Combined salary and housing allowance for AY2025–26 is published as USD 113,149; confirm the 2028–2029 contract amount directly with UCSF.
Deadline
TBD for 2028–2029; UCSF says applications will be accepted through SF Match and the deadline is not yet posted.
Duration
1 year
Hands-on
Unclear — confirm privileges
Latest source audit
2026-10-01
Duration · published1 year
Clinical exposureFull-spectrum spine surgery including complex spinal deformity, degenerative disease, minimally invasive spine surgery, paediatric spine care, spinal trauma, tumours and advanced reconstruction, with more than 1,000 UCSF Spine Service operative procedures annually.
Funding · publishedCombined salary and housing allowance for AY2025–26 is published as USD 113,149; confirm the 2028–2029 contract amount directly with UCSF.
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
Applicants trained in Indonesia should confirm whether the programme accepts international medical graduates, whether a U.S./Canadian ACGME-equivalent residency is required, and whether California medical licensure, visa sponsorship and hands-on clinical privileges are feasible before applying.
✓Published by official source
Required training level
Spine-fellowship application through SF Match · Meet UCSF hospital credentialing and California medical-licensure requirements · Research manuscript expectation during fellowship
✓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
California medical licensure and UCSF credentialing requirements should be confirmed directly; the page publishes the SF Match application route and fellowship terms but not a separate licence paragraph.
?Confirm directly with host
Licensing examinations
Any examination requirement must be confirmed with the relevant regulator and host.
✓Published by official source
Language requirements
No programme-specific English-language test requirement is published on the current page.
≈Partially published
Visa or work authorisation
Visa or work-authorisation sponsorship is not published on the current UCSF Spine Fellowship page.
✓Published by official source
Funding availability
Combined salary and housing allowance for AY2025–26 is published as USD 113,149; confirm the 2028–2029 contract amount directly with UCSF.
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY
86% of core application fields verified
Checked 2026-10-01. Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-03-30. 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✓ funding✓ benefits✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ registration✓ visa / work authorisation✓ application process✓ application portal✓ official contact✓ faculty✓ verified faculty photograph✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ institutional source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— accommodation / relocation · not published by the cited official source— Language requirement not published · not published by the cited official source— Current deadline not yet published · current availability unconfirmed— required documents · not published by the cited official source
APPLICATION TIMELINE & CONTACT
Plan the application
Application deadlineTBD for 2028–2029; UCSF says applications will be accepted through SF Match and the deadline is not yet posted.
Commencing date1 August 2028 to 31 July 2029 for the published upcoming academic year.
Application route / cycleSoon to be accepting applications for the 2028–2029 academic year through SF 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
Spine-fellowship application through SF Match
Meet UCSF hospital credentialing and California medical-licensure requirements
Research manuscript expectation during fellowship
Registration, licence & examinations
California medical licensure and UCSF credentialing requirements should be confirmed directly; the page publishes the SF Match application route and fellowship terms but not a separate licence paragraph.
Visa / work authorisation
Visa or work-authorisation sponsorship is not published on the current UCSF Spine Fellowship page.
Application documents
CV, personal statement, recommendation-letter, transcript and identity-document requirements are not published by the cited official source.
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 detailed San Francisco spine fellowship profile with published 2028–2029 dates, salary-and-housing figure, faculty list, research requirements and SF Match route; the exact application deadline remains TBD.
BENEFITS & SUPPORT
Published benefits and support
Robust didactic schedule, multidisciplinary conferences, journal club, city-wide grand rounds, health-outcomes research access, basic-science and biomechanics facilities, and at least one required original research manuscript.
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.
ACCOMMODATION & RELOCATION
Published housing information
✓ Official source mentions accommodation
⌂
Accommodation is mentioned in the published funding or benefits information: Combined salary and housing allowance for AY2025–26 is published as USD 113,149; confirm the 2028–2029 contract amount directly with UCSF.
Housing availability, rent, deposits, utilities and relocation support can change by intake and appointment type. OrthoFellow does not estimate living costs unless an official source publishes them.
HOST INSTITUTION
About UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
UCSF describes a high-volume spine service performing more than 1,000 operative procedures annually and training fellows across deformity, degenerative, minimally invasive, paediatric, trauma, tumour and reconstructive spine care.
Orthopaedic spine surgery and value-based musculoskeletal care
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Rajiv Sethi is listed in the cited programme evidence as co-director for UCSF Spine Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Orthopaedic spine surgery and value-based musculoskeletal care. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Rajiv Sethi is listed by the official programme source as co-director. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Bobby Tay is listed in the cited programme evidence as co-director for UCSF Spine Fellowship. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Orthopaedic spine surgery. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Bobby Tay is listed by the official programme source as co-director. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Alan Dang is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Alan Dang is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
VD
Faculty: Vedat Deviren
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Vedat Deviren is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Vedat Deviren is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
AE
Faculty: Ashraf El Naga
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Ashraf El Naga is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Ashraf El Naga is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
DG
Faculty: David Gendelberg
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
David Gendelberg is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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 Gendelberg is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
LM
Faculty: Lionel Metz
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Lionel Metz is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Lionel Metz is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
AT
Faculty: Alekos Theologis
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Alekos Theologis is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Alekos Theologis is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
CA
Faculty: Christopher Ames
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Christopher Ames is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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 Ames is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
PM
Faculty: Praveen Mummaneni
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Praveen Mummaneni is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Praveen Mummaneni is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
AC
Faculty: Aaron Clark
Teaching faculty / co-leadershipOfficial program roster
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery / UCSF Spine Service
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Aaron Clark is listed in the cited programme evidence as teaching faculty / co-leadership for UCSF Spine 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.
Aaron Clark is listed by the official programme source as teaching faculty / co-leadership. 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.
PROGRAM HISTORY
Published fellowship history
The current UCSF Spine Fellowship page was reviewed on 1 October 2026. It publishes Rajiv Sethi's portrait and directs applicants to SF Match; match participation is not represented as a separate accreditation designation.
◎
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
Published international eligibility information
Applicants trained in Indonesia should confirm whether the programme accepts international medical graduates, whether a U.S./Canadian ACGME-equivalent residency is required, and whether California medical licensure, visa sponsorship and hands-on clinical privileges are feasible before applying.
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.
