There is often a gap between what happens in the laboratory and what happens with patients in clinical practice. Yet both experiences are required to advance patient outcomes. This is why we need more doctors like Robert Starke. Dr. Starke is a clinician scientist at the University of Miami with over 700 operations and just as many academic publications in his young career. Join me as I sit down with Dr. Starke to discuss the secrets to his extraordinary success, the grant writing process, and future pathways for the development of clinician scientists in the field of neurosurgery.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Getting to know Dr. Starke, his clinical practice, and his research [0:36]
• Dr. Starke’s evolution into a productive clinician scientist and the challenges of pursuing both basic and clinical science [4:34]
• Dr. Starke’s current research setup and how he chose his area of focus [9:38]
• How Dr. Starke innovates, where his funding comes from, and the story of his first major grant [16:59]
• Choosing a faculty position that allows you to thrive and how to build a balanced life [24:58]
• Dr. Starke’s paper writing process and the publications he’s most proud of [29:18]
• The role mentors have played in Dr. Starke’s career and what he would do differently [32:15]
• The importance of training clinician scientists and future pathways for development [37:05]
• Dr. Starke’s three secrets to an extraordinary neurosurgery career and his advice to struggling clinician scientists [40:12]
• The magic wand question [44:33]

Connect with Dr. Robert Starke

In the quest to optimize spine surgery outcomes, we need better information and better research. This means better clinical trials and more funding. Join me, as I sit down with Dr. Zoher Ghogawala to discuss his thoughts on clinical trial design, developing the evidence for spine surgery, improving patient outcomes, and the results of his most recent research.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Getting to know Dr. Ghogawala, his clinical practice, and his research [0:37]
• Discussing Dr. Ghogawala’s clinical trials on spondylolisthesis and cervical spondylotic myelopathy [4:07]
• Dr. Ghogawala’s work on improving clinical trial design [15:15]
• Exploring roadblocks to PCORI (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute) funding [24:33]
• The most important things learned from the N2QOD [28:12]
• Improving spine surgery outcomes [33:13]
• What Dr. Ghogawala wish he knew 15 years ago and the magic wand question [34:46]

Resources & People Mentioned

There are few names as recognizable as Dr. Edward Benzel in the field of spine surgery. He quite literally wrote the book on it. On this episode, I have the distinct privilege of sitting down with Dr. Benzel to discuss a myriad of topics including his experiences in spine surgery and the lessons he’s learned, his evolution as a spine surgeon, safety in spine surgery, and his thoughts on where the field is headed next.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Getting to know Dr. Benzel and his current clinical practice [0:37]
• How to evolve as a spine surgeon [5:59]
• Improving your decision-making skills [11:38]
• How Dr. Benzel stays productive and relevant [14:48]
• Cognitive versus psychomotor development and advice for surgeons training the next generation [17:12]
• How to best minimize complications and the most common errors made by surgeons [20:18]
• Dr. Benzel’s seven cardinal sins for a spine surgeon [23:19]
• Addressing burnout in spine surgeons [25:44]
• Improvements in biomechanical knowledge from surgeons in training [28:14]
• What surprises Dr. Benzel the most about the evolution of spine surgery and the new technologies he is most excited about [31:19]
• Dr. Benzel’s take on current trends in spine surgery [34:55]
• Exploring the prevention and treatment of chronic back pain [37:56]
• The role mental health plays in the treatment of severe stenosis and spondylolisthesis [40:32]
• How Dr. Benzel treats cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) [41:37]
• Getting specific about laminoplasty [48:04]
• Dr. Benzel answers rapid-fire spine surgery questions and three things hospitals with spine programs can do to optimize their outcomes [50:06]
• Comparing global spine surgery rates and eliminating unnecessary operations [54:59]
• The magic wand question [56:41]

Connect with Dr. Edward Benzel

How do we push the ball forward for the research and treatment of traumatic brain injury and other neurological diseases? To answer that question, my guest Dr. Dalton Dietrich will dive into everything he and his team are doing at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Join us as we discuss his work with inflammasomes, secrets for research success, and the most exciting advances in the field of TBI.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Dr. Dietrich discusses his research, how he got involved in neurotrauma and some of his career highlights [3:20]
• Diving into the logistics of Dr. Dietrich’s world-renowned neurotrauma research center [5:50]
• Dr. Dietrich's advice to up-and-coming neuroscience institutes [12:11]
• Advancing scientific care through fundraising [13:45]
• The secret of scientific innovation and success [16:40]
• The most exciting recent advances in traumatic brain injury treatments or research [18:53]
• Inflammasomes and their role in traumatic brain injury [25:51]
• The impact COVID has on people living with TBI [32:32]
• TBI and the development of Alzheimer's [35:48]
• Dr. Dietrich looks 30 years back and 30 years forward [38:16]
• The magic wand question [42:17] 

Connect with Dr. Dalton Dietrich

How does greater access to specialized care optimize the treatment of spinal cord injuries? On this episode, Dr. Steven Kirshblum dives into the differences between general and specialized rehabilitation for SCI patients, why specialized care is critical for better patient outcomes, and the challenges of integrating specialized care for spinal cord injuries into the medical system.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Advancements and challenges in the treatment of spinal cord injury [3:14]
• Are rehabilitation centers certified to treat spinal cord injuries? [6:04]
• Why do specialist rehabs get better results? [8:45]
• Examining racial and ethnic disparities in spinal cord injury care [12:30]
• The integration of spinal cord injury care into the medical system [14:24]
• Exploring trends in spinal cord injury care [16:55]
• Dr. Kirshblum’s take on polypharmacy in SCI care [19:17]
• Discussing natural recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury [21:40]
• Causes of mortality in SCI patients [27:10]
• Why steroid treatments have failed to translate to human trials [31:39]
• Developing resilience in SCI patients [34:18]
• Managing bladder issues in SCI care [36:41]
• Neuromodulation as an FDA approved treatment for spinal cord injury [39:00]
• Dr. Kirshblum answers the magic wand question [43:27]

Resources & People Mentioned