Michael Vitale MD MPH

04/01/2026

Welcome to April, Safety in Spine Surgery Month.

The Safety in Spine Surgery Project has an exciting month ahead, featuring educational content from leading experts across the field, all centered on advancing safety in spine surgery and improving patient outcomes.

Our goal is to build awareness, share best practices, and continue moving the field forward through collaboration and education.

We look forward to continuing this conversation throughout the month and hope you will join us in June for the 11th Annual Safety in Spine Surgery Summit in New York City.
https://safetyinspinesurgery.com/meetings/

03/30/2026

Honored to celebrate National Doctors’ Day alongside an extraordinary team.

We are incredibly fortunate to have such a talented and compassionate group of physicians at Columbia Orthopedics. Thank you for the work you do each day to provide the highest level of care for patients and families.

03/30/2026

Join us for our April Bracing Support Group!

Designed for kids in scoliosis braces, this session creates a space for connection and shared experiences. Through guided activities and open discussion, participants can engage with others who truly understand what they are going through.

📅 April 8 at 5 PM
📍 Virtual (Zoom)

If you or someone you know would like to join, you can register here: https://form.jotform.com/260845507174056

Please click the link to complete this form.

03/26/2026

A look back at our Pediatric Spine Research Team’s progress this past year. Through a substantial body of peer-reviewed publications and presentations, our team continues to advance pediatric spine care.

We are proud of this collective effort and look forward to building on this work in the year ahead.

03/19/2026

Join us on June 18th for the 12th Annual Best-in-Class Symposium on Non-Operative Scoliosis Treatment.

This year's event promises to be the most comprehensive yet, featuring a dynamic agenda packed with insights from world-renowned experts. We will explore the latest advancements in non-operative scoliosis care and bring together leaders across disciplines who are shaping the future of treatment.

This is an opportunity for healthcare providers, students, and patients and families to learn and engage with the latest in scoliosis care.

Learn more and register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/fe736a1e-eb9c-457d-a51f-a8e1c814c21d/summary

03/16/2026

So special to run my 17th New York City Half Marathon with my Advanced Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellow, Dr. Josie Coury, and my Pediatric Research and Immersion Fellow, Maddie Monness.

I feel privileged to still be able to do this alongside such great people. Together we raised nearly $45,000 toward a new playground for children in need.

03/12/2026

One of the most amazing things is when a previous resident comes back home after an incredible career, including serving as Chief of Spine at NYU, and teaches us all how to do better. Thank you, Dr. Protopsaltis, for your visit as Grand Rounds professor and for mentoring our PGY-5 resident, Michael Fields, who will be your outstanding fellow next year.

03/10/2026

Last week I was in New Orleans for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (AAOS 2026).

I had the opportunity to give talks on machine learning applications in intraoperative neuromonitoring and on the importance of integrating mental health and psychological support into orthopedic care.

Grateful for the chance to share this work and connect with colleagues in the field.

03/05/2026

The 2025 Annual Report from the Pediatric Spine Foundation is now available.

As a founding member of the Foundation and its 2025 President, Michael Vitale, MD, MPH reflects on the collective efforts driving progress in pediatric spine care.

“We move mountains not by chance, but by the steady, intentional choices made by hundreds of clinicians, researchers, families, and philanthropic partners who believe that children with spine conditions deserve nothing less than our very best.”

Read the full report:
https://pediatricspinefoundation.org/img/pdf/annual-report-2025.pdf

02/19/2026

Today we were joined by Dr. Daniel Sucato from Dallas Scottish Rite for Children/UTSW as our Grand Rounds Visiting Professor. Thank you for the amazing lecture and for sharing your expertise with us!

02/12/2026

Great discussion today at the Pediatric Orthopedic Device Innovation in the United States: Current State and Future Directions meeting.

Thank you to Dr. Larson for organizing a stimulating webinar on the challenges of pediatric medical device innovation, an area we have been committed to advancing for more than 20 years.

02/10/2026

Last night we gathered our pediatric spine team and local scoliosis specialists to discuss a key challenge in scoliosis care: identifying which patients will benefit most from non-operative preparation before complex spinal fusion.

Earlier intervention has the potential to change recovery trajectories, but doing this well requires better education and closer collaboration across disciplines.

Grateful for the thoughtful dialogue and shared commitment to improving patient care.