Fellowship

Fellowship

DSSP Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine Fellowship

The Desert Spine and Sports Physicians (DSSP) program is a NASS Recognized Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine Fellowship. Our PM&R-based program offers comprehensive training in interventional spine, sports, and musculoskeletal medicine within a private practice setting that maintains an academic feel. We emphasize patient-centered, ethical, and evidence-based care.

Founded in 2011, the DSSP fellowship has trained 22 fellows, all of whom have secured competitive positions in private practice and academic institutions. We are proud to have 13 board-certified PM&R and Pain Management physicians who practice out of six offices across the valley, including Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa. Our sites include fluoroscopic procedure suites and on-site physical therapy.

What to Expect

Each year, we select up to four fellows to start their fellowship training in July or August with flexibility of the start date pending the approval of the Fellowship Director. Each fellow works directly under the supervision of a DSSP physician. 

A typical week consists of a blend of both outpatient clinic including patient evaluations, electrodiagnostic studies, ultrasound guided peripheral injections, as well as fluoroscopic spine and joint procedures. The fellow also presents articles at our monthly journal club, which includes physical therapists and medical professionals from the community and delivers a monthly lecture to the practice on a Spine or Musculoskeletal Medicine topic.

What’s Included in the Fellowship Educational Experience

• Outpatient Clinic
  • Acute and chronic (non-opiate) spine and musculoskeletal diagnoses
  • Comprehensive neuromusculoskeletal evaluation
  • Ordering and diagnostic image interpretation of plain films, MRI and CT
• Fluoroscopically-Guided Spine and Joint Procedures
  • Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar epidural injections (interlaminar, transforaminal, caudal)
  • Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar facet and medial branch block injections
  • Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar radiofrequency ablation
  • Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar selective nerve root injections
  • Coccygeal joint injections and pars blocks
  • Discography
  • DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) stimulation
  • Facet joint injections
  • Genicular nerve blocks and ablation
  • Intracept
  • Intra-articular hip and shoulder injections
  • Kyphoplasty
  • MILD (Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression)
  • Peripheral nerve RFA
  • Peripheral nerve stimulator implant
  • Sacroiliac joint injections
  • SIJ fusion
  • Spinal cord stimulator trials and implants
  • Sympathetic nerve blocks
  • VIA disc
• Electrodiagnostic studies (EMG/NCS)
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound guided peripheral Injections
• Joint, tendon, bursa and trigger point injections
• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and BMAC joint and soft tissue injections
• Prolotherapy
• Ultrasound-guided interventions (peripheral joint, tendon, ligament, and bursa injections)
• Coding and billing
• Business skills and practice management
• Sports team coverage (available upon request)
• Fellows are encouraged to participate in academy meetings, procedural workshops, and other educational conferences throughout the year

Additional Program Highlights

• Fellows may have the opportunity to remain with DSSP after graduation as we continue expanding across the Valley
• Weekly schedules include ample time in the fluoroscopy suite as well as outpatient clinics, emphasizing continuity of care with patients
• Fellows lead our monthly journal club and deliver a monthly didactic lecture on a spine or musculoskeletal medicine topic
• NASS-recommended didactics on physical exam and ultrasound-guided procedures are integrated throughout the year
• Monthly attending-led didactics complement hands-on clinical training

How to Apply for the Desert Spine and Sports Physicians Fellowship

Application requirements for the DSSP fellowship include:

• Completion of an ACGME-accredited residency program in PM&R
• ABPMR board-certified or eligible
• NASS application (click here for form)
• SAE scores (2nd year)
• Personal statement
• Curriculum Vitae
• Three letters of recommendation

Application registrations should be submitted directly to NASS at education/ismm starting January 2026.

In addition, it is encouraged that the applicant also directly email Kathryn Meloy, DSSP Practice Administrator, at kmeloy@dsspaz.com to inform the practice of the individual’s desire to apply to Desert Spine and Sports Physicians.

After You Apply

Once application materials are received, we will review them on a rolling basis and contact selected residents for an interview. The interviews will be conducted between March-July 2026.

We encourage in-person interviews, which will take place over one day. The time will be spent with physicians and fellows in the clinic and procedure suite in two of the Desert Spine and Sports offices. If you are unable to travel, we also offer one day virtual interviews. 

Our fellowship will abide by Match Day in July 2026.

Downloadable PDF

NASS ISMM vs. ACGME Pain Fellowships – PDF

Current & Past Fellows

2025-2026

• Ragav Sharma DO (Medical school – Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Residency – The Medical College of Wisconsin)

2024-2025

• Austin Le MD (Medical school – Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Residency – University of Utah – Salt Lake City, UT)
• Dustin Sielski MD (Medical school – Wayne State University School of Medicine, Residency – Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)
• David Weinfeld MD (Medical school – Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Residency – Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Current Employment – Restorative Physical Medicine – Novi, MI)
• Kurt Wilhelm MD (Medical school – Wayne State University School of Medicine, Residency- Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)

2023-2024

• Alan Stupnitsky MD (Medical School – Chicago Medical School, Residency – Washington University in St Louis, Current Employment – Shirley Ryan AbilityLab)

2022-2023

• Andrew Minkley MD (Medical School – Medical College of Wisconsin, Residency – University of Washington, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)
• Kyle Wentz DO ( Medical School – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Residency – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Current Employment – The Center for Wellness and Pain Care of Las Vegas, Nevada)

2021-2022

• Brent Page MD (Medical School – University of Arizona College of Medicine, Residency – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)
• William Lian MD ( Medical School – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Residency – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Current Employment – The Pain and Spine Specialists in Mansfield, TX)

2020-2021

• Julie Hastings MD (Medical School – Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Residency – University of Colorado, Current Employment – Spine and Nerve Diagnostic Center, California)
• Ehab Yasin DO ( Medical School – Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Residency – Rush University Medical Center, Current Employment – Midwest Orthopedics at Rush, Illinois)

2019-2020

• Tasso Papagiannopolous MD (Medical School – Rush University Medical Center, Residency – Rush University Medical Center, Current Employment – Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group, Illinois)
• Puneet Ralhan DO (Medical School – Midwestern University, Residency – SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)

2018 – 2019

• Rishi Vora DO (Medical School – Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine – Midwestern University, Residency – MedStar Georgetown University Hospital / National Rehabilitation Hospital, Current Employment – Pacific Sports and Spine, Oregon)
• Nasser Ayyad DO (Medical School – University of North Texas Health Science Center – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Residency – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Texas, Current Employment – Weill Cornell Medicine, New York)

2017 – 2018

• Sheena Bhuva MD (Medical School – Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Residency – Baylor University Medical Center, Current Employment – Texas Back Institute, Texas)

2016 – 2017

• Nicole Burns DO (Medical School – Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Residency – OSU Wexner Medical Center, Current Employment – Physique Medical Center, Pennsylvania)

2014 – 2015

• Arthur Hatch DO (Medical School – University of Nevada, Residency – University of Arkansas, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)
• Pooja Mundrati DO (Medical School – University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ School of Osteopathic Medicine, Residency – University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Current Employment – Summit Orthopedics, Minnesota)

2013 – 2014

• Tima Le DO (Medical School – AT Still University Kirksville, Residency – University of Michigan, Current Employment – Desert Spine and Sports Physicians)

2012 – 2013

• Bren Blackham DO (Medical School – University of Utah School of Medicine, Residency – University of Colorado, Current Employment – Neurosciences Institute Intermountain Health Care, Utah)

2011 – 2012

• Harvinder Deogun MD (Medical School – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Residency – Kansas University Medical Center, Current Employment – Honor Health Spine Group Arizona)