Dr. Rachel Bratescu, a former spine fellow at Weill Cornell Medicine, is breaking barriers in spine surgery. With more than 95 percent of orthopedic spine surgeons being male, Dr. Bratescu stands out for her exceptional skill and pioneering role as a woman in the field.
After completing an initial spine fellowship at New York University, Dr. Bratescu made history by becoming the first orthopedic surgeon and female to be accepted into the neurosurgery spine fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical College. She was also the first female spine surgeon at Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian, an integrated spine program between Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medicine.
"Female orthopedic spine surgeons are incredibly few and far between," she said. "I am proud to be a provider, mentor, and trailblazer in orthopedic spine surgery. My proudest moment, however, occurred this year when a neurosurgery resident told me that I am inspiring multiple female residents to pursue a career in spine surgery."
Dr. Rachel Bratescu receives her award alongside Dr. Roger Härtl, celebrating her achievements in spine surgery.
Under the leadership of Dr. Roger Härtl, the Hansen-MacDonald Professor of Neurological Surgery and Director of Neurosurgery Spine at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Bratescu completed her neurosurgical complex spine fellowship. Dr. Härtl, the official neurosurgeon for the New York Giants Football Team, is a world-renowned pioneer in minimally invasive spinal surgery and computer-assisted spinal navigation surgery. He is also the founder and co-director of Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian and was named AANS Humanitarian of the Year for 2022 for his work with Weill Cornell Medicine's Global Neurosurgery Initiative in Tanzania.
In addition to her clinical achievements, Dr. Bratescu has contributed to the academic field by co-authoring chapters in Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery (3rd Edition) and participating in numerous studies on minimally invasive spine surgery techniques.
"I believe in the following pillars of patient care: doing the right surgery for the right patient at the right time, treating every patient as you would your own family member, and reminding patients they are the ship's captain," Dr. Bratescu said. "I am here to provide my expertise and professional opinion, but I want the patient-surgeon relationship to be one of shared decision-making."
Dr. Bratescu credits much of her professional inspiration to her mentor, Dr. Rex Marco, a NASS member who was tragically paralyzed in a biking accident in 2019. As an orthopedic resident at Houston Methodist Hospital, she trained under Dr. Marco and was profoundly influenced by his resilience and dedication to patient care and education.
Her achievements have been recognized by SpineLine's prestigious 20 Under 40 program, which honors outstanding young spine care professionals who demonstrate remarkable achievements, community service, and a commitment to advancing the field. This recognition highlights Dr. Bratescu's leadership and contributions to the future of spine surgery.
At Weill Cornell Medicine, we celebrate Dr. Bratescu's achievements and her ongoing efforts to inspire the next generation of spine surgeons.
This article was originally published by SpineLine, the official publication of the North American Spine Society (NASS). Read the original article here.