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Hi, I’m Dr. Usman Zahir, and I’m an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in endoscopic and minimally invasive spine surgery. I currently practice in the Washington DC metropolitan region and offer spine care to two well-established orthopedic practices. I also run a specialty clinic that is one of the few reference centers for endoscopic spine surgery in the United States. I was in medical school from 2002 through 2006 at the University of Maryland and completed an orthopedic residency in 2011, followed by a spine surgery fellowship at the same institution in 2012. I began clinical practice in 2012, initially as Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedics for five years. And then I started a new medical practice with the hospital system in central Virginia for two years. From 2012 through 2019, I was involved with and worked for two separate health systems before finally entering into private practice in 2019.
The goal with entering into private practice was to have some independence in how I delivered care to my patients. And in my current practice, I have a great, excellent working relationship with nine other surgeons. The goal is patient-centered care and accessibility. It is a one-on-one connection between the patient and the treating surgeon. Early on in my practice and training, I was very much involved in researching complications associated with common orthopedic procedures. In orthopedics, we perform procedures that can dramatically improve the quality of life of our patients. But the key with any surgery is ensuring that we have proper protocols in place afterwards to reduce complications. A concerning complication that can occur after total joint replacement and spine surgery are blood clots, and some of these clots can travel to the lungs and they’re possibly fatal. My early research was studying how common complications like these after surgery and what were the factors associated with those specific risks.
Specifically for the spine, I have a specific interest in spinal injuries affecting the neck and lower back. I work with several orthopedic sports medical surgeons, and many patients referred to me are competitive athletes who are either involved playing sports and are clearly looking for less invasive treatments, critical to getting back into playing shape. Less invasive treatments minimize damage to muscles and joints, and athletes have specific injuries that are unique to them with the high demand for sports. And every week off the field can matter. If I can short the recovery period by even a few additional weeks, it makes a significant difference. Over the past five years, I’ve been spending more time training other surgeons around the country on endoscopic spine surgery. Instead of bench research or more basic science type research, my interest is in assisting other surgeons in training workshops and other one-to-one labs. I have a passion for teaching and networking with other surgeons around the world.
Spine surgery is entering in a new era of endoscopics, robotics, augmented reality, 3D printing, and determining the best uses of these technologies in the care of patients is my primary focus at this time. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and studying world history. There was a time when I thought about becoming an archeologist. Archeology is a personal side interest of mine at this time. I try being as active as I can between biking and hiking locally, traveling different countries. I enjoy learning about different cultures and trying different cuisines from around the world. Healthcare is always evolving, but the basic principles are always the same. Every day I’m meeting new people, my patients, who are putting their trust in me. This comes with a lot of responsibility. In my practice, I’m involved in the care of my patients from the beginning to the end. There are no assistants or intermediaries, I’m involved from the first visit to the end. This personal drive to provide the best care possible is something that drives me every day. I take my responsibility seriously. In the end, my goal is being the best advocate I can for my patients. Thank you very much for the opportunity to share a bit more about myself and my practice. I hope you find the content on this platform helpful, learning more about me and about spine surgery.
