupta R, O’Brien A, Davidson C, Archer KR, Pennings JS, Devin CJ, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL. Letter to the Editor Regarding “Workforce Trends in Spinal Surgery: Geographic Distribution and Primary Specialty Characteristics from 2012 to 2017” World Neurosurg.  June 16th, 2022. PMID 35658201

    Roth SG, Chanbour H, Gupta R, O’Brien A, Davidson C, Archer KR, Pennings JS, Devin CJ, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL. Optimal Hemoglobin A1C Target in Diabetics Undergoing Elective Cervical Spine Surgery. The Spine Journal. June 28, 2022. PMID: 35778329

    Steinle AM, Nian H, Pennings JS, Bydon M, Asher A, Archer KR, Gardocki RJ, Zuckerman SL, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM. Complications, Readmissions, Reoperations and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Undergoing Elective Spine Surgery- A Propensity Matched Analysis. The Spine Journal. June 29th, 2022. PMID: 35779839

    Hills JM, Weisenthal BM, Wanner JP, Gupta R, Steinle A, Pennings JS, Stephens BF. A Patient-Specific Approach to Alignment and Proximal Junctional Kyphosis Risk Assessment in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: Development and Validation of a Predictive Tool. Clinical Spine Surgery.  July 1, 2022 PMID: 35034047

    Chotai S, Gupta R, Pennings JS, Hymel AM, Archer KR, Zuckerman SL, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM.  Frailty and Sarcopenia: Impact on Outcomes following Elective Degenerative Lumbar Spine Surgery Spine. Spine July 15, 2022. PMID: 35867606

    McKeithan LJ, Romano JW, Waddell WH, Steinle AM, Pennings JS, Nian H, Archer KR, Bydon M, Knightly J, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL, Stephen BF.  Clinical Outcomes Following Direct verus Indirect Decompression Techniques for Lumbar Spondyloisthesis Spine.  The Spine Journal. July 15, 2022. PMID: 35867585

    Maclean MA, Touchette CJ, Georgiopoulos M, Bruntette-Clement T, Abduljabbar FH, Ames CP, Bettegowda C, Charest-Morin R, Dea N, Fehlings MG, Gokaslan ZL, Goodwin CR, Laufer I, Netzer C, Rhines LD, Sahgal A, Shin JH,  Sciubba DM, Stephens BF, Fourney DR, Weber MH, AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor. Systemic Considerations for the Surgical Treatment of Spinal Metastatic Disease: A Scoping Literature Review.  Lancet Oncology July 23, 2022. PMID: 35772464

    Gardocki RJ, Chandler PJ, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL.   Case Study of an Full-Endoscopic Thoracic Tarlov Cyst Resection. European Spine Journal.  Pending

    Chanbour H, Roth SG, LaBarge ME, Stinle AM,  Hills J, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL . The Postoperative Course of Mechanical Complications in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery. Spine Deformity. September 5th, 2022. PMID: 36063294

    Gupta R, Hani C, Roth SG, O’Brien A, Davidson C, Devin CJ, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL.The Ideal Threshold of Hemoglobin A1C in Diabetics Undergoing Elective Lumbar Decompression Surgery. Clinical Spine Surgery October 2022. PMID 36210491

    Chanbour H, Zuckerman SL, Gardocki RJ. Commentary: Ten-Step 3-Dimensional-Navigated Single-Stage Lateral Surgery With Microtubular Decompression: A Case Series. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2022 Dec 1;23(6):e397-e398. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000000449. Epub 2022 Oct 21. PMID: 36251427.

    Morris CA, Moo Young JP, Savakus JC, Obey MR, Pereira DE, Hills JM, McKane A, Babcock SN, Miller AN, Stephens BF,  Mitchell PM. Neurologic injury after spinopelvic dissociation: Incidence, outcome, and predictors. Elsevier. October 28, 2022. Volume 53, Issue 11. PMID 36371318

    Tang AR, Steinle AM, Chanbour H, Emeka-Ibe, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL, Abtahi AM. Barbed Suture versus Interrupted Suture in Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery: Are they Equivalent? Spine Surgery and Related Research Journal. November 2022. PMID 36561159

    Chanbour H, Steinle AM, Tang AR, Gardocki RJ, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL. In Single-Level, Open, Posterior Lumbar Fusion, Does Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion or Posterolateral Fusion Lead to Better Outcomes? Neurosurgery. 2023 Jan 1;92(1):110-117. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002187. Epub 2022 Nov 1. PMID: 36519862.

    Stephens BF. Khan Inamullah, Parker SL, Bow H, Sivaganesan A, Pennings JS, Steinle AM, Gupta R, Devin CJ. Clinical and Cost-effectiveness of Lumbar Interbody Fusion using Titanium Posterolateral Cage (vs. Propensity Matched Cohort of PEEK cage). Spine Surgery and Related Research Journal. October 2022. Volume 6, No. 6. November 2022. PMID 36561152

    Steinle AM, Fogel JD, Gupta R, Davidson Claudia, Hymel AM, Vaughan WE, Croft AJ, Pennings JS, Archer KR, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL, Gardocki RJ, Abtahi AM. Assessing The Insurance Deductible Effect On Outcomes Following Elective Spinal Surgery.  World Neurosurgery. December 2022. PMID: 36216246

    Chanbour H, Gardocki RJ, Zuckerman SL. Commentary: Minimally Invasive Preganglionic C2 Root Section for Occipital Neuralgia: 2 Case Reports and Operative Video. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2023 Mar 1;24(3):e153-e154. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000000591. Epub 2022 Dec 23. PMID: 36701602.

