Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/545703
20 Brigham and Women's Hospital Names Dr. James Kang Orthopedics Chairman: 6 Key Facts By Anuja Vaidya Lifestyles Question: What book and/or authors have influenced your career the most? omas Errico, MD, Chief, Spine Division, NYU Langone Medical Cen- ter, New York: e simple monograph Backache by Ian McNab is a classic. It opened my eyes to the mys- terious world of back pain in a folksy, charming style. It is worth the read even today. Richard Kube, MD, Founder, CEO, Prairie Spine & Pain Institute, Peoria, Ill.: ere have been tons of books over the years, but recently I have read a few books by Guy Kawa- saki. I really like his style, and though you can see the evolution of his thought from the time he was chief evangelist for Macintosh under Steve Jobs, his core insights have continued to hold true. He really understands how to attack a business situation, and has great advice for those of us in startup corporations, which means all of us who started a solo practice. Stephen Hochschuler, MD, Co-founder, Texas Back Institute, Plano: Barbar- ians to Bureaucrats by Law- rence M. Miller. Bryan Oh, MD, Neurosur- geon, BASIC Spine, New- port Beach, Calif.: Into in Air by Jon Krakauer. is Krakauer book details the 1996 ill-fated Mt. Ever- est expedition. I read this book a few times during medical school. e folks who perished on Everest in 1996 were highly skilled, well-equipped climbers. ey were physi- cally fit, had supreme knowledge of the mountain and were led by experienced guides. Despite all of this, eight of them perished during their attempt to summit Everest. What I failed to realize is it at the time, this book was a tour de force introduction into the world of neurosurgery. During my training and through- out my career, I have been blessed to have inter- acted with many highly trained, highly intelligent professionals who have nothing but the best in- terest of patients at heart. However, due to unfor- giving pathology, economic factors or bad luck, I have witnessed less than optimal outcomes in several different situations. roughout all of these experiences, Krakauer's account of the 1996 Everest expedition has reso- nated with me. Nonetheless, quality healthcare providers attempt day-in and day-out to reach the summit all the time to provide the best care for their patients despite all the challenges and ob- stacles in today's healthcare market. Sometimes they fail, despite the best intentions and actions. But they continue to try to move forward. And for that, I continue to respect them even more. Lynn Miller, MD, Mid- west Spine & Brain Insti- tute, Minnesota: ere are a myriad of books which are excellent resources for spine surgeons. I have a specific list of three books I found useful for both or- thopedic and neurosurgical spine cases. Both in training and subsequently, I have utilized these books on nearly a weekly basis. I also have a series of books geared more towards my assistance and my nurses. It is my belief that behind every good spine surgeon is a knowl- edgeable and well-versed support system. I do not expect my receptionists and clinic nurses to blindly place orders without understanding their complexity and variations. I expect my mid-level providers to be better than the residence I trained. e books mentioned above provide an excellent base work for both my support system and myself and a constant resource for continued education an excellent patient care. Neel Anand, MD, Clini- cal Professor of Surgery, Director, Spine Trauma, Cedars-Sinai Spine Center (Los Angeles): e Sherlock Holmes series has influenced me tremendously. His whole philosophy is interesting. He never took in or retained anything that was useless to him. He only retained what he needed. It is important to gain that ability, to filter out what isn't important. n 6 Spine Surgeons on the Books Influencing Them the Most By Anuja Vaidya Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston named James D. Kang, MD, chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery. Here are six key facts: 1. Dr. Kang most recently served as the executive vice chairman for clinical services, Endowed Chair in Orthopaedic Spinal Surgery, as well as director of Ferguson Laboratory Musculoskeletal Research Center for Spine Re- search at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 2. He also served as a tenured professor of orthopedic and neurological surgery and a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 3. Earlier this year, he was named president of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine and will serve for a one-year term. 4. His research interests include the biochemistry of disc degeneration, gene therapy application to disc degeneration and biomechanics of the spine. 5. In 2012, he received the ISSLS Prize for Basic Science Research. 6. Dr. Kang has authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications and over 50 book chapters. He is also the deputy editor of Spine. n