About our surgeons:
Dr. Clay Frank, Dr. Thomas Doers, and Dr. James Hollowell are all Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Spinal Surgery Specialists. They all focus their practice exclusively on Spinal Surgery. Drs. Frank and Doers are Orthopedic Surgeons, and Dr. Hollowell is a Neurological Surgeon. Both Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons obtain some training in spine surgery during their general residency programs. Spine Specialists continue after completion of their residency training to develop further skills, knowledge, and expertise in complex spinal surgery as a Spinal Surgery Fellow learning from some of the most distinguished Spinal Surgeons in the country.
What is the difference between Fellowship Trained Spinal Specialists and other surgeons that operate on the spine?
Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons can perform spinal surgery with just the training they have received during their standard residency training programs. They have not undergone the additional training of a Spinal Specialist. They have not received fellowship training in Spinal Surgery to acquire advanced skills and additional experience. Despite this, many general orthopedic and neurosurgeons are quite good spine surgeons.
Are there limitations to the type of spine surgery that non Spine Specialist may perform?
No, surgeons without specialty fellowship training in Spinal Surgery are not limited in the scope of spinal surgical procedures that they may perform. Actually, most spine surgery in the United States, and the Milwaukee area, is performed by surgeons that have not had specialty fellowship training in spinal surgery.
What does it mean to be Board Certified?
Board certification of an Orthopedic or Neurological surgeon is achieved by successfully completing an accredited training program, and passing several rigorous written and oral examinations. This ensures that those with Board Certification have mastered the skills that they have learned during their residency training program. Certification may require periodic renewal.
Must all Surgeons be Board Certified to perform Surgery?
No, board certification is optional, not all surgeons are able or choose to become certified.
What is the difference between an Orthopedic Spine Specialist and a Neurological Spine Specialist?
An Orthopedist’s training is focused primarily on the musculoskeletal system, emphasizing treatment of bone and joint disease also including the spine. A Neurological Surgeon’s training is focused primarily on the brain and nervous system but also includes the spine. During advanced spine training as a Spine Surgery Fellow, both Orthopedic and Neurological Surgeons receive very similar if not identical training about the spine and neural elements. Ultimately the knowledge and skills of a Fellowship trained Spine Specialist are very similar whether they were originally trained as an Orthopedist or a Neurosurgeon.
Is there an advantage of Orthopedic and Neurosurgical Spine Specialist working together as they do at Integrated Spine Care?
Yes, despite the similarities in training, each specialist brings a unique perspective of experience and knowledge. The treatment of spinal disorders can be quite complicated and challenging. Your surgeons at Integrated Spine Care will often consult each other for treatment planning, and sometimes work together to perform complicated or lengthy surgical procedures. This provides the optimal benefits of both disciplines to our patients at Integrated Spine Care.
Do your Spinal Surgery Specialist at Integrated Spine Care do other types of surgery besides Spine Surgery?
No, all Integrated Spine Care surgeons are exclusively dedicated to the treatment of spinal disorders. Most general Neurosurgeons or Orthopedic surgeons do a variety of other types of non spine surgery. Neurosurgeons typically also treat brain disorders and orthopedic surgeons may also treat bone and joint disorders. For the general orthopedic or neurological surgeon, spine surgery is typically only one of the many types of surgery that they perform.
How long does it take to train to become a Spine Specialist?
It requires 7 to 10 years of surgical training after completion of medical school.
We feel that you will find the experience and training of our Spine Specialist to be exceptional. All of our Surgeons welcome your inquiries about their experience or training.
What is the difference between Fellowship Trained Spinal Specialists and other surgeons that operate on the spine?