Melissa Erickson, MD, MBA
@drericksonspine
Decent human being, wife, mom, soccer retiree, Duke spine surgeon, educator, advocate, collaborator. Views my own.
1/ For women considering surgery: a 🧵 I don’t want to lie and say it was easy becoming a spine surgeon. It wasn’t. I worked hard and appreciated the support from my husband, family and friends. There were plenty of moments I wondered if I made the right choice.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms! Special shout out to my mom and those that made me a mom. #orthomom #surgeonmom #ILookLikeASurgeon
As a teen I ran LSD. As I age, runs change. My miles ⬇️, times ⬆️. Parts of my body ache easily. Stretching is now mandatory. Yet, hearing the lake, soaking up the ☀️, feeling the breeze & hitting my latest rhythm grounds me each time I get to do this path. #home #windycity #run
Always glad to run into & connect with @marykmulcaheymd ! It’s awesome to overlap with fellow committed, quality surgeons outside of my subspecialty!
I was honored to serve as an Examiner for the Orthopaedic Surgery Oral Board Exam! It's an incredibly gratifying way to give back to our profession! Congratulations to the 800+ orthopaedic surgeons who took the exam! Now go celebrate! #orthotwitter @ABOSortho @LoyolaOrthoRes
Full ⭕️: Examining w/ my own examiner @OdanisaDanisa. @ABOSortho, thanks for 1) commitment to upholding standards 2) for running things smoothly. It takes a lot to test hundreds of applicants & coordinate examiners. To all the examinees: Deep breath- You did it! #orthoX
Thank you to all the staff!
Thank you to all of the Oral Examiners for volunteering your time and working hard to grow the field of orthopaedic surgery!
Proud of this meeting and all its participants @RoweDana1 @abdelbarrspine @SpineDocNHeels @OdanisaDanisa
🌟Duke Ortho + Neuro faculty led the way at #NCSS2025—presenting & inspiring. @drericksonspine, NCSS President, and @abdelbarrspine, President-Elect, highlighted the positive impacts of collaboration, wellness, and innovation in spine care. duke.is/g/ybs8
To all the freshly graduated orthopods, you got this!!!! #orthopaedicsurgery
Good luck to the residents who will be taking the Part I Board Exam tomorrow! All your hard work and preparation has taken you this far - you've got this!
Complications in #VBT and how it affects #patientreportedoutcomes published in @spinedeformityj @pediatricspine collaboration #lookingforanswers #researchmatters. Full text link secure-web.cisco.com/1Ov_Axlco3k4M5…
First time making my own soft shell crab. Thank you, @DurhamFarmerMkt ! #seafood #ShopLocal #joy
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
New pub: Robotic assisted anterior lumbar interbody fusion with the use of indocyanine green and posterior spinal fusion doi.org/10.3171/2025.4… Kudos @DukeMedSchool Isabelle Decker, Evelyn Hunter, @DukeSpine fellow Dr. Lauren Seo, Dr.Sabino Zani, @drericksonspine .
Welcome!
💙 Join us in welcoming our new PGY1 residents! We’re thrilled to have these eight exceptional individuals join the @DukeOrtho family this week. We are excited to support their growth into outstanding orthopaedic surgeons and future leaders in the field. duke.is/g/snb5
My take on #NCspine meeting- it is a blessing to have incredible colleagues & partners. It is a bonus when so many of them are friends. Phenomenal talks & keynote made the discussions at this local meeting 🔥. #spinesurgery #orthopaedicsurgery #neurosurgery
Amazing 2 days of amazing science and also talking about difficult subjects such as gender inequities in spine surgery and surgeon burnout at North Carolina Spine Society. Great to see young college students, medical students, residents present. Can’t forget Coach K as well!
Most docs wait too long to invest because 1) they really can’t do much while in training and then 2) they often overcomplicate it once they have the income to do it! Y’all love checklists right? Here’s how to start investing this week without getting paralyzed by the details:
We need to stop thinking of osteoarthritis (OA) as just a “wear-and-tear” disease. The science now tells a more nuanced story—one where metabolic dysfunction plays a central role. Yes, obesity increases joint load, particularly in weight-bearing joints such as the knees. In…
Doctors face higher-than-average risk for lawsuits. Protecting your hard-earned wealth isn’t just smart - it’s essential. Here’s a breakdown of practical strategies every physician should consider:
Medical insurance companies have the best business model: Cap coverage, deny treatment, delay payment And WHO does the consumer get mad at?? THE DOCTOR
💛 For Julia Visgauss, MD, every sarcoma patient’s journey is deeply personal and often complex. As chief of the Ortho Oncology Division at Duke, she leads with both precision and compassion, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sarcoma care. duke.is/v/fugv
My yearly reminder. You are where you should be. Work hard and embrace challenge. Expertise never just happens without the slow struggle to constantly improve over time. When things get hard remember that it’s those moments that will ultimately make you better. Good luck all.
For every PGY1 thats nervous about July 1, theres a PGY2 nervous about no longer being an intern, a PGY3 nervous about being in their last year, and a graduate nervous about being a new attending. And someone with years of experience out there who knows you all will be ok.