Program Overview

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery offers a comprehensive program in orthopaedic surgery, including a spine fellowship program.

Spine Fellowship Program

The spine fellowship program is a combined adult and pediatric orthopaedic spine program offering experience in a comprehensive spectrum of spinal disorders using non-operative and operative interventions.

Program Details

• Fellows train at UAB Hospital as well as Children's of Alabama.
• UAB Hospital is the only Level 1 Trauma Center verified by the American College of Surgeons in the state of Alabama as well as a tertiary referral center for reconstructive spine surgery.
• Children's of Alabama, ranked among the best children's hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, is one of the largest pediatric medical facilities in the US.
• Fellows have progressive responsibilities, including assisting in surgery, teaching residents, and serving as first-surgeon as skill levels mature.
• The fellow will be expected to develop and complete their own research project by the end of the fellowship.
• There are two spots for the fellowship, one of which is a combined clinical and research position.

Research Opportunities

• The clinical fellow will develop and complete at least one research project to be presented at AO Fellows Forum.
• Past fellows had been very productive and involved in multiple research projects.
• Excellent support is available through a well-established research fellowship program and cross-collaboration with various departments.

Clinical Experience

• Fellows graduate the program with a well-rounded trainee experience, typically logging greater than 350 surgical cases during their time with the department.
• The spine fellow will spend about four days in the operating room and one day in the clinic.
• The fellowship provides exposure to lumbar, cervical, and thoracic regions and covers many diagnostic categories, including degenerative, trauma, deformity, tumor, and pediatric.

Education and Training

• In addition to a well-rounded caseload experience, fellows can expect to participate in the AO Spine Fall Fellows Course and the AO Spine Fellows Research Conference.
• Applicants from approved orthopaedic residencies will be considered.
• The fellowship matches with qualified applicants through the Spine Surgery Fellowship Match.
• The program encourages applicants to complete the requirements for application distribution by September 1.

Faculty

• The program is led by experienced faculty, including:
  • Sakthi Rajaram Manoharan, M.D., Program Director and Associate Professor
  • Steven Theiss, M.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Luke Hiatt, M.D., Assistant Professor

Fellowships

• The department offers fellowships in various areas, including:
  • Foot and Ankle
  • Hand and Upper Extremity
  • Joint Reconstruction
  • Spine
  • Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine
  • Trauma