Eligibility Criteria

MD or equivalent medical degree
Completion of Orthopaedic Surgery or Neurosurgery Residency
Board-eligible or board-certified status
Application through SF Match
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Personal Statement
Letters of Recommendation
Residency evaluations
Operative case logs
USMLE/COMLEX documentation
ECFMG certification for IMGs

Minimum Education

MD (Doctor of Medicine)

About Course

The Spine Surgery Fellowship at NYU Grossman School of Medicine is one of the most comprehensive spine training programs in the United States. Offered through the Division of Spine Surgery, the fellowship provides intensive exposure to a wide spectrum of spinal disorders and advanced surgical techniques. Fellows work closely with nationally recognized orthopaedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons in a highly collaborative academic environment.
The fellowship emphasizes both operative and clinical decision-making skills. Approximately 80 percent of training is devoted to operative care, while the remaining 20 percent focuses on outpatient evaluation, patient management, and nonoperative treatment strategies. Fellows participate in all phases of patient care, including preoperative assessment, surgical planning, operative procedures, postoperative care, and long-term follow-up.
A major strength of the program is its exceptional case volume. Fellows participate in approximately 250 to 300 procedures annually, including complex deformity corrections, revision surgeries, spinal tumor resections, trauma cases, and minimally invasive procedures. The fellowship provides extensive exposure to cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine pathology.
Training includes advanced technologies such as robotic spine surgery, spinal navigation systems, endoscopic decompression techniques, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, and motion-preservation procedures. Fellows gain experience using state-of-the-art surgical equipment and evidence-based treatment protocols.
The program offers significant exposure to complex adult and pediatric spinal deformities. Fellows routinely participate in major reconstructive procedures including long-segment fusion, pelvic fixation, pedicle subtraction osteotomies, vertebral column resections, and revision deformity surgery.
Research is an important component of fellowship training. Fellows receive one protected research day each week and are expected to participate in multiple clinical or basic science research projects. Opportunities exist to present research at national and international spine meetings.
Educational activities include weekly spine grand rounds, multidisciplinary conferences, deformity indication conferences, journal clubs, research meetings, and resident teaching sessions. Fellows also assume leadership roles within the orthopaedic residency program and participate actively in surgical education.
Graduates are highly prepared for careers in academic spine surgery, complex spinal reconstruction, minimally invasive spine surgery, private practice, and leadership positions within major spine centers worldwide.