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FNB · Orthopaedics and Spine

Spine Surgery — FNB reading list.

What a two-year FNB fellow in Spine Surgery reads, and what each title is for.

All 41 branches
7Titles listed
4Read cover to cover
2 yrsFellowship length
400Marks in the exit exam
The fellowship

Spine Surgery at a glance

Degenerative, deformity, trauma and tumour surgery of the vertebral column.

DisciplineOrthopaedics and Spine
Length2 years, full-time at an NBEMS-accredited hospital
Entered fromDNB/MS Orthopaedics, or DNB/MCh Neuro Surgery
EntranceFET, the NBEMS Fellowship Entrance Test — 100 questions in 105 minutes, Part-A from the feeder specialty and Part-B from this fellowship.
How this list is used

Reading for Spine Surgery

Rothman-Simeone and Benzel's are the two read-through references, and fellows usually split by background - orthopaedic trainees start with Rothman, neurosurgical trainees with Benzel and Youmans. The AO Spine classifications are used every day on trauma calls and are what a fellow is expected to quote when presenting a fracture. The minimally invasive and cervical technique books come out when someone starts a new approach and wants the operative sequence, screw trajectories and pitfalls in front of them.

Titles are tagged core reading — the ones fellows finish — or reference, the ones they look things up in. Editions are given where the current edition is what you want to buy.

  1. Rothman-Simeone and Herkowitz's The Spinecore readingSteven R. Garfin, Frank J. Eismont, Gordon R. Bell, Christopher M. Bono, Jeffrey S. Fischgrund (eds.) · Elsevier · 7th edition (2017)The orthopaedic spine standard, read through for degenerative, deformity and trauma management.
  2. Benzel's Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance and Managementcore readingEdward C. Benzel, Michael P. Steinmetz (eds.) · Elsevier · 4th edition (2016)The neurosurgical counterpart, strongest on biomechanics, instrumentation and complication avoidance.
  3. Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgerycore readingH. Richard Winn (ed.) · Elsevier · 8th edition (2022)Kept for the neurosurgical background - cord physiology, tumours and peripheral nerve - that spine fellows are questioned on.
  4. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Techniquescore readingGabriel Tender (ed.) · Springer · 1st edition (2018)Step-by-step MIS technique with video, used when starting tubular decompression or percutaneous fixation.
  5. Cervical Spine Surgery: Standard and Advanced TechniquesreferenceHeiko Koller, Yohan Robinson (eds.) · Springer · 1st edition (2019)The CSRS-Europe surgical atlas, opened for anterior and posterior cervical exposures and osteotomy planning.
  6. Campbell's Operative OrthopaedicsreferenceFrederick M. Azar, James H. Beaty (eds.) · Elsevier · 14th edition (2021)Retained from residency for spinal approaches and for the general orthopaedic questions in the exit viva.
  7. AO Spine Thoracolumbar and Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification SystemsreferenceAO Spine Knowledge Forum Trauma · 2013 classification editionThe classification quoted on every trauma call and expected in fracture presentations and operative notes.

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The exit examination

What you are reading towards

The exit examination is the FEE - Fellowship Exit Examination, held after completion of the fellowship training. Theory: one paper of 100 marks (10 questions of 10 marks each) of three hours' duration. Practical: 300 marks, comprising clinical examination and viva voce. A candidate must obtain a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate across theory and practical (200 of 400) to qualify, with the theory paper itself to be passed at 50/100. Trainees must also appear in the formative assessment during training. Successful candidates are awarded the FNB (or FNB-PD) at the annual NBEMS convocation.

How FNB entry and the FEE work, in full ›

Orthopaedics and Spine

Other fellowships in this group

All 41 branchesArthroplastySports Medicine
Related on the site

Going further in Spine Surgery

DNB Orthopaedics booksMCh Neurosurgery books

Printing your Spine Surgery fellowship reading?

Send the PDF on WhatsApp — colour Rs 1/page, B&W 50p/page, binding Rs 40. Printed, bound and delivered anywhere in India.

Frequently asked

FNB Spine Surgery — questions

Which books do FNB Spine Surgery fellows read?

The 7 titles on this page, of which 4 are read cover to cover and the rest are kept as references. Most fellows own two or three and use the department copy for the others.

How long is the FNB in Spine Surgery?

2 years, full-time at an NBEMS-accredited hospital, followed by the Fellowship Exit Examination.

Which specialty do you enter FNB Spine Surgery from?

DNB/MS Orthopaedics, or DNB/MCh Neuro Surgery

How is the FNB exit examination marked?

One theory paper of 100 marks with ten questions of ten marks each, and a 300-mark practical of clinical examination and viva. A candidate needs 50 per cent in aggregate across the two.

Can you print this reading for me?

We print from the PDF you send us. Send the file on WhatsApp with your page count and whether you want colour, black and white or mixed, and we print, bind and deliver anywhere in India. We do not supply copyrighted book files.