Steven R. Garfin, M.D.

Steven R. Garfin, M.D. is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Dr. Garfin’s training included: medical school at the University of Minnesota, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at UCSD, and a spine surgery fellowship at Pennsylvania hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Garfin has received numerous research awards, including: Volvo award from ISSLS (x2), North American Spine Society (x2), Cervical Spine Research Society (x2) and the Orthopaedic Research Society New Investigator Recognition Award. Dr. Garfin has also been awarded the Wiltse Award for Leadership from NASS and the Selby Award for Contributions to NASS.
Dr. Garfin is a member of: the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon, American Orthopaedic Association, Cervical Spine Research Society, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, North American Spine Society, the Orthopaedic Research Society, and the Spinal Arthroplasty Society. For several of these Dr. Garfin has been a board member, President and/or Program Chair.

Dr. Garfin has edited 18 books, and authored over 100 book chapters and 250 peer review articles. Dr. Garfin is Deputy Editor of Spine and a reviewer for a number of orthopaedic and spine peer-review journals.

Harry N. Herkowitz, M.D.

Dr. Harry Herkowitz is the Chairman and Director of the Section of Spine Surgery and the Fellowship Program in Spine Surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Herkowitz earned his Medical degree at Wayne State University School of Medicine. He had both an Internship and a Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at William Beaumont Hospital. He was a Spine Surgery Fellow under the direction of Richard H. Rothman, M.D., Ph.D. and Frederick A. Simeone, M.D. at Pennsylvania Hospital.

As an active member of many professional societies, Dr. Herkowitz has often served as officer and committee member. He was President of the Spine Journal 1998-1999. He is currently the Director of the Research Council for the North American Spine Society as well as on their Executive Board. Additionally, he is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, and the Academic Orthopedic Society.

Dr. Herkowitz has contributed to the published research of Orthopaedic and spine issues as Editor of four medical texts, written 36 chapters, 39 refeered journal articles and 33 non-refereed journal articles. Dr. Herkowitz is on the Editorial Board of many professional journals including: the Journal of Spinal Disorders, Spine, Operative Techniques in Orthopaedics, Advances in Orthopaedic Surgery, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, and Cervical Spine Research Society. Dr. Herkowitz is two-time recipient of the Volvo Award for Clinical Research in Low Back Pain.

Frank M. Phillips, M.D.

Dr. Phillips specializes in the spine and has special interests in cervical and lumbar reconstructive surgery. He also has expertise in motion preserving and minimally invasive spinal procedures. Dr. Phillips has participated in the development of a number of minimally invasive spinal techniques and also motion preservation technologies. Dr. Phillips' basic science research efforts have focused on biomechanics of the spinal reconstruction as well as biologic strategies including gene therapy to promote spinal fusion and intervertebral disc regeneration.

A medical graduate from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Dr. Phillips completed his orthopaedic residency at The University of Chicago Medical Center. In addition, he served a spine fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Before coming to Midwest Orthopaedics, Dr. Phillips served as the Director of The Spine Center at The University of Chicago. Dr. Phillips is currently a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Head of the Section of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at Rush University Medical Center. He has published and lectured extensively on spinal topics. He also frequently directs spinal educational courses for other spinal surgeons. Dr. Phillips is currently the Vice President of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and is on various committees of the North American Spine Society and the Spine Arthroplasty Society. He has also received numerous research grants. Dr. Phillips is the Principal Investigator of various national US FDA clinical trials evaluating cervical and lumbar disc replacement procedures.

Scott D. Boden, M.D.

