This luncheon is presented with the generous support of MPOWERHealth.

This interactive session is designed for early-career spine professionals seeking practical guidance on the clinical, academic, and business aspects of launching and sustaining a successful career. Participants will join informal, small-group roundtable discussions focused on real-world challenges and opportunities not typically addressed during residency or fellowship.

Each discussion table will be led by members of the Early Career Advisory Council, alongside experienced mid- to late-career spine care providers and researchers with expertise in the selected topic areas. Faculty will facilitate open dialogue, share personal insights, and encourage peer-to-peer exchange in a collaborative setting. Table leaders may rotate at designated intervals to allow attendees exposure to multiple perspectives.

Upon completion of this session, participants should gain strategies to:
- Develop strategies for building and managing a spine practice
- Integrate research and innovation into clinical practice
- Navigate operational, financial, and regulatory complexities
- Apply practical approaches to risk management and professional protection
- Identify pathways for leadership development, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Agenda
Moderated by Chairs Uri Hadelsberg, MD, MBA; Daniel Kim, MD, MS

12:00-12:05 PM Welcome and Introduction

12:05-1:25 PM Roundtable Discussions

Topic 1: Managing Call, Case Selection, and Early-Career Clinical Decision-Making
Faculty: Michael Steinmetz, MD
ECAC Moderator: Shahbaaz Sabri, MD

Topic 2: Adopting New Technology, Techniques, and Innovation in Practice
Faculty: John Kleimeyer, MD; Lali Sekhon, MD, PhD, MBA
ECAC Moderator: Gabriel A. Smith, MD

Topic 3: Growing and Sustaining a Clinical Practice
Faculty: Matthew Smuck, MD; Eeric Truumees, MD
ECAC Moderator: Mitchell Fourman, MD

Topic 4: Coding, Billing, and the Business Side of Spine Care
Faculty: Christopher P. Kauffman, MD
ECAC Moderator: Daniel Kim, MD, MS

Topic 5: Building a Research Career: From First Study to Funded Program
Faculty: Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC; Avinash G. Patwardhan, PhD
ECAC Moderator: Ahad Siddiqui, PhD

Topic 6: Working With Industry, Innovation, and Intellectual Property
Faculty: Lisa Ferrara, PhD
ECAC Moderator: Uri Hadelsberg, MD, MBA

Topic 7: Interdisciplinary Spine Care: Working Beyond the Surgeon
Faculty: Justin Lantz, DPT; Byron J. Schneider, MD
ECAC Moderator: Zainab Al Lawati, MD, FRCP

Topic 8: Leadership, Mentorship, and Professional Growth
Faculty: Zachary McCormick, MD
ECAC Moderator: Mohamed Soliman, MD, MSc, PhD

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2026 NASS Annual Meeting interactive program

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