Curriculum
The fellows rotate on two-month rotations between the University of Maryland Medical Center, the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and our community practice, University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.
Collectively, these hospitals give each fellow exposure to a wide variety of pathology including degenerative diseases, tumors and complex pediatric and adult deformity cases.
The fellows are trained in spine surgery from the occiput to the sacrum—both anterior and posterior—with and without instrumentation. They will gain expertise in the preoperative evaluations of spinal deformity patients.
Clinically, fellows are educated in various spinal instrumentation systems, image-guided surgery and minimally invasive surgery. Our mission is to train surgeons to be compassionate and capable care providers who have knowledge and skills necessary to care for a wide variety of patients.
In the outpatient clinic, fellows participate with the attending faculty allowing joint teaching of residents with 100% oversight of outpatient clinical activities by faculty.
Fellows also have educational responsibilities to residents and medical students in the outpatient clinic, in the operating room and on the floors. These educational responsibilities include supervision of clinical activities and education.
Our educational objective is to create a cohesive, 12-month spine curriculum that focuses on topic specific current and classic literature, evidence-based practice and current treatment algorithms.
Weekly attendance at our Pre-Op/Post-Op Conferences is expected. Attendance at monthly department conferences such as Morbidity and Mortality, Grand Rounds and a spine-specific Journal Club is required.
Spine Surgery Fellows also participate in cadaveric and technical skills labs, research meetings and spine didactics. These are held one Thursday morning per month. Attendance and participation are required.
Research
Each fellow has formal opportunities for teaching and is required to prepare and deliver four research presentations per year and are responsible for preparing and presenting monthly Morbidity and Mortality. These presentations receive critique and review by the spine faculty.
The final research presentation, which occurs during graduation activities, are reviewed by the entire department faculty and visiting professor. They are able to observe faculty and the lecture techniques and presentation materials used while preparing for their own formal lecture. Faculty and peers are available to supply advice and guidance if requested.
In addition, fellow is required to complete a minimum of one clinical or basic research project and one written text—case report, article, chapter, etc.—during the course of the fellowship. These projects are submitted for publication and presentation at local and national meetings.
Supervision and Evaluation
The University of Maryland Spine Surgery faculty directly supervises the fellows on all three of their rotations. Faculty are keenly aware of the need to allow fellows progressive responsibility through the year while ensuring adequate oversight at all times to enhance education and maintain patient safety.
Fellows receive progressive responsibility for all aspects of patient care throughout the fellowship. The rate of progression of responsibility varies by the fellow and by the faculty member.
Faculty and fellow pre-operatively plan surgical cases together. Graduate levels of responsibility are provided with regard to pre-operative planning. As the year progresses, plans with faculty are made prior to the start of the operative procedure. Daily rounds are made each morning with attendings, residents and dedicated nurse practitioners.
Fellows meet with their faculty mentors periodically and fellowship director monthly to discuss their research project and surgical case log. The fellows are evaluated by the faculty and residents at the conclusion of each service rotation/quarter using the MedHub.
Furthermore, the fellows evaluate the teaching faculty at the conclusion of each service rotation/quarter using MedHub evaluation tool. The program director has access to the report issued by the MedHub system, which ensures the anonymity of the evaluator. Below expected reports are discussed with the trainee on an individual basis.
Additionally, 360-degree evaluations are performed semi-annually to provide broader feedback of the trainee.