The Indiana Spine Group & ISCA Present: Meet and Greet and Learn

Neil Farren, M.D.

Neil Farren, M.D. is board-certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. Dr. Farren is a fellowship-trained interventional spine specialist and has received the latest training in non-operative therapeutic and diagnostic techniques used to treat all aspects of spine pathology.

Dr. Farren is a native of Philadelphia, PA and came to Indiana for his undergraduate education at DePauw University.  He then received his master’s in biology from IUPUI before spending 3 years in the biomedical engineering field.  During that time, he worked on development of catheter technology for interventional cardiology, publishing multiple peer-reviewed papers on the topic.

Dr. Farren attended Indiana University School of Medicine.  He completed his intern year at Ascension St. Vincent and his anesthesia residency at Indiana University School of Medicine.  Following residency, he completed his interventional pain medicine fellowship at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine where he received the latest training in non-operative spine care.  He has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at regional and national conferences on interventional spine care.

Outside of medicine Dr. Farren enjoys spending time with his twins and wife.  He enjoys ice hockey, golf, and being outside whenever he can be.

Presentation:

“Vertebral Compression Fractures”

1.            Be able to identify patients with compression fractures.

2.            Understand the pathology that causes compression fractures.

3.            Understand treatment options for compression fractures.

Daniel Kim, M.D.

Daniel Kim, MD, is a board certified neurosurgeon who specializes in complex spine surgery. He attended medical school and completed his neurosurgical residency at the Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University, respectively. Dr. Kim has a neurosurgical focus on disorders of the spine. He is interested in all aspects of spinal care, including: degenerative conditions, trauma, revision surgeries, deformity and spine tumors.  He uses both open and minimally invasive techniques in the operating room, and he embraces the latest technology to make spinal surgery as safe and effective as possible.

Dr. Kim has published on multiple neurosurgical topics and continues to be active with academic research. He currently serves as an editor for the International Journal of Spine Surgery.

In his free time, Dr. Kim enjoys the outdoors, barbequing, fishing and playing golf.

Presentation:

“Spine Neoplasms”

Objectives:

1.            Overview of Spine Neoplasms

2.            Symptoms and Red Flags

3.            Case Presentation

Joseph D. Smucker, M.D.

Joseph D. Smucker, MD is a fellowship-trained, board certified orthopaedic surgeon who provides expertise in the surgical care of spinal disorders. Dr. Smucker has special training in complex cervical, thoracic, and lumbar surgery, having trained in the top programs in the nation and subsequently practicing in a university-based, academic setting for almost a decade. His subspecialty interests include cervical spine conditions, complex spine surgery, care of spinal injuries in athletes, spinal navigation technologies, and robotic-assisted spine surgery techniques.

Dr. Smucker completed his secondary education in Indiana and his undergraduate degree at Goshen College. He earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and pursued his residency at Case Western Reserve University, where he trained with the late Dr. Henry Bohlman – a world-renowned spinal surgeon who pioneered many of the most commonly used surgical techniques in spinal care. Following residency, he completed an adult spine surgery fellowship at Emory University with Dr. John Heller and Dr. Scott Boden where he refined his skills in the surgical care of complex spinal disorders and honed his research interests. He began his career at the University of Iowa where he practiced full-time clinical and operative spine care and became a tenured member of the faculty. During this time, he completed numerous research studies as Director of the Bone Healing Research Laboratory. He returned to Indiana to continue to advance these interests and contribute to the Indiana Spine Group.

In addition to his active tertiary surgical practice in complex spine disorders, Dr. Smucker maintains a rigorous teaching and research focus. He has a faculty position at the Indiana University School of Medicine in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, working with medical students and residents in their medical education. He is a mentor and preceptor to multiple students each year from Butler University in the Physician Assistant program. He hosts and teaches students at all levels from high-school to college in the Medical Academic Center, a physician-driven regional teaching center in Carmel, IN. He is a full-time faculty member in the Spine Surgery Fellowship program at Indiana Spine Group. Dr. Smucker is also an investigator in multiple clinical trials focused on spine health and the treatment of spinal disorders. In 2020, Dr. Smucker founded the Indiana Spine Registry, a Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) tool that contributes to local research on patient outcomes and national patient registries including the American Spine Registry and the registry of the Cervical Spine Research Society. His research and teaching interests are often the topics of his frequent presentations at regional, national, and international meetings.

As an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, he has been honored with a term in the Leadership Fellows Program, which recognizes future leaders in the profession of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a member of the North American Spine Society and the prestigious American Orthopaedic Association. The “Best Doctors in America” program has frequently recognized him due to his tradition of clinical care. Dr. Smucker has authored numerous manuscripts and textbook chapters and has focused many of his investigations on the science of bone healing and cervical spine motion.

Presentation:

“Cervical myelopathy – workup and referral patterns”

Objectives:

1. Overview of cervical myelopathy and treatment options
2. What to look for and when to refer