Dr Keyur Akbari

I was fortunate enough to join the AIMS Clinical and Research Spinal fellowship under Dr John Choi from 1st August 2023 for a period of 6 months. I was given a warm welcome and Dr Choi took care of my needs as soon as I first met him in the clinic.

Having been trained back in the country, this 6 months tenure changed my perception about dealing with spine conditions and treatment options. I would rather say this training under him made me a complete spine surgeon with an armamentarium of surgical techniques and approaches to a given condition.

I had the opportunity to have wide exposure to the novel Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Technique, which I believe would be a path-breaking in my career. I also had exposure to various elegant spinal surgical techniques like OLIFs, cervical and lumbar disc replacements, robotic spinal surgery, and Sacro iliac joint fusion during my tenure.

One of the highlighting things that I believe has definitely impacted me is the outpatient department communication skills. A fellow is given the opportunity to see his private patient independently, to take history and present it as a short case to him. This not only improved my communication skills but also my thought process of how to manage the patient as he gives his input once you present your point of view. This active teaching definitely helps a budding spine surgeon to think like a master and improvise his/her way of thinking. I am grateful and blessed to have got this opportunity to train under him.