Check out this wonderful first-hand account and review by a recent Fellow, Dr. Yuan Feng, who worked with our own Dr. Janssen!

I really want to express my appreciation to AO Spine for the opportunity to finish my fellowship of Spine Education And Research Institute in Denver.

The study deadline was from November 1, 2014,  to December 1, 2014. When I arrived in Denver, it was the evening of November 1st. That was Saturday and the flight was late. After I took out my bag, I heard someone who is calling me “Dr. Yuan”. Then I knew he was Mr. Mark Seinke. Mark drove me to the apartment and took me to the supermarket on the way. The apartment is not big. You know there is a proverb: “The sparrow may be small but it has all the vital organs.” By Mark’s enthusiasm and sincerity, I was very moved. Thanks, Mark!

Dr Michael E. Janssen, who is my director, is a very excellent spine surgeon and outstanding manager of the spine center. Dr. Janssen’ s surgery is perfect, and his temper is open; he has very high capability of communication with others. In the clinic, I had a very good relationship between Dr. Janssen and his patients.

The Spine Education & Research Institute has seven affiliated hospitals, including Avista Medical Center, North Suburban Medical Center, St. Anthony’s North Hospital, Platte Valley Medical Center, Exempla Good Samaritan, Musculoskeletal Surgery Center, Denver Health Medical Center. The hospitals I at which was credentialed were St Anthony’s Hospital and North Suburban Hospital. The hospitals are not big, but the management is in good order.

During my stay in the spine center, most cases were degenerative spinal diseases. The majority of the surgeries were anterior cervical decompression with cage, or artificial cervical spine disc, anterior and posterior lumbal spine intervertebral fusion, the minimally invasive surgery for SC joint fusion, etc. The surgeries of anterior lumbar spine fusion with LDR, SCI fixation and fusion under X fluoroscopy gave me very deep impression.

When not working with the medical team, I did some teaching work for the medical students in the dissection lab. Spine Education & Research Institute is in very good condition; it’s a good place to take a training for clinic needs.

Thanks AO Spine,Thanks AO Spine Foundation. Thanks Mrs. or Mr. who gave me help but I just communicate with them by email; I have not even seen them.

By Dr. Yuan Feng
Director of the Spine Surgery Department,
The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College