Scott D. Boden, M.D. is Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Emory Clinic and Director, Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center, Atlanta, GA. Dr. Boden’s specialties are Spine and Orthopaedic Surgery.
A medical graduate from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 1986, Dr. Boden completed his residency at George Washington University Medical Center, Washington D.C. 1991 and his fellowship at Case Western Reserve University Hospital, Cleveland, OH in 1992.
Dr. Boden is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Eugene T. Nordby Award from the International Intradiscal Therapy Society, 1997. Other awards of distinction include:
Kappa Delta Young Investigator Award Presented by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 1999; the Marshall R. Urist Young Investigator AwardAssociation of Bone and Joint Surgeons, 1997; the Mayfield Award American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 1997;  Outstanding Research Paper Award North American Spine Society, 1994, 1996.

A noted author, Dr. Boden has been published on several topics that include Gene Therapy for Spine Fusion and  Biology of lumbar spine fusion and use of bone graft substitutes: present, future and next generation.

Dr. Boden is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; American Orthopaedic Association; American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; Eastern Orthopaedic Association; North American Spine Society; Orthopaedic Research Society
Seminars in Spine Surgery and Spine Journal.

James D. Kang. M.D.

Dr. James D. Kang is the Vice Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Kang is a Professor of Orthopaedic and Neurological Surgery, as well as, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Kang completed his education with an M.D. from the University of Oklahoma, School of Medicine in 1986. After finishing his residency at the University of Pittsburgh in 1992, Dr. Kang followed through with his Spine Surgery Fellowship at Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, under the director of Dr. Henry Bohlman, in 1993. Currently, Dr. Kang is clinically active in the treatment of degenerative spinal disorders, Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis and herniated discs (Lumbar & Cervical), while taking an interest in the practice of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
Dr. Kang has also been featured in several publications as a result of both his clinical practice and his research interests. Due to his contributions to his field, he has been the recipient of multiple awards which include the Hip Society Award (1991), Cervical Spine Research Society Award (1994) and the New Investigator Recognition Award (ORS) (1996).  In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Kang is actively involved with an accomplished research team focusing on the biochemistry of disc degeneration, gene therapy application to disc degeneration and the biomechanics of spine. Dr. Kang is currently the Director of the Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic Spine research at the University of Pittsburgh.

Ken S. Yonemura, M.D.

Ken S. Yonemura, M.D. is Assistant Professor of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Utah Health Science Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Yonemura’s training included: medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA in 1984 and an internship and neurosurgery training at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center (UCIMC) in 1990. Dr. Yonemura  was then selected for a spinal surgical fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ. Following Dr. Yonemura’s return to UCIMC as an assistant professor in 1991, Dr. Yonemura developed a strong interest in interbody fusion techniques and became one of the original surgeons involved in the FDA evaluation of threaded fusion cages. During private practice in Seattle at the Northwest Neuroscience Institute in 1993 Dr. Yonemura helped pioneer minimally invasive surgical techniques for both the cervical and lumbar spine. Dr. Yonemura is a noted lecturer and publisher. Current research interests include the development of new interbody fusion and minimally invasive surgical techniques, as well as motion preservation techniques and frameless navigation for spinal surgery.

Tony Schnuerer, PA

Tony graduated from the Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation’s Primary Care Physician Assistant program in 1974.  That same year Tony completed the National Certifying Examination for Assistants to the Primary Care Physician and he became board certified as a Primary Care PA in 1975.  Tony also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cleveland Statue University.

Active as a clinical PA for more than 13 years, Tony served on the board of directors of the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants for four years.  He was president of the organization in 1978.

Tony left the clinical side of medicine to join the medical device industry in 1987.  Since then he has worked in various executive capacities for Zimmer Corporation, DePuy Mitek and Medtronic Sofamor Danek.  His last position was Vice President of Global Training and Development at Medtronic.  While at Medtronic, Tony was the primary author of Basic Anatomy and Pathology of the Spine (2003). Tony has won numerous awards throughout his career in the medical device industry and has authored numerous Spine Education articles.

In 2007 Tony retired from Medtronic and founded his consulting firm, Tall Forest Consulting, LLC. The firm specializes witin the Medical Device industry with an emphasis on medical education, sales training, marketing and product management.