    2023

    Chambers JS, Kropp RG, Gardocki RJ. Reoperation rates and patient-reported outcomes of single and two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2023 Jan;143(1):265-268. doi: 10.1007/s00402-021-04056-y. 

    Mika AP, Wollenman C, Steinle AM, Chanbour H, Vaughan W, Croft A, Lugo-Pico J , Zuckerman SL, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Presentation of Patients with Spinal Metastases Spine.  Spine. February 2023. PMID 36255355

    Tang AR, Chanbour H, Steinle AM, Jonzzon S, Roth SG, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL. Which approach leads to more reoperations in single-level, open, posterior lumbar fusion: transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion or posterolateral fusion alone? International Journal of Spine Surgery. Ms. No. IJSSURGERY-D-22-00141R1 February 2023. PMID 36822646

    Tang AR, Chanbour H, Steinle AM, Jonzzon S, Roth SG, Gardocki RJ, Stephen BF, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion vs posterolateral fusion alone in the treatment of grade 1 degenerative spondylolisthesis” NEUROSURGERY.  February 2023 PMID 36848669

    Chanbour H, Zuckerman SL, Chen JW, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM. Unplanned readmission is associated with the decreased overall survival and performance after metastatic spine surgery. SPINE. February 2023. PMID 36780429

    Olinger C, Coffman A, Campion C, Thompson K, Gardocki R. Initial learning curve after switching to uniportal endoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniations. Eur Spine J. 2023 Feb 22. doi: 10.1007/s00586-023-07583-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36811652.

    Gardocki RJ, Chandler PJ, Vaughan WE, Zuckerman SL, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF. Endoscopic transforaminal treatment of a thoracic perineural cyst: a case report. Eur Spine J. 2023 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s00586-023-07582-y. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36813905.

    Chanbour H, Zuckerman SL, Gardocki RJ. Commentary: Multi-level Endoscopic Transforaminal Interbody Fusion for Severe Discitis, Osteomyelitis, and Kyphotic Deformity in the Lumbar Spine. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2023 Feb 23. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000000664. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36815830.

    Tang AR, Chanbour H, Steinle AM, Jonzzon S, Roth SG, Gardocki RJ, Stephens BF, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL. Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Versus Posterolateral Fusion Alone in the Treatment of Grade 1 Degenerative Spondylolisthesis. Neurosurgery. 2023 Feb 24. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002402. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36848669.

    Chanbour H, Chen JW, Gangavarapu LS, Bendlfeldt GA, LaBarge ME, Ahmed M, Roth SG, Chotai S, Luo LY, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL Unplanned readmission after surgery for cervical spine metastases. World Neurosurgery. -March 2023 PMID 36584895

    Ahmed M, Roth SG, Luo LY, Chotai S, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF. Unplanned readmission after surgery for cervical spine metastases. World Neurosurgery. -March 2023 PMID 36584895

    MacLean M A, Georgiopoulos M, Charest-Morin R, Goodwin CR, Laufter I, Dea N, Shin JH, Gokaslan ZL, Rhines LD, O’Toole JE, Sciubba DM, Fehlings MG, Stephens BF, Bettegowda C, Myrenhaug S, Disch AC, Netzer, Kumar N, Sahgal A, Germscheid NM, Weber, AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor .  Perception of Frality in Spinal Metastatic Disease: International Survey of the AO Spine Community. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. March 2023  PMID 36883617

    Gardocki RJ, Chandler PJ, Vaughan WE, Zuckerman SL, Abtahi AM,  Stephens BF. Endoscopic Transforaminal Treatment of a Thoracic  Perineural Cyst: A Frist In Man Case Report. European Spine Journal. Feb 2023 PMID 36813905

    Chanbour H, LaBarge ME, Jonzzon S, Roth SG, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Abtahi, Zuckerman SL. Is lower screw density associated with mechanical complications in adult spine deformity surgery?” Spine Deformity.  March 5th, 2023. PMID: 36872418

    Stephens BF. McKeithan LJ, Wadell WH, Steinle AM, Vaughan WE, Pennington JS, Bydon M, Zukerman SL, Archer KR, Romano J, Nian H, Khan I, Abtahi AM. A Clinical Model to Predict Postoperative Improvement in Sub-Domains of the Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. European Spine Journal. April 2023 PMID: 36877365

    Moo Young JP, Savakus JC, Obey MR, Pereira DE, Hills JM, McKane A, Babcock SN, Miller AN, Stephens BF, Mitchel PM. Percutaneous Posterior Pelvic Fixation of Spinopevic Dissociation: A Multi Series of Displaced Patterns. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. April 4, 2023. PMID: 37016470

    Alexander N, Gardocki RJ. Awake Transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy in an ambulatory surgery center: early clinical outcomes and complications of 100 patients. Eur Spine J. 2023 June 28. doi: 10.1007/s00586-023-07786-2. PMID: 36848669

    Chen W, Chanbour H, Bendeldt GA, Gangavarapu LS, Karlekar MB, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL, Chotai S. Palliative Care Consultation Utilization Among Patient Undergoing Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Tumors. World Neurosurgery. August 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.07.118 
     
    Chanbour H, Waddell WH, Vickery J, LaBarge ME, Croft AJ, Longo M, Roth SG, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL,  Stephens BF. L1-Pelvic-Angle: A convenient Measurement to attain optimal deformity correction.  European Spine Journal August 2023. DOI 10.1007/s00586-023-07920-0