Orthopaedic Surgery

In order to develop appropriate evidence-based treatment plans, the clinical fellow is expected to extensively research the literature, comprehensively pre-op plan all surgical procedures she will be involved in, and conduct follow-up with post-op care and monitoring. Through this process fellows not only increase their spine / neuro intelligence quotient, but also increase their ability to ask faculty members appropriate level questions that reflect true understanding of both the technical and cognitive aspects of spine surgery. He vast majority of fellows’ training will be directly supervised by senior board certified spine / neuro surgeons.

Clinical fellows are expected to make rounds on spine / neuro inpatients whose surgery they were involved with and / or patients under the care of their assigned service. This provides invaluable information concerning post-op care of pediatric orthopaedic patients. The ability to appropriately recognize and treat post-operative complications is also acquired through interaction with inpatients and discussion with teaching attendings. Fellows also participate in formal teaching rounds (refer to the education schedule) and ask appropriate questions of teaching staff so as to solidify key concepts.

The clinical fellow is expected to progressively increase his ability to independently assess patients with spine or related problems and formulate treatment plans in the outpatient setting. This process begins with the fellow observing and learning from the respective teaching faculty and progresses toward the fellow performing independent patient evaluations, synthesizing pertinent information and formulating a treatment plan that is simply confirmed or only modified slightly by faculty members. Fellows are required to: assist with their attending’s clinics, research rare conditions on patients they may see and participate in research (clinical or lab).

Clinical fellows will take spine call (in-home, second call) only during their rotation at the University of Cincinnati (a Level 1 trauma center). The ortho or neuro resident on-call will contact the fellow in the case of a spine trauma. The fellow will confer with the attending on call to evaluate, treat and determine if emergent/urgent operative intervention is required. Fellows’ work hours will comply with ACGME call requirements (fellows taking at-home call will be provided with one day in seven completely free from all educational / clinical responsibilities when called into the hospital from home. The hours spent in-house are counted toward the 80-hour limit). The fellow will work strictly at the University of Cincinnati base (no satellites).

Clinical fellows rotate for three-month periods each at the Cincinnati Children’s Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, the Mayfield Clinic, the University of Cincinnati Division of Orthopaedics and Neurosciences Institute and, during the last quarter of their fellowship, at the locations of their choice to further their personal goals and interests. Fellow work hours will be consistent with ACGME 80-hour work week requirements. GME policies and procedures are readily available online for any fellow to review at all locations; a duty-hour hotline is available within the hospital for reporting violations.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery - Three-month rotation

• Peter F. Sturm – Spine deformity, spine disorders and early onset scoliosis
• Alvin H. Crawford – Deformities of the immature spine with intervention and instrumentation via video assisted thoracoscopic surgery, neurofibromatosis and bone tumor
• Steven S. Agabegi – Scoliosis, complex spinal deformity, spine trauma and spine tumors
• Viral V. Jain – Spinal deformity and minimally invasive spine surgeries
• Eric J. Wall – Sports-medicine-related spine issues

University of Cincinnati, Division of Orthopedic Surgery - Three-month rotation

• Steven S. Agabegi – Cervical and lumbar degenerative conditions, revision surgery, spine trauma and spine tumors
• Ferhan Asghar – Disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, including degenerative disease, trauma and deformity for adults

Outside Adult Rotation – TBA

• Participating spine surgeons TBA – Disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, including degenerative disease, trauma and deformity for adults