Dr Michael Kern

Dr Michael Kern was born and grew up in Neckarsulm, a small town in Southern Germany. In 1990, following graduation from High School he moved to Berlin where he was fortunate to witness the excitement after reunification of the divided Germany. Michael was one of very few select students who were accepted into a combined University programme in both medicine and biochemistry. He graduated with a Masters in Biochemistry after extensive basic medical research on bacteria causing severe infection in humans. Michael graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the Humboldt University of Berlin in 1999. He was awarded a PhD (Doctor of Medicine) after 3 years of experimental research on head injury. This work provided Michael with an opportunity to acquire microscopic operating skills even before the commencement of his neurosurgical training.

After one year of Neurosurgical training in Morgantown, WV and Phoenix, AZ, where Michael worked under pioneers in Neurosurgery and Spine Surgery like Dr Robert Spetzler and Dr Volker Sonntag, he returned to the Charité Hospital in Berlin. The artificial disc and the concept of motion preservation in spine surgery were invented by surgeons at the Charité hospital. For this reason, Michael has been trained in this surgery years before this technology was introduced to Australia.

Michael moved to Perth in January 2003 for what was initially planned to be a one-year fellowship. He fell in love with Australia and Perth in particular. He became an Australian Citizen in 2009. After further neurosurgical training at the Neurosurgical Service of Western Australia Michael was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons in 2009.

Between 2008-2010 Michael undertook post fellowship training in spine surgery, paediatric and epilepsy surgery at the Westmead Hospitals in Sydney working with Dr Andrew Kam, Dr Gordon Dandie and Dr Mark Dexter.

Michael returned to Perth in 2011 to commence private practice with a keen interest in spine surgery. He strongly believes in the benefit of a multidisciplinary approach to treatment of spine and brain diseases. He has built a network and closely works with neurosurgical and orthopaedic colleagues, neurointerventional and pain specialists, oncologists, physicians, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists and clinical psychologists. He has extensive expertise in motion preservation surgery (artificial disc and dynamic fixation surgery), fusion surgery including atlanto-axial and occipito-cervical fusion, using minimally invasive techniques, computer guidance and intraoperative imaging. He specialises in surgery for brain tumours using the most advanced intraoperative guidance and imaging technologies.

Outside work Michael loves to spend time with his wife and two daughters. He is passionate about training his dogs. His Dobermann is trained in the very difficult sport of Schutzhund / IPO. His other hobbies are racing cars, skiing and reading.

Michael is a long term member of the Mount Hospital Medical Advisory Committee, the Credentialing Committee and the Clinical ReviewCommittee. He operates at the Mount Hospital, St John of God Hospitals Murdoch and Subiaco. He also consults every second month in Busselton.