Evalina Burger, MD

October 12, 2022, at 6:30 am

Hybrid Conference

Speaker Biography

Dr. Evalina Burger graduated medical school in South Africa at the University of the Free State with honors in General Surgery, Pediatrics and Psychiatry. She became the first woman to receive the Cornelius Wessels Medallion in Surgery. She continued her career and became a Captain in the South African Defense Force Medical Corp where she worked and acquired surgical skills in Orthopedics, treating injuries of war and land mine explosions. She completed her internship in the Military Hospital before joining the Defense Force. After her career in the military she was noted for the quality of her work in a war zone and was offered a position as an Orthopedic surgery resident. She completed her residency over the next six years, received the G.F. Dommisse Award for the best resident and also won the prize for the best resident research paper at the University of Pretoria during her residency. Following her residency, which included almost two years of spine training, she dedicated her career to spine surgery, she became the first female surgeon in South Africa to become an ABC Fellow and traveled to North America and Canada in 2000 as a visiting professor to several large institutions. She was recruited to Louisiana State University in 2001 where she established an Adult Spine Unit and worked there until 2006. She was recruited to the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus where she propelled her career, held several leadership positions including Chair of the Orthopedic Finance Committee, Executive Vice Chair and Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs for the Department of Orthopedics and established herself in the field of research. She has international recognition for her work on the thermoplastic behavior of metal rods and also received the prestigious White Cloud Award with her research group, showing the advantages of disc replacement.

Dr. Burger is currently a full professor at the University of Colorado Department of Orthopedics and assumed the role of Chair of the Department. She is the first recipient of the Robert D’Ambrosia Endowed Chair in Orthopedics. She continues to work diligently in a very complex spine practice, and has won a SPARK Innovations Award in 2018 and enjoys her leadership position.

Accreditation Statement
The School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Statement
The School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill designates this live activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only those hours of credit actually spent in the educational activity.

Other health professionals will receive a certificate of attendance from an AMA PRA Category 1™ activity. These certificates are accepted by the NC Boards for physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and respiratory therapists. Other health care providers may also be able to use these certificates, depending on their particular license requirements. (License requirements are subject to change. Participants should check with their licensing boards for specific questions. UNC and its partners are not responsible for changes in license requirements.)

Disclosure statement
This activity has been planned and implemented under the sole supervision of the course director and planning committee, in association with the UNC Office of Continuing Professional Development (UNC CPD). The course director, planning committee, presenters, and CPD staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests as defined by the ACCME.

Credit Limitation
Credit is only available to employees of UNC or its affiliates. To claim credit please contact the Grand Rounds Coordinator.

Grand Rounds Coordinator

Chanelle Arsenault
Email: chanelle_arsenault@med.unc.edu