December 1 each year prior to the applicable Spring match
Duration
1 year (August 1 – July 31)
Hands-on
Unclear — confirm privileges
Latest source audit
3 Oct 2026
Duration · published1 year (August 1 – July 31)
Clinical exposurePrimarily adult spine care at University of Colorado Hospital, covering degenerative and deformity conditions, trauma, infection, tumour, revision and minimally invasive surgery, with disc replacement and navigation. The fellow also rotates for about six weeks at Children's Hospital Colorado for paediatric deformity and at UCHealth community hospitals and the VA. NASS lists 70% operative, 20% non-operative and 10% research time.
Funding · not publishedNot published (the programme page refers to the Graduate Medical Education website for benefits; that linked page no longer resolves)
DestinationUnited States
Participation levelClinical participation and hands-on restrictions must be confirmed directly with the host.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK
What the official evidence currently supports
Decision-critical fields are separated into confirmed facts, partial information and points requiring direct confirmation.
≈Partially published
International applicant eligibility
International medical graduates are referred to the CU Graduate Medical Education website; applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency and hold documentation allowing them to train legally at CU.
✓Published by official source
Required training level
Completed ACGME-accredited residency in Orthopedic Surgery or Neurosurgery · Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or hold documentation allowing legal training at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
✓Published by official source
Programme classification
Clinical or combined training pathway; exact duties remain appointment-specific.
?Confirm directly with host
Hands-on restrictions
Hands-on participation and operative restrictions are not explicitly published.
≈Partially published
Medical registration
Not specified on the programme page.
?Confirm directly with host
Licensing examinations
Any examination requirement must be confirmed with the relevant regulator and host.
—Not published
Language requirements
No formal language requirement is published by the cited source.
≈Partially published
Visa or work authorisation
Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess appropriate documentation to train legally at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; specific visa types are not listed.
—Not published
Funding availability
Not published (the programme page refers to the Graduate Medical Education website for benefits; that linked page no longer resolves)
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY
83% of core application fields verified
Checked 3 Oct 2026. Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-04-01. Every unresolved field keeps its exact evidence state—unpublished, not yet researched, historical, conflicting, inaccessible or not applicable—so an absence is never converted into a fact.
✓ programme title✓ institution / department✓ city and country✓ programme classification✓ subspecialty✓ current status evidence✓ duration✓ positions✓ commencement / intake✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ visa / work authorisation✓ deadline✓ application process✓ required documents✓ application portal✓ official contact✓ faculty✓ verified faculty photograph✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ institutional source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— Funding information not published · not published by the cited official source— benefits · source temporarily inaccessible— accommodation / relocation · queued for source review— Language requirement not published · queued for source review— Registration information not published · not published by the cited official source
APPLICATION TIMELINE & CONTACT
Plan the application
Application deadlineDecember 1 each year prior to the applicable Spring match
Commencing dateAugust 1
Application route / cycleAnnual SF Match (Spring match)
Deadlines and intake dates can change between cycles. The data-quality ledger above explicitly labels application fields that the cited official source does not publish.
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Published entry requirements
Clinical / academic eligibility
Completed ACGME-accredited residency in Orthopedic Surgery or Neurosurgery
Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or hold documentation allowing legal training at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
Registration, licence & examinations
Not specified on the programme page.
Visa / work authorisation
Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess appropriate documentation to train legally at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; specific visa types are not listed.
Application documents
SF Match Central Application Service (CAS) application
Licensing, visa and document rules depend on the individual programme and application cycle. OrthoFellow does not infer USMLE, AHPRA, ECFMG, recommendation-letter or visa requirements from the country alone.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What this program offers
A one-year, non-accredited academic orthopaedic spine fellowship centred on adult spine care at University of Colorado Hospital, with a paediatric deformity rotation at Children's Hospital Colorado and one required research project.
BENEFITS & SUPPORT
Published benefits and support
The programme page refers applicants to the CU Graduate Medical Education website for the full list of resident/fellow benefits; no figures are given on the programme page.
Benefits may depend on appointment type, training level, visa status and the active academic year. OrthoFellow keeps stipend and benefits separate so a salary figure is not mistaken for the full package.
HOST INSTITUTION
About University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Orthopedics
The University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Orthopedics is based on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, with University of Colorado Hospital as its main teaching hospital.
Program Director; Associate Professor; Chief of Orthopedic SurgeryOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Fellowship supervisor / program leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Christopher J. Kleck is listed in the cited programme evidence as program director; associate professor; chief of orthopedic surgery for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Christopher J. Kleck is listed by the official programme source as program director; associate professor; chief of orthopedic surgery. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Associate Program Director; Assistant ProfessorOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
David Ou-Yang is listed in the cited programme evidence as associate program director; assistant professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
David Ou-Yang is listed by the official programme source as associate program director; assistant professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Chair & Professor of OrthopedicsOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Evalina Burger-Van der Walt is listed in the cited programme evidence as chair & professor of orthopedics for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Evalina Burger-Van der Walt is listed by the official programme source as chair & professor of orthopedics. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Professor & Executive Vice ChairOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Vikas Patel is listed in the cited programme evidence as professor & executive vice chair for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Vikas Patel is listed by the official programme source as professor & executive vice chair. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Associate Professor (paediatric deformity rotation)Official profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics / Children's Hospital Colorado
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Sumeet Garg is listed in the cited programme evidence as associate professor (paediatric deformity rotation) for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Sumeet Garg is listed by the official programme source as associate professor (paediatric deformity rotation). A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Nolan Wessell is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Nolan Wessell is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Christopher Cain is listed in the cited programme evidence as associate professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Christopher Cain is listed by the official programme source as associate professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
CG
Faculty: Christopher Gallus
Assistant ProfessorOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Christopher Gallus is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Christopher Gallus is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
CG
Faculty: Christina Goldstein
Associate ProfessorOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Christina Goldstein is listed in the cited programme evidence as associate professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Christina Goldstein is listed by the official programme source as associate professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
SA
Faculty: Shahbaaz A. Sabri
Assistant ProfessorOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Shahbaaz A. Sabri is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Shahbaaz A. Sabri is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
SS
Faculty: Samuel Smith
Assistant ProfessorOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Samuel Smith is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Samuel Smith is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
EL
Faculty: Emily Lindley
Assistant Professor (research)Official program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
CU Orthopedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Emily Lindley is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor (research) for Spinal Surgery (Clinical) Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Emily Lindley is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor (research). A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Names and fellowship roles come from the cited programme source. A green “individual profile verified” label means the position, qualifications and biography were also checked against an official personal or institutional profile. OrthoFellow displays a portrait only when it can be tied to an official profile or faculty source; otherwise the host institution brandmark is shown, with initials retained only when neither image is available. Faculty rosters may change.
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INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
Published international eligibility information
International medical graduates are referred to the CU Graduate Medical Education website; applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency and hold documentation allowing them to train legally at CU.
This note is shown only when the official source publishes information relevant to overseas applicants. Applicants should confirm licensing and visa eligibility directly with the host.
