Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

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Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Clinical Assistant Professor

Job Summary:

The Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation is seeking an orthopedic spine surgeon to join the faculty of the Orthopedic Spine Surgery Section, replacing a retiring surgeon. Following this retirement, the successful candidate will join three orthopedic spine surgical faculty members within UW Health’s comprehensive, multidisciplinary Spine Care Program, a well-established program whose Spine Surgery Fellowship has operated continuously for more than 30 years.

The faculty member will provide the full spectrum of surgical spine care, with an anticipated substantial practice in spinal deformity, complex revision, and reconstruction. The deformity practice is well established, with substantial patient demand that is difficult to meet with three orthopedic spine surgeons. The successful candidate is therefore expected to develop a busy practice soon after joining the section. Opportunity exists to partner on complex cases with an early-career neurosurgery faculty member who has a high level of skill in deformity surgery and has proven to be an affable and effective partner to the orthopedic surgery group. The successful candidate will have dedicated elective operating room and outpatient clinic time and will have the opportunity to develop additional areas of clinical interest. Clinical responsibilities will include spine call, which includes care of spinal trauma within UW Health’s Level I Trauma Center (1:8, typically in one-week blocks), and general orthopedic call at a Level IV trauma center (approximately 1:15).

Medical education is a significant component of this position. The faculty member will participate in the education and mentorship of two Spine Surgery fellows annually, residents in the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program, medical students, and other learners.

Academic opportunities include participation in established clinical research activities and collaboration with investigators across the department and institution. Candidates interested in developing an individual research program will have access to robust departmental research infrastructure and support. The scope of scholarly activity will be aligned with the faculty member’s academic track, interests, and career goals.

Applicants will be considered for appointment at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor rank on the Clinical Health Sciences (CHS) or Clinician Teacher (CT) track, as appropriate based on experience and qualifications.

This position has been identified as a position of trust with access to vulnerable populations. The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial caregiver check to be eligible for employment under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and every four years.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Participate in administrative and committee work to support the clinical and scholarly missions of UW Health and the School of Medicine and Public Health. An essential part of these duties will be working in a collegial relationship with other faculty members.

• Teach medical students, residents, and fellows. Additional teaching efforts could include participation in or development of a unique or exceptional teaching program in a clinical or classroom setting.

• Provide clinical care at UW Health and/or affiliated locations, including operating room responsibilities, outpatient clinics, and spine and general orthopedic call coverage.

• For candidates choosing to pursue research, which is highly encouraged, efforts could include independent research or collaboration with established investigators on projects such as clinical trials and clinical outcomes research, and basic science endeavors.

Department:

School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation

The Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation is part of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and comprises 71 faculty members across eight orthopedic subspecialty divisions/sections: Arthroplasty, Musculoskeletal Oncology, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Upper Extremity, Orthopedic Spine Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma, Pediatric Orthopedics, and Sports Medicine, as well as the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The department advances a comprehensive mission of patient care, education, and research across both orthopedics and rehabilitation. The department is mature and stable and provides care for the full spectrum of musculoskeletal pathology at the tertiary and quaternary care levels.

Following a recent retirement, the Orthopedic Spine Surgery Section will include three surgical faculty members and five advanced practice providers; the successful candidate will become the fourth surgical faculty member. The section provides clinical care within UW Health’s multidisciplinary Spine Care Program. Orthopedic spine surgeons collaborate closely with neurosurgeons, physiatrists, pain management specialists, advanced practice providers, and physical therapists to provide coordinated surgical and non-surgical care across a broad range of spine conditions, including spinal deformity, degenerative disease, complex cervical disorders, spinal trauma, and spine tumors. Teamwork is central to the section, with substantial alignment of clinical processes and close, mutually supportive relationships among partners. The successful candidate would be expected to compliment the team dynamics of the section and the Department. Clinics have a high surgical conversion rate, and the opportunity to use more than one operating room on a given day supports high clinical productivity and highly competitive compensation for faculty who choose this practice model. Practice efficiency enables at least one academic day per week while meeting personal and departmental clinical productivity targets. We are particularly interested in expanding our research footprint, and there is research infrastructure for a candidate to rapidly develop an independent research program and achieve substantial academic productivity. Participation in national and international spine organizations is encouraged.

The section has a strong educational mission, including a one-year Spine Surgery Fellowship designed to train well-rounded academic spine surgeons through broad clinical experience and research. The fellowship trains two fellows annually, and faculty also participate extensively in the education of Orthopedic Surgery residents and medical students.

The department supports basic, clinical, and translational research, with more than 9,000 square feet of dedicated laboratory and office space for biomechanical testing and biological science, as well as infrastructure to support collaborative scholarship and the development of individual research programs.

Compensation:

Negotiable, 12 month

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and the SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026

Required Qualifications:

• WI Medical license by the start date of the position.
• Board-certified or board eligible through the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery by the start date of the position.
• Completion of a US Orthopedic Surgery residency and one-year Spine Surgery Fellowship by the start date of the position.
• Must be eligible for enrollment as a billing provider and for all necessary hospital privileges, by the start date of the position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience providing clinical care in an academic medical center environment
• Academic interest demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and scholarly research activity highly desired.
• For an appointment at Associate Professor or Professor rank on CT or CHS track, candidates will meet criteria established by the department and as outlined in the School of Medicine and Public Health guidelines for promotion or appointment to Associate or Professor on the CHS or CT track.

Education:

MD or DO, or equivalent required

How to Apply:

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 • Cover letter required
 • Resume
 • Three reference, including current supervisor

The deadline for assuring full consideration is November 3, 2026; however, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled. 

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work. 

The department will not be able to support a request for a J-1 waiver. If you choose to pursue a waiver and apply for our position, neither the UW nor UWMF will reimburse you for your legal or waiver fees.

Contact Information:

Rachel Timbers, [email protected], 608-263-7659

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
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