Q. What were your initial thoughts regarding this recognition?

Dr. Heary: I am tremendously honored, humbled and appreciative.

Q. Who were your early mentors in neuro- surgery & spine surgery?

Dr. Heary: Two of my earliest mentors in neurosurgery were David Hunt, MD and Ed Benzel, MD. Also, my mentors in spine surgery included Alex Vaccaro, MD and Todd Albert, MD from whom I learned how to do spine surgery.

Q. What prompted you to 1) switch from general surgery and into neurosurgery and 2) apply for an orthopedic spine fellowship?

Dr. Heary: I wasn’t sure where I was going with general surgery as I hadn’t identified a focus that I truly loved. I had rotated in neurosurgery and found it very interesting and immediately considered an opportunity to switch into neurosurgery. This was one of the best decisions I have made in my professional life. The second best decision was choosing to do a complex orthopedic spine fellowship at the Rothman Institute. I was one of the very first neurosurgeons to do an orthopedic spine fellowship and the first neurosurgeon trained at the Rothman Institute. I chose to pursue a complex orthopedic spine fellowship as I felt that the operative experience, the didactic experience, and the overall clinical experience offered some of the best opportunities for a career in spine surgery.