Fellowship Program

Based in Scottsdale, the Spine Institute of Arizona’s Advance Clinical Experience (Fellowship) in Spine Surgery aims to provide an in-depth exposure to a wide range of spinal disorders and treatment techniques, both surgical and non-surgical. It is critical that our Fellows learn not only operative techniques, but also how to properly select patients for surgery, treat patients non-operatively and to evaluate and treat patients post-operatively.

Although we are known for our involvement in the development of minimally invasive techniques, our  fellows are exposed to all traditional surgical techniques as well, both orthopedic and neurosurgical, including open deformity cases and open revision cases. A monthly schedule provides experience in clinic and surgery with all four of the Spine Institute of Arizona surgeons (Edward Dohring, MD, Paul Gause, MD, Ryan Godinsky, MD and Keven Burns, MD).

For non-surgical experience, there will be time arranged with interventional pain management specialist Dr. Allan Rowley, EMG/NCV specialist Dr. Vibhooti Dave and chiropractor/physiotherapist Dr. Brock Auten. Experiences with our non-surgical physicians may range in length from one to several days and will typically occur at times when the primary surgeon educators are not in surgery or clinic.

In addition to the surgical and non-surgical clinical experience, our Fellows will also be responsible for participating in didactic teaching, including lectures, clinical case presentations, preoperative conferences, and any additional educational activities that may be presented. Fellows will be primarily responsible for preparing presentation of cases at the didactic conferences. Also required will be locating and reading pertinent journal articles and supervising and teaching medical students and/or residents when present. Optional, yet encouraged, is attendance to outside spine surgery conferences and courses that the Spine Institute of Arizona will assist in setting up.

Overall, The Spine Institute of Arizona Fellowship provides a unique experience for training in a multidisciplinary spine care setting, with providers who specialize in Orthopedic Spine Surgery, Neurosurgical Spine Surgery, Pain Management, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy. Our goal is to prepare individuals for a strong, competitive community private practice. The Fellowship emphasizes not only surgical skills, but also the clinical skills necessary to have successful surgical outcomes: precise diagnosis, appropriate conservative care prior to surgery, and proper judgment regarding patient selection. Fellows will learn the “survival skills” critical to the management of a spine surgery practice, including marketing, contracting, proper medical/legal documentation, billing & collections, and second opinion & medical/legal opinion skills.

Percent of Fellowship Devotion
Operative Care: 80%
Non-Operative Care: 20%
Research/Publication Obligation: Optional

Approximate percentage of exposure to the Spine by region
Cervical: 35%
Thoracic: 15%
Lumbar: 50%

Approximate percentage of Fellowship exposure by diagnostic category
Degenerative: 50%
Trauma: 15%
Deformity: 25%
Pediatric: 5%
Tumor: <5%

Advising Surgeons:
Edward J. Dohring, MD
• Fellowship Director
• Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon

Paul R. Gause, MD
• Fellowship Co-Director
• Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon

Ryan J. Godinsky, MD
• Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon

Keven S. Burns, MD
• Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon