Brett A. Freedman

Dr. Brett A. Freedman graduated from Vanderbilt University (’95), University of Illinois College of Medicine (’00), Walter Reed Orthopedic Surgery Residency (’06) prior to deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) with the US Army, where he earned the Bronze Star Medal. Then he returned to complete the prestigious Emory University Spine Fellowship (’08). Upon completion of his training, COL(Ret.) Freedman was stationed in Landstuhl/Ramstein, Germany, where he served as a Section Chair, then Department Chair and ultimately acting Division Chair at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the only ACS accredited Level 1 trauma center outside of the US. While stationed in Germany, he received and managed the spine casualties from OIF and OEF. In 2015, he left active service in the US Army and started at the Mayo Clinic, where he now serves as the Chair of the Division of Spine Surgery. He retired from the military in 2019, after 24 years of service. His clinical practice focuses on degenerative and traumatic conditions of the cervical and lumbar spine. His research interests include bone health optimization, spinal arthroplasty and spinal implant innovation. He is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in spine surgery with over 200 publications, who has presented his research across the globe. He also is a dedicated educator, currently serving as Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and a member of the AO Spine North America Foundation Fellowship Committee.