CSRS membership connects a global community of physicians, surgeons, scientists, and researchers dedicated to advancing cervical spine care through education, research, collaboration, and innovation. Each membership category is designed to support professional growth, scientific contribution, and engagement within the cervical spine community.
Active Membership is open to:
- North American based, board-certified, attending physician
- Non-North American based attending physician
- Scientist or researcher holding an advanced degree in a cervical spine–related field
Membership Requirements
- Board-certification: Applicants must hold certification from an ABMS-recognized board, American Osteopathic Association board, or international equivalent in a specialty substantially related to cervical spine surgery, care, or research, including but not limited to orthopaedic surgery, neurological surgery, otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiology, anesthesiology, or neurology.
- Medical License: Applicant must hold an unrestricted medical license in at least one U.S. state, providence or territory.
- Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation from an Active Member for new Active Member applications. (Only one letter is required for current Candidate Members wishing to move to Active status, however the letter needs to be from a different member than in the original Candidate application.)
- CSRS Meeting Requirements: Attendance of one previous CSRS Annual Meeting
- Meeting Presentation Requirement: Author or co-author on a paper or poster presented at CSRS Annual Meeting prior to consideration of your application. If paper and/or posters were submitted, but not presented, the membership committee can consider membership based on if the candidate has a significant body of work in cervical spine surgery, including peer-reviewed literature in cervical spine specific journals.
Membership Requirements
- Board Certification: Must be ineligible for North American Board Certification based upon where the applicant resides.
- Practice Requirement: Been in practice a minimum of three years with practice focused on spine surgery. Applicants must submit a letter from Chief of their department/or division stating that their practice is primarily spine-based, and they are in good standing based on their departmental guidelines.
- Publications: At least one publication related to the cervical spine as the first author or a co-author in an international journal written in English and indexed in PubMed
- Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation all of which must be an Active member of the Cervical Spine Research Society.
- CSRS Meeting Presentation Requirement: Authored at least one paper as podium or poster presented at CSRS in the last four years.
Membership Requirements
- Advanced Degree: Advanced degree in the cervical spine field
- Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation from an Active Member. One letter for current Candidate members wishing to move to Active status)
- Meeting Attendance: Attendance of one previous CSRS Annual Meeting
- CSRS Meeting Presentation Requirement: Author or co-author on a paper or poster presented at CSRS Annual Meeting prior to consideration of your application. (If paper and/or posters were submitted, but not presented, the membership committee can consider membership based on if the candidate has a significant body of work in cervical spine surgery, including peer-reviewed literature in cervical spine specific journals.)
Active Membership Responsibilities
Each Active Member is required to demonstrate active participation in the affairs of the Society by completing one or more of the following at least once every three years:
- Submit a scientific paper for presentation at a scientific seminar; serve on a committee; present at an Instructional Course; serve as moderator or presenter at a scientific seminar of the Society.
- Attend a Society Annual Meeting.
- Participate in Society research and data collection studies, as directed.
Active Member Dues
$1,050 per calendar year for members in high-income economies. Discount rates are available for members in other income categories. Please see the pricing chart for other income categories.
Candidate Membership is open to:
- Physician In-Training: Residents & Fellows interested in spine surgery
- Attending board-eligible attending physicians
Candidate members shall not have the right to vote or to hold office or serve as directors of the Society.
Membership Requirements
- In-Training Requirement: Applicants must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship program, or equivalent postgraduate training program, in a specialty substantially related to cervical spine care, surgery, research, or education. Eligible specialties may include: Orthopaedic Surgery, Neurological Surgery, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Radiology, Anesthesiology, Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering or other related disciplines approved by the Membership Committee
- Letter of Recommendation: One letter of recommendation from an Active Member
- Letter of Interest: Submit a letter demonstrating interest in spine
- Meeting Attendance: None for application, however, all Candidate Members shall be required to attend a CSRS Annual Meeting after three (3) years of membership in this class
Candidate In-Training Dues
$0 per calendar year
Membership Requirements
- Board Eligibility: Applicants must be board-eligible to an ABMS-recognized board, American Osteopathic Association board, or international equivalent in a specialty substantially related to cervical spine surgery, care, or research, including but not limited to orthopaedic surgery, neurological surgery, otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiology, anesthesiology, or neurology.
- Letter of Recommendation: One letter of recommendation from an Active member
- Letter of Interest: Submit a letter demonstrating interest in spine
- Meeting Attendance: None for application, however, all Candidate Members shall be required to attend a CSRS Annual Meeting after three (3) years of membership in this class
Candidate Board-Eligible Dues
$250 per calendar year
Senior membership is open to individuals who, while Active members, formally retire from the active practice of medicine or research in the cervical spine field. CSRS defines “formal retirement” as individuals who are either 65 years of age or older, or who are no longer seeing clinical patients or receiving employment income from external sources.
To become a Senior member, submit a request to the Board of Directors using the form shared below.
Request Senior Member Status
Senior members each have the right to vote on all matters with respect to which the members of the Society are entitled to vote, but they shall not have the right to hold office or serve as directors of the Society. Senior Members shall not be required to fulfill the requirements set forth above, for Active member status.
Membership Transition Requirements
Upon formal retirement, Active Members may request transition to Senior status during the next membership renewal cycle.
Senior Member Dues
$0 per calendar year
Allied Membership Requirements
Allied membership is open to individuals who are members in good standing of a Cervical Spine Research Society Allied Organization. Current CSRS Allied Societies are Cervical Spine Research Society–Europe and Cervical Spine Research Society-Asia Pacific.
Allied Member Dues
$0 per calendar year to CSRS. Dues payments may be required to CSRS-Asia Pacific or CSRS-Europe to ensure membership status as an Allied Member.
