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AO Spine Short-Term International Fellowship — Columna Instituto

Columna Instituto, Hospital Vila da Serra, Biocor Rede D'Or

⌖ Belo Horizonte · Brazil

Profile completeness68%8 decision fields need confirmation
DECISION SUMMARY

Key facts at a glance

Source reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Verify the current intake with the host.

Eligibility
International programme open to AO Spine members worldwide with at least two years' membership; AO allocates host centres and applicants should not contact host centres until AO confirms the placement.
Funding
AO Spine pays a small stipend towards accommodation and living costs (benchmark USD 550 per week in the United States, adjusted for local price levels); travel and insurance are paid by the fellow.
Deadline
2028 programme: AO Spine call opens April 2027 and closes May 2027; results September 2027 (the 2027 call is closed).
Duration
4–12 weeks
Hands-on status
Scrub-in available; licence note from host: Documentation in the hospital (passport number, diploma and board certification).
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

AO Spine fellowship host centre at Columna Instituto, Hospital Vila da Serra, Biocor Rede D'Or (Belo Horizonte) offering 4–12 week short-term international spine fellowships through AO Spine's annual call.

Spine Surgery: about 250 surgical cases per year and 350 beds; techniques include standard open, endoscopic, robotic, minimally invasive, anterior, navigated, intradural, pain-management surgery. Other activities: Research opportunities, workshops, cadaver labs, journal club and weekly clinical meetings.

✓
Official AO Spine host-centre profileLast checked 8 Oct 2026
Review source ↗
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK

What the official evidence currently supports.

Decision-critical fields are separated into published information, partial signals and questions that require direct confirmation.

4/6fully publishedNot an admission decision
✓Published in profile

International eligibility

International programme open to AO Spine members worldwide with at least two years' membership; AO allocates host centres and applicants should not contact host centres until AO confirms the placement.

✓Published in profile

Training level & pathway

Fully trained orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons (young surgeons up to age 45) with a strong interest in spine surgery.

✓Published in profile

Participation / hands-on scope

Scrub-in available; licence note from host: Documentation in the hospital (passport number, diploma and board certification).

?Confirm with host

Medical registration & licensing

No programme-specific licensing field is recorded in the cited profile. Confirm directly with the host and regulator.

✓Published in profile

Language requirement

Portuguese is the dominant operating-room language; host rates team English 5/5 written and 5/5 spoken.

?Confirm with host

Visa & work authorisation

Visa, sponsorship and work-right requirements are appointment-specific and must be confirmed with the institution.

NeuroSurgFellow does not guarantee admission, licensing, visas, employment, funding or operative privileges. Requirements may change by intake and appointment.

Data quality & missing information · 68% of decision fields recorded
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY

68% of tracked decision fields are published

Checked 8 Oct 2026. Unavailable details below were not published in the cited material and have not been guessed.

✓ Duration✓ Eligibility✓ Funding✓ Training exposure✓ Official source✓ Commencement✓ Deadline✓ Participation level✓ Training level✓ Language✓ Insurance✓ Accommodation✓ Application documents✓ Application route✓ Official contact✓ Programme director✓ Accreditation— Current status: confirm directly— Positions: confirm directly— International eligibility: confirm directly— Medical registration: confirm directly— Examinations: confirm directly— Visa / work authorisation: confirm directly— Benefits: confirm directly— Fees: confirm directly
Recheck cited source ↗
APPLICATION TIMELINE & ROUTE

Plan the application.

Application status
Current availability unconfirmed
Commencement
During the 2028 programme year; after acceptance AO Spine proposes the fellowship dates and host centre.
Duration
4–12 weeks
Positions
Not published
Application route
Apply through the annual AO Spine Short-Term International Fellowship call, selecting this host centre; the 2027 call is closed and applications for the 2028 programme reopen in April 2027.
Standalone deadline
2028 programme: AO Spine call opens April 2027 and closes May 2027; results September 2027 (the 2027 call is closed).
Official contact
spine@fellows.aofoundation.org
Open application source ↗
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS

Published entry requirements.

Clinical or academic eligibility

Spine physicians or orthopaedic, neurosurgical or trauma surgeons with a strong interest in spine surgery, aged 45 or under at application, with at least two years of AO Spine membership, prior participation in an AO course or event, and no (non-self-funded) spine fellowship in the past two years.

Training level

Fully trained orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons (young surgeons up to age 45) with a strong interest in spine surgery.

Funding and support

AO Spine pays a small stipend towards accommodation and living costs (benchmark USD 550 per week in the United States, adjusted for local price levels); travel and insurance are paid by the fellow.

