David M. Gloystein, MD

About David Gloystein

Retiring from the U.S. Army after 22 years of service and selection for promotion to Colonel, Dr. David M. Gloystein, MD, has nearly two decades of experience in wartime spine and musculoskeletal injuries. Dr. Gloystein is a board-certified orthopedic and spine surgeon specializing in all conditions of the spine. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Despite being selected as one of the 2% of graduates allowed to attend medical school, he chose to seek leadership training as a combat engineer with the 101st Airborne Division. After 4 years of service ending with promotion to Captain and having graduated from Airborne School, Air Assault School, and Ranger School, he realized that his future and passion was still medicine.

He earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He completed his internship and residency at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, Washington. He finished his training at the Maryland Spinal Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship in Baltimore, MD. He has held faculty appointments at Baylor University, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, and the University of South Carolina where he taught physician’s assistants, medical students, and residents. He was program director of the orthopedic residency at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, GA from 2013 to 2019. Additionally, he served as the Consultant to the Surgeon General for orthopedics in the Atlantic Region for 2 years.

Dr. Gloystein is a member of several professional associations including Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS), North American Spine Society, Orthopedic Trauma Association, AO Spine North America and the Georgia Orthopedic Society. In 2019, he was awarded the Educator of the Year award for North America at the international Global Spine Congress meeting. He continues to be active in research, both as a researcher as well as a reviewer. His research has been featured in numerous spine and orthopedic journals. His recent passion is surgical safety and the avoidance of wrong-site surgery.

Dr. Gloystein has served two combat tours including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys, mountain biking, and home projects. He is passionate about patients’ spine care and prides himself on being on the cutting edge of technology, including minimal access spine surgery, navigation and robotically-assisted surgery.