Dr. Sama is an Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery and an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Sama is also the Fellowship Director of the Spinal Surgical Service at Hospital for Special Surgery. He is involved in the resident and fellowship teaching curriculum and also mentors medical students throughout the academic year.

 

Dr. Sama is an active member of many spine societies, academic committees, and editorial review boards. He has lectured at scientific conferences both nationally and internationally. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, the Spine Arthroplasty Society, the Eastern Orthopaedic Society, the HSS Spine Fellowship Alumni Association, and AO Spine North America. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

 

His areas of interest include clinical and basic science research involving the biology and biomechanics of spine fusion and fusion alternatives. He has received a number of research grants, including funding from the National Institutes of Health for a study on surgical and nonsurgical approaches to the treatment of low back pain.

 

Dr. Sama’s clinical interests include complex spine surgery, minimally invasive lateral lumbar fusions, non-fusion and motion preservation technologies, and microsurgery. Dr. Sama also has a keen interest in disorders of the cervical spine and sports-related injuries.

 

Dr. Sama is involved in product development and has helped design orthopedic implant devices used in spinal surgery. He engages in research that will benefit patients and has published articles in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals. He has also authored chapters in several medical textbooks.

 

He is on the editorial board of Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine and serves as a reviewer for the journals Spine and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.

 

Dr. Sama has received “Patients Choice” and “Compassionate Care” awards, and he is highly rated on web sites in which patients evaluate doctors.