Optimal neuro|spine

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

• Dr. Robert M. Starke
• Follow Dr. Starke on LinkedIn 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

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

• Laminectomy plus Fusion versus Laminectomy Alone for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis 
• Effect of Ventral vs Dorsal Spinal Surgery on Patient-Reported Physical Functioning in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
• www.nidusai.com

Connect with Dr. Zoher Ghogawala

• Zoher Ghogawala, MD 
• Follow Dr. Ghogawala on LinkedIn 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

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

• Edward Benzel, MD | Cleveland Clinic 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

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

• W. Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D. - The Miami Project 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

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

• Characterizing Natural Recovery after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (Paper) 

Connect with Dr. Steven Kirshblum

• Dr. Steven Kirshblum 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

Has the future of spinal cord injury treatment arrived? On this episode, I sit down with Drs. Gregoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch to discuss their recently published and highly publicized paper on restoring motor function after paralysis. They briefly dive into their protocol, their approach to Epi-Stim, and their answer to the magic wand question.

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

• A brief overview of the recent paper published by Drs. Courtine and Bloch [2:43]
• How Drs. Courtine and Bloch designed their protocol to strengthen residual pathways [5:31] 
• What Dr. Courtine wished he knew 20 years ago [7:46]
• Dr. Bloch’s training and evolution as a neurosurgeon [8:48]
• Dr. Courtine breaks down his approach to Epi-Stim [10:36]
• Drs. Courtine and Bloch answer the magic wand question [12:27]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Activity-dependent spinal cord neuromodulation rapidly restores trunk and leg motor functions after complete paralysis (Paper)
• Explaining STIMO (Christopher Reeve Foundation interview) 

Connect with Drs. Gregoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch

• ONWARD (Website) 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

How do we optimize spinal surgery outcomes? Dr. Steven Glassman believes better data is the answer! On this episode, we discuss the American Spine Registry, what it is, what it's currently being used for, and its potential to provide better evidence for spine surgery, improve patient outcomes, and establish universal best practices.

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

• Getting to know Dr. Glassman, his clinical practice, and why he chose spine research [0:59]
• Exploring the nature and necessity of registries [3:56]
• What is the American Spine Registry, what areas of spine surgery are represented by it, and how long has it been in place? [6:27]
• What areas of spine surgery are represented by the ASR? [13:24]
• The most surprising findings from studies based off of the Quality Outcomes Database [18:08] 
• Predicting the future evolution of the ASR [21:35]
• Examining ASR logistics and how hospitals can join the registry [25:10]
• How the ASR can bring better clarity to spine surgery outcomes [28:28]
• Using the ASR to develop predictive models and the role imaging plays with the registry [30:50]
• Exciting future studies and the magic wand question [35:15]

Resources & People Mentioned

• American Spine Registry 

Connect with Dr. Steven Glassman

• Follow Dr. Glassman on LinkedIn 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

Have you ever misplaced your keys or forgotten a random fact and worried that you had a neurodegenerative disease? What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and simply getting old? On this episode, I sit down with memory and aging expert, Dr. Robert Friedland, to discuss his research, how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed, and habits you can start right now to help protect your brain and keep it healthy.

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

• Dr. Friedland’s current clinical practice and research focus [3:25]
• The logistics of Dr. Friedland’s research [9:16]
• Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and the current status of treatment options [11:02] 
• Aging versus Alzheimer’s and the four factors that impact how you age [18:57]
• Why Dr. Friedland chose memory as his medical focus [30:47]
• Dr. Friedland’s most surprising discoveries and the magic wand question [34:26]

Connect with Dr. Robert Friedland

• Follow Dr. Friedland on LinkedIn 
• Pre-order Dr. Friedland’s book: Unaging: The Four Factors that Impact How You Age 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

Training to become a neurosurgeon is both incredibly rewarding and incredibly difficult. But is it more difficult than it needs to be and how can we make the experience better? On this episode, I’m pleased to speak with University of Louisville chief resident Dr. Aurora Cruz about neurosurgical training, residency, leadership, burnout, and her advice for prospective neurosurgery residents. 

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

• A day in the life of a modern neurosurgery resident [3:56]
• How COVID has affected the neurosurgery training experience [5:24]
• The unexpected challenges of neurosurgery residency [7:18]
• Dr. Cruz’s advice for residents with spouses and children [9:22]
• Advice for those considering studying neurosurgery [12:18]
• Pursuing professional goals in the field of neurosurgery [13:57]
• Fighting burnout and improving resident wellness [21:02]
• The biggest impediments to learning neurosurgery and the acquisition of appropriate psychomotor skills [26:38]
• Mentorship in neurosurgery residency [29:27]
• Describing the modern neurosurgery residency experience [32:48]
• Training neurosurgery residents to become better leaders [39:52]
• Book recommendations from Dr. Cruz [42:48]
• Advice for struggling residents [44:10]
• Dr. Cruz answers the magic wand question [46:32]

Resources & People Mentioned

• How to Win Friends & Influence People (Book)
• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Book)

Connect with Dr. Aurora Cruz

• Follow Dr. Cruz on LinkedIn 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

Few people have as long or as distinguished a career as Dr. Haring Nauta. On this episode, we discuss his observations about neurosurgical residency, neurosurgical training, and how to improve the quality of that experience. We also dive into his exciting work using the punctate myelotomy procedure to treat pain and current research topics.

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

• Diving into the current practice of Dr. Nauta [3:02]
• What is a punctate midline myelotomy and how does it help neurosurgical pain? [10:03]
• The logistics of a punctate myelotomy [26:00]
• Dr. Nauta’s thoughts on the evolution of neurosurgical training [32:11]
• Defining leadership and the qualities that make a good chief resident [38:48]
• Fighting the resident burnout epidemic and the role of emotional intelligence [41:42]
• Looking back at Dr. Nauta’s incredible career [46:05]
• Dr. Nauta’s advice for young neurosurgeons striving for excellence [49:39] 
• Dr. Nauta answers the magic wand question [55:30]

Connect with Dr. Haring Nauta

• Haring Nauta, MD, PhD, FACS, FAANS

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
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• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com