NASS Clinical Traveling Fellowship Report: Five Months That Changed My Life
Yunus Kuntawi Aji, MD
Spine Division, Department of Neurosurgery National Brain Center Hospital Prof. Dr. Mahar Mardjono Jakarta, Indonesia
My name is Yunus Kuntawi Aji from Indonesia. I’m a junior spine surgeon working at the National Brain Center Hospital Prof. Dr. dr. Mahar Mardjono in Jakarta, Indonesia, the largest referral center for neurosurgery and spine surgery in the country. I was honored to receive the 2024 NASS Clinical Traveling Fellowship, an incredible experience that significantly broadened my exposure to spine surgery, especially in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) and Endoscopic Spine Surgery (ESS).
For this fellowship, I had the privilege of training at four outstanding institutions: The Jikei University Hospital (Tokyo, Japan), Niigata Central Hospital (Niigata, Japan), Yonsei University Severance Hospital (Seoul, South Korea), and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand). Each one gave me invaluable insights and hands-on experience that have undoubtedly shaped my career.
Tokyo, Japan
My journey began in July 2024 at The Jikei University Hospital, where I trained under the mentorship of Dr. Daichi Kawamura. This hospital is a top-tier center for MISS and ESS, and I had the opportunity to work alongside the spine team for two months. I learned numerous techniques and tips for MISS and full-endoscopic spine surgery. Most of the cases I encountered were degenerative conditions, which provided a great learning experience and helped refine my surgical skills.
With Dr. Kawamura at The Jikei University Hospital
