I am Dr. Marie-Christine Maximin, a pediatric orthopedic surgery specialist for over 25 years.
With a degree in pediatric surgery, I focus on treating spinal disorders in children and adolescents.
As a member of the French Society for Spinal Surgery (SFCR), I am fully committed to this subspecialty, which has fascinated me since my early years as an intern and has guided my entire professional career.
In 2000, I completed an inter-university hospital internship at La Timone Hospital in Marseille, working in the department headed by Professors Gérard Bollini and Jean-Luc Jouve. This immersion in a school of thought different from that of Strasbourg, where I trained, allowed me to deepen my knowledge of spinal surgery and enrich my expertise with complementary skills.
The following year, I defended my doctoral thesis in medicine on the topic: “Surgical management of scoliosis in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.” This work was awarded first prize for best poster at the SOFCOT congress in 2001, presented by Professor Jean Dubousset. This award marked the beginning of regular and enriching exchanges with him, whether during meetings at Professor Wafa Skalli’s Biomechanics Laboratory or at various specialized conferences.
In addition, I joined the first class (2005-2007) of the Inter-University Diploma in Spinal Surgery, a program that strengthened my commitment to this demanding and constantly evolving specialty.
I completed my Master’s degree at the Biomechanics Laboratory of Arts et Métiers in Paris in 2005 under the supervision of Professor Waffa Skalli, engineer and head of the laboratory, and Professor Jean-Paul Steib, adult spine surgeon and head of department at Strasbourg University Hospital.
I have taught numerous courses on the subject of back disorders in children and adolescents at nursing, physical therapy, and childcare assistant schools, as well as to my colleagues specializing in pediatrics or general medicine during my professional career in the public and private sectors.
In 2022, as president of the CNP-CEA (National Professional Council for Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery), I drafted the priority guidelines for CPD (Continuing Professional Development for doctors) concerning spinal disorders in children and adolescents.
The first implants I used to surgically treat my young patients with scoliosis were those designed by Dr. Yves