Benefits, fees & relocation

Benefits not published in this profile. Programme fees are not published. Travel and insurance costs must be covered by the fellow. AO Spine does not arrange accommodation.

Application documents

  • AO application: CV with publications, medical/specialist diploma, latest AO Spine course/event certificate, senior-surgeon recommendation letter (under 6 months old), proof of English proficiency
  • Host requirements: Passport number, diploma and CV

Licence, examinations, language & visa

Registration requirements need direct confirmation. Examination requirements are not published. Portuguese is the dominant operating-room language; host rates team English 5/5 written and 5/5 spoken. Visa and work-authorisation requirements need direct confirmation.

HOST INSTITUTION

Columna Instituto, Hospital Vila da Serra, Biocor Rede D'Or

1 sourced pathway is currently indexed for this institution.

View institution profile →Visit official source ↗
SOURCE & VERIFICATION

Official programme information.

Source
Official AO Spine host-centre profile
Coverage
Official programme or institutional starting point
Last checked
8 Oct 2026
Editorial status
Source-linked profile
Programme lead
Cristiano Menezes (surgeon in charge of fellows)
Accreditation / recognition
AO Spine Fellowship Host Centre
Planned editorial review
8 Apr 2027
Open official programme page ↗
KEEP EXPLORING

Related fellowship profiles.

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ResearchStatus unconfirmed
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International Sonntag Spine Research Fellowship

Barrow Neurological Institute

Phoenix, Arizona · United States

Listed lead Brian P. Kelly, PhD (research supervisor)

Duration
1 year
Deadline
2027–2028 cycle: applications closed 15 September 2026.
Funding
Published as a funded, laboratory-based fellowship.
Exposure
Spinal biomechanics, implantable devices, surgical techniques, publications and major spine conferences.
Source reviewed 8 Oct 202636% of decision fields recorded
View details →Official source ↗
Source & missing information (16)

Funding: Published as a funded, laboratory-based fellowship.

Exposure: Spinal biomechanics, implantable devices, surgical techniques, publications and major spine conferences.

Eligibility: International spine surgeons or neurosurgery residents from low- and middle-income countries; confirm the active intake.

Still to confirm: Eligibility · Current status · Positions · Training level · International eligibility · Medical registration · Examinations · Language · Visa / work authorisation · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Application documents · Official contact · Accreditation

Source: Official Barrow Global page. Reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.

ClinicalContact programme
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Spine and Neurotrauma Fellowship

University of Pittsburgh / UPMC

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · United States

Listed lead David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD

Duration
1 year · July–June
Deadline
Not recorded · check official call
Funding
Research funding and moonlighting opportunities are published.
Exposure
Neurotrauma, deformity correction, minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery, navigation and clinical research.
Source reviewed 8 Oct 202668% of decision fields recorded
View details →Official source ↗
Source & missing information (8)

Funding: Research funding and moonlighting opportunities are published.

Exposure: Neurotrauma, deformity correction, minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery, navigation and clinical research.

Eligibility: Requires US work eligibility plus permanent Pennsylvania medical and DEA licensure.

Still to confirm: Deadline · Positions · International eligibility · Examinations · Language · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation

Source: Official University of Pittsburgh page. Reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.

ClinicalStatus unconfirmed
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Spine Surgery Fellowship

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, Ohio · United States

Duration
1 year; optional additional research year for selected candidates
Deadline
Not recorded · check official call
Funding
Salary and benefits are employment-specific and should be confirmed with Cleveland Clinic.
Exposure
Degenerative disease, deformity, trauma, infection, intradural and extradural tumours, complex reconstruction, microsurgery and minimally invasive spine surgery.
Source reviewed 8 Oct 202652% of decision fields recorded
View details →Official source ↗
Source & missing information (12)

Funding: Salary and benefits are employment-specific and should be confirmed with Cleveland Clinic.

Exposure: Degenerative disease, deformity, trauma, infection, intradural and extradural tumours, complex reconstruction, microsurgery and minimally invasive spine surgery.

Eligibility: Possible only when the applicant can satisfy Ohio permanent-licence, USMLE Step 3 and acceptable work-authorisation requirements.

Still to confirm: Funding · Current status · Commencement · Deadline · Positions · Language · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Programme director · Accreditation

Source: Official Cleveland Clinic fellowship page. Reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Confirm the details
that affect your move.

  1. Is the stated intake still open?
  2. Are international graduates eligible?
  3. Does the role include hands-on clinical privileges?
  4. Which licence, visa and language requirements apply?
  5. What salary, fees, insurance and relocation costs apply?