About Us
Meet our Providers
The Spine Medicine Institute brings together a dedicated group of spine care providers and services to offer multidisciplinary, protocol-driven and conservative management of back and neck pain. Our fellowship-trained providers specialize in all spinal problems, including neck, mid-, and low-back, and treat a variety of spine conditions, including acute and chronic low-back and neck pain, whiplash, degenerative conditions, spinal stenosis, herniated disks, tumors, scoliosis, infections and spinal trauma.
The Spine Medicine Institute was formed in 2006 by a group of spine specialists who sought to improve spine care in the Treasure Valley by providing comprehensive, conservative, convenient care for adults suffering from back and neck pain. Responding to a lack of evidenced-based spine medicine, the group has implemented robust triage and data tracking systems to ensure that patients receive the appropriate level of spine care and that the care is coordinated consistently with an outcome-based, team approach.
Physician Biographies
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Christian G. Zimmerman, MD, MBA, FACS
Dr. Zimmerman is chairman and founder of the Idaho Neurological Institute (INI), adjunct professor of psychology at Boise State University and past chief executive officer of Neuroscience Associates. He has served as a board member for the Idaho State Board of Health and Welfare. Dr. Zimmerman established the INI research facility to focus on nervous system injuries, repair and neuroplasticity and leads its various interdisciplinary research teams. He is co-professor for biology and cognitive neuroscience research students trained at INI. His research projects include a 20-year study of traumatic brain injuries and investigations of spinal injuries, stroke, aneurysms, arterial thrombolytic therapy intervention, neuropathology, CNS tumors, sleep disorders, deep brain stimulation, movement disorders, and five TATRC telemedicine grants.
In his role as INI chairman, he has led numerous workshops to provide educational opportunities for medical professionals and for the general public. Additionally, he leads prevention programs such as Think First, targeting at Idaho’s youth. Dr. Zimmerman is diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and Pain Management, is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Physician Executives, and received his masters of business administration from Auburn University.
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Jeffrey Scott Shilt, MD
Dr. Shilt is the Director of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Saint Alphonsus. Previously, Dr. Shilt was the residency program director and an Assoc. Professor at Wake Forest University for nine years. He has given over 100 presentations internationally, authored more than 25 articles, 5 chapters, and has been the primary or co-investigator on research grants totaling more than $1 million. His area of spine expertise is pediatric and adolescent spinal deformity. Dr. Shilt is currently involved with the development of fusionless technology to correct scoliosis and the use of an international spine database that uses this information to improve the outcomes of spinal surgery.
Dr.
Shilt received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas
City. He completed his residency at the Ochsner Clinic in New
Orleans and a pediatric fellowship with experience treating spinal deformity
at Vanderbilt University. He has clinical experience in minimally-invasive
thorascopic spine surgery, growing rods, and the VEPTR device
in early-onset scoliosis.
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Daniel Marsh, MD
Dr. Marsh is medical director and founding member of the Spine Medicine Institute and medical director of Saint Alphonsus Pain Management Center. A member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, (AAPMR), North American Spine Society, (NASS) and Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation (PASSOR), Dr. Marsh specializes in spinal pain treatment and management.
He received his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and is a Musculoskeletal Spine and Sports fellow. Dr. Marsh also received a masters degree in Ancient and Modern Hebrew from Jerusalem University College.
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Vicken Garabedian, MD
Dr. Garabedian is a medical director and founding member of the Spine Medicine Institute. Dr. Garabedian attended medical school at Columbia University and completed his residency at the University of California Los Angeles Harbor Medical Center.
He has held academic appointments at Duke University as associate professor of Radiology with special interests of neurobiology, interventional radiology, and advanced MRI and CT techniques.
Dr. Garabedian is certified by the American Board of Radiology and holds an ABR Neuroradiology Certificate of Added Qualifications.
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Rebekah Guy, MD
Dr. Guy is the newest member of the Spine Medicine Institute, having joined in January 2008. Dr. Guy specializes in non-surgical treatment and management of pain related to the spine. She is a member of ISIS (International Spine Intervention Society).
She received her medical degree at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and completed residency training in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.
She received additional training in interventional spine procedures at Alabama Orthopedic Center in Birmingham.
Staff Biographies
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Nicole Lenzi Amideo, MS, PA-C
Nicole Lenzi Amideo, MS, PA-C, moved to Boise in 1976, when she was 2 years old. She graduated with highest honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) in 1996 with a B.A degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. In 2003 she graduated from the PA program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with a master’s of science degree. Nicole is certified by the National Committee for Certification of Physician Assistants.
Prior to joining the Spine Medicine Institute in September 2007, she worked in a busy emergency room in New Jersey and, upon returning to Boise, she spent two years at a local pain management practice.
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Michael J. Eastman, PA-C
Mike Eastman, B.A., P.A.-C., a native
of North Dakota, comes to us after having spent 17 years
in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike was a Paramedic, Flight
Paramedic and Trauma Instructor in Wisconsin, California
and Nevada before returning to school to become a Physician
Assistant.
Mike attended the University of North Dakota for one year where he studied Aeronautical
Studies and received a pilot's license. Mike received his Bachelor's Degree
in Social Science and Psychology from Mayville State University, Mayville, North
Dakota. Mike furthered his medical training at the Physician Assistant
Program, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington under
a scholarship from the University of Nevada, School of Medicine.
Mike spent the first six years of his Physician Assistant career as a Primary
Care Provider in the Department of Internal Medicine, Southwest Medical Associates,
Las Vegas, Nevada. His last 8 years has been spent working with Anesthesiologist's
and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician's treating chronic pain
patients.
Mike has a strong interest in clinical research and has conducted numerous clinical
studies involving oral medications, intrathecal medications, spinal cord
stimulators and intrathecal pain pumps over a ten year period. Mike has
significant experience in providing intrathecal (surgically implanted pain pump)
therapy to patients.
Mike has had a clinical case study published in The Physician Assistant Journal
and has had the results of his study, "Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy
of Prialt (Ziconotide) Combination Intrathecal Therapies, Retrospective Case
Study Series", published in Practical Pain Management. Mike is certified
by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistant's.
About Us
