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It also highlights interdisciplinary collaboration and the growing influence of social media on patient consultations and shared decision-making.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/shaping-the-modern-spine-surgeon-core-competencies-for-a-digital-era/450951/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/shaping-the-modern-spine-surgeon-core-competencies-for-a-digital-era/450951.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Bintang","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-31","2026-09-30",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"How does the article define digital literacy for modern spine surgeons?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Digital literacy is defined as the ability to use, evaluate, communicate, and create information using digital technologies, including both technical operation skills and critical thinking to use tools appropriately.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Why must surgeons understand how AI data is generated?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Because AI can guide risk prediction and outcome estimation, but without understanding its generation process and embedded biases, surgeons risk becoming passive recipients rather than informed decision-makers.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What additional competencies does the article identify for future spine surgeons?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"It highlights technical proficiency with robotic and endoscopic systems, analytical capability with statistical and ethical understanding, collaboration across disciplines, and the ability to incorporate inputs from social media into patient discussions.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},450951,1791472273,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,105,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":106,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":123,"preview_page_count":4},962085564381,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","Shaping the modern spine surgeon: core competencies for a digital era  \nGregory M. Malham1,2, Matthew H. Claydon3, Ralph J. Mobbs4,5,6  \n1Spine Surgery Research Foundation, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 2AO Spine Australia & New Zealand (AUNZ), AO Foundation, Davos, Switzerland; 3The Alfred, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 4Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 5NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 6NeuroSpine Clinic, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia Correspondence to: Gregory M. Malham, BSc, MB, ChB, DMed, FRACS. Spine Surgery Research Foundation, Suite 5.04, 737 Burwood Road, Hawthorn East, Melbourne, VIC 3123, Australia; AO Spine Australia & New Zealand (AUNZ), AO Foundation, Davos, Switzerland. Email: [greg@gregmalham.com.au](greg@gregmalham.com.au).  \nKeywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); digital literacy; robotics; spine surgery; surgical training  \nSubmitted Dec 02, 2025. Accepted for publication Dec 20, 2025. Published online Dec 22, 2025.  \ndoi: 10.21037/jss-2025-03  \nView this article at: [https://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jss-2025-03](https://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jss-2025-03)  \nHistorically, excellence in spine surgery was defined by the mastery of fundamentals-detailed anatomical and pathological knowledge, safe exposure and meticulous dissection, the capacity for 3D visualisation, ability to adequately decompress neural structures and achieve mechanical stability.  \nHowever, the understanding of surgical competence is evolving. Comprehensive knowledge and technical precision remain the foundation, but cognitive adaptability, interdisciplinary collaboration and the nascent field of digital literacy are emerging requirements for modern practice. Digital literacy is defined as the ability to use, evaluate, communicate, and create information using digital technologies. It encompasses both the technical skills to operate technology as well as the critical thinking skills to use it appropriately.  \nArtificial intelligence (AI) is the application of computer systems to produce output very rapidly, previously requiring human intelligence. It does so by applying machine learning techniques to large collections of data. A large language model (LLM), for example ChatGTP©, uses deep learning architecture to understand and generate its output. It is trained on massive volumes of data to understand and generate human-like text.  \nThere is a plethora of variable quality information available from a multitude of sources including traditional literature, the internet, social media and AI. Social media  \nwill increasingly impact upon the future surgeon’s decisionmaking.  \nTechnological transformation of spine surgery has rapidly progressed. Robotics, navigation, endoscopy, augmented reality (AR), and AI are established and becoming standard of care. For example, navigation systems are now standard in complex spinal procedures, and 3D planning has supplanted two-dimensional imaging. These innovations have redefined the surgeon’s operative environment, demanding new competencies that blend psychomotor skills with digital and analytical fluency.  \nThe next generation of spine surgeons must master multiple interdependent domains: technical proficiency, analytical capacity, teamwork and social media.  \n(I) Technical proficiency. Now extends beyond manual dexterity to include operation of robotic and endoscopic systems, trusting navigation, interpretation of digital feedback, and real-time management of multimodal data. The surgeon’s hands and computational algorithms function asco-pilots within the same theatre. Technology advancements enhance a surgeon’s skill set that in turn changes operative techniques. However, responsible utilization of technology is vital as costs of new techniques are usually higher (1) . The increased costs imposed by new techniques may include set-up, consumables and operative time.  \n© AME Publishing Company. J Spine Surg 2","cbCaihgQFa6spMVa","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaihgQFa6spMVa","pdf",154233,"English","# Core evolution of surgical competence\n## Digital literacy and AI foundations\n## Technological transformation in spine surgery\n## Next-generation competency domains\n## Technical proficiency\n## Analytical capability\n## Collaboration and social media","[{\"question\":\"How does the article define digital literacy for modern spine surgeons?\",\"answer\":\"Digital literacy is defined as the ability to use, evaluate, communicate, and create information using digital technologies, including both technical operation skills and critical thinking to use tools appropriately.\"},{\"question\":\"Why must surgeons understand how AI data is generated?\",\"answer\":\"Because AI can guide risk prediction and outcome estimation, but without understanding its generation process and embedded biases, surgeons risk becoming passive recipients rather than informed decision-makers.\"},{\"question\":\"What additional competencies does the article identify for future spine surgeons?\",\"answer\":\"It highlights technical proficiency with robotic and endoscopic systems, analytical capability with statistical and ethical understanding, collaboration across disciplines, and the ability to incorporate inputs from social media into patient discussions.\"}]","Shaping the modern spine surgeon - core competencies for a digital era | PDF",1790734120]