Program Details
Rotation:
Spine Medicine fellows rotate through medical spine clinics, surgical spine clinics and an interventional pain management clinic, as well as a variety of electives and research experiences. Approximately 40 percent of the fellow’s time is spent in medical clinics, 30 percent in interventional training, 10 percent in surgical clinics and 20 percent in elective and academic activities.
Curriculum:
Our fellowship will offer you the opportunity to study all aspects of Spine Medicine care.
Spine Medicine
- Learn the clinical skills necessary for evaluation and management of a wide range of cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine disorders
- Learn what role diagnostic imaging, electromyography, laboratory studies and diagnostic injection play in the evaluation of patients with spinal disorders
- Gain experience in the interpretation of imaging studies, including MRI, CT, CT myelography and radiography
- Gain experience in the use of therapeutic injections (e.g., trigger point and bursae injections and the use of fluoroscopy)
- Learn the appropriate role of psychiatric pain management in the management of spinal pain
- Gain experience in the use of the wide array of pharmacologic therapies employed in spine management, including analgesics, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory agents
- Become familiar with the full range of active and passive physical therapy modalities available for spinal disorders
- Be exposed to spinal manipulation techniques (manual medicine) and their role in the management of spinal disorders
- Be exposed to acupuncture or a useful modality in the management of spinal pain and associated symptoms
Pain Management
- Gain experience in basic interventional pain management, including epidural steroid injections, trigger point injections, sacroiliac injection, piriformis injection, facet radiofrequency ablation and hip injection
- Become familiar with the full range of procedural treatments for managing spinal pain, including indications, contraindications and potential complications of such treatments
Spine Surgery
- Learn the indications for appropriate surgical intervention (surgical decision making)
- Become familiar with the range of surgical options available for patients with a wide array of spinal disorders
- Become familiar with the indications for referral to spine surgeons
Research/Elective
- Develop and complete a clinical research project, working with your faculty adviser
- Author or co-author at least one paper during the fellowship, to be published in an indexed medical journal
Conferences:
A weekly spine medicine conference includes case conferences, didactic lectures or a journal club. Interdisciplinary conferences (tumor conference, spine biomechanics course) also are available for interested fellows.
Requirements:
Applicants for the fellowship must have completed an accredited residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, internal medicine, family medicine or subspecialty training in a medical specialty (e.g. rheumatology). All fellows must obtain an Ohio training medical license prior to beginning the fellowship.
Credentialing Standards:
The fellowship’s credentialing standards cover medical assessment and management, including clinical skills, spinal anatomy, infections, pediatric spinal disorders and therapeutics, and interventional spine care, including facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, radiofrequency ablation, lumbar epidural steroid injections, sacroiliac joint blocks and clinical pharmacology.
Application Process
In order to apply to our program applicants must have successfully passed USMLE Steps 1, 2CK and 2CS. Applicants requesting an H-1B visa must also have successfully passed USMLE Step 3. International Medical Graduates must have received a currently valid ECFMG certificate in order to apply to our program.
Interested candidates can apply for a fellowship position by submitting the following documentation:
- Neurology Fellowship Application
- CV
- Personal Statement
- Letter from Residency Program Director in lieu of Dean’s Letter
- At least 2 letters of recommendation from physicians whom have supervised you in a clinical setting
- USMLE/COMLEX Score Reports
- Medical School Diploma
- Certified copy of your currently valid ECFMG certificate (applicable for International Medical Graduates only)
Please fax all application documents to: Daniel Mazanec, MD at 216.445.9679.
If you have any questions regarding the fellowship or the application process, please contact:
Daniel Mazanec, MD
Associate Director
Cleveland Clinic Center for Spine Health
Co-Director, Spine Medicine Fellowship
9500 Euclid Avenue/S40
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
216.444.6191
Russell DeMicco, DO
Co-Director
Spine Medicine Fellowship
9500 Euclid Avenue/S40
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
216.444.0229
Santhosh Thomas, DO, MBA
Co-Director
Spine Medicine Fellowship
9500 Euclid Avenue/WL40
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
440.899.5516
Clinical Fellows
Sachin Bansal, MD
Medical School: 2007 Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
Residency: 2008 General Surgery, Riverside Methodist Hospitals, Columbus, OH
Residency: 2009 General Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA
Residency: 2012 Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Washington University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
Kush Goyal, MD
Medical School: 2006 University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH
Residency: 2007 General Surgery, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL
Residency: 2009 General Surgery, University Hospitals, Cleveland, OH
Residency: 2012 Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Garett Helber, DO
Medical School: 2008 Ohio University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, OH
Residency: 2009 Osteopathic, St. John West Shore Hospital
Residency: 2012 Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Van Malia, DO
Medical School: 2003 Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery, Des Moines, IA
Residency: 2005 Anesthesiology, University Hospital-SUNY Upstate Medical
Residency: 2012 Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN