Drs. Philip K. Louie and Rajiv K. Sethi invite 3rd and 4th year US medical students interested in orthopaedic surgery to apply for a one-year spine research gap-year fellowship. This fellowship, conducted within the internationally-recognized spine department at Virginia Mason Medical Center, focuses on adult degenerative and deformity research. Specific areas of study include value-based care, healthcare economics in spine care, safety in adult deformity surgery, applications of enabling technologies in spine surgery, and various clinical and radiographic factors associated with surgeries for adult degenerative conditions.

Position: Spine Research Gap-Year Fellow
Duration: 1 year
Start Date: Spring/Summer 2025
Compensation: Monthly stipend + conference registration/travelLocation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA (Seattle Spine Team)
Spine Surgeon Collaborators: Philip K. Louie MD, Rajiv K. Sethi MD PhD, Venu M. Nemani MD PhD, Jean-Christophe Leveque MD

Responsibilities:
●      Manage multiple research projects, organize and maintain all aspects of the projects
●      Consent patients for studies, follow up with patients in clinic or by phone, and administer patient reported outcome surveys
●      Work alongside research program manager to organize and present ongoing research updates at weekly meetings with a team of research faculty, fellows, residents, statisticians, and research coordinators
●      Submit protocols to the Institutional Review Board (IRB)
●      Assist in preparation of PowerPoint presentations, website educational material
●      Opportunity to lead studies with other junior medical students (University of Washington) 

Requirements: 
●      MS3 or MS4 students with a strong interest in orthopaedic research and a planned career in orthopaedic surgery and academic medicine
●      Prior research experience preferred
●      Demonstrated interest in research and strong academic record
●      Ability to work independently and complete tasks in an efficient manner
●      Skills include ability to: communicate with team members, self-manage, work independently, and collaborate with clinic staff and multidisciplinary team members 

Goals/Opportunities of the Fellowship: 
●      10-15 publications, in addition to reviews, conference presentations, and book chapters
●      Gain important experience in innvoate clinical orthopaedic research to help strengthen a potential academic career
●      Learn and apply basic data analyses under the guidance of a PhD data analyst
●      Build confidence in data collection, scientific writing, and submission of manuscripts
●      Attend and present at national and international meetings
●      Participate in clinic and operating room observation with the spine surgeons and spine fellow
●      Co-mentor MS1 summer research students
●      Gain support in your orthopaedic surgery match

How To Apply:Interested applicants should send the following items to [email protected] & [email protected] with the email subject: 2025-26 Seattle Spine Team Research

1. Curriculum vitae
2. A brief cover letter/personal statement detailing your background and interest in the position
3. One letter of recommendation
4. Professional headshot
5. Desired start date for the position in Spring/Summer 2025 (flexible)

The applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis!