The AOSpine Research Commission launched a research mentoring program for the first time this year. Seven young surgeons from India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Argentina, China, and USA are paired with an experienced AOSpine surgeon and are learning how to conduct research. Under the direction of Dr. Daniel Riew, the program follows the motto "you see one, you do one, you teach one" with the goal that each mentee will become a mentor for the next generation, making research methods accessible for all future surgeons across all regions of the world.

The mentees are busy soaking up information, formulating their research proposals, and interacting with their mentors.  In addition to the direct link of their mentor for guidance, the mentees are receiving further support and training from AO Clinical Investigation and Documentation (AOCID). This spring, they participated in the AOCID "How to successfully set up your own clinical study in spine research", where they learned the necessary tools required to develop research questions, study designs, clinical investigation plan, databases, and so on. This fall, their training included a two-day workshop, also led by AOCID, where they were introduced to the basics of statistics and medical writing and how this newly acquired knowledge can be used to support them in writing their own scientific manuscript.

To highlight two of the AOSpine research mentees:

Gaurav Raj Dhakal, spine surgeon at the Norvic Spine Clinic in Nepal, is investigating the outcome of selective nerve root block in lumbar intervertebral disc prolapse in the Nepalese population. He is already enrolling patients in his study. Dr. Dhakal describes his experience,

"Obtaining this type of support to conduct research in my country is tremendous. I have learned so much and hope to improve patient care through the research I am now able to perform."

Ahidjo Kawu, spine surgeon at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Nigeria, is studying the sagittal spinopelvic alignment variation in races with a focus on asymptomatic Nigerian subjects. He has collected and analyzed the data and is in the process of making sense of his findings. Dr. Kawu says,

"This program is not only about receiving advice from a mentor, but is also about bringing people from other countries together – making connections."

AOSpine Surgery Reference is an internet-based resource for the management of spinal pathologies, based on current clinical principles, practices and available evidence.

This year's AOSpine Davos courses mark the launch of the new AO Surgery Reference module on thoracolumbar trauma, edited and authored by German Ochoa († 5.8.2014), Luiz Vialle, Alex Vaccaro, Frank Kandziora, Michael Fehlings and Rajasekaran Shanmughanathan.

This new module describes an extensive range of possible approaches and treatment options for thoracolumbar fractures in detail and promises to be useful both in education and daily practice.

Here’s what the contributors had to say about the new module:

"This new TL Fractures module follows the Surgery Reference tradition of excellence. The authors' selection is the best guarantee of the high quality of information. I am sure readers will appraise and evaluate it at the highest level."

Luiz Vialle, Editor

"The new AO Surgery Reference module on thoracolumbar fractures is a wonderful educational resource for all surgeons at any level of experience to get an immediate understanding of the contemporary management of thoracolumbar fracture care."

Alex Vaccaro, Author

"The Surgery Reference will provide AO surgeons with a practical, user-friendly, accessible source of information to facilitate the surgical management of thoracolumbar trauma."

Michael Fehlings, Author

"The new Surgery Reference about treatment of Thoracolumbar fractures is a milestone in the education of spine surgeons. Around the world patients will benefit from this tool."

Frank Kandziora, Author

"The Surgery reference for TL Fractures is another valuable contribution of AOSpine and will serve as an easy and quick guide to management to all surgeons and trainees world wide".

Rajasekaran Shanmuganathan, Author

Over the last few months, AOSpine has been collating the views and opinions of its network via an online survey and face-to-face interviews. Today, we share the results with you in the form of the brochure and video below. Here, your colleagues share their experiences with AOSpine and help guide us in our journey to improve our membership program.

To view the video, click here

To view the survey brochure, click here.

Check out our new and improved website where you have educational, research and community development information at your fingertips.

By clicking here, you can also find out more about our membership program.

The Global Spine Journal is proud to present our brand new podcast series on iTunes. Each month the editors of Global Spine Journal will discuss a recently published paper with the leading authors of the work, providing a deeper examination of articles and its conclusions.

This new series will be of interest to all AOSpine members and spine surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, and neurosurgeons across the globe.

In the first episode, Dr Samuel K. Cho from Mount Sinai Hospital discusses his group's recently published paper assessing the growth of cervical spine surgery performed in outpatient settings.

Episode three, released on November 17, is a conversation with Dr John G. DeVine, on behalf of his co-authors, about their paper ‘Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spine in Children: Spinal Incidental Findings in Pediatric Patients’ published in the Global Spine Journal

Read this article

Subscribe now via iTunes

For more information or to give feedback on the podcasts please contact podcast@thieme.com

The Global Spine Journal is available to AOSpine members. If you're not already a member, join now by clicking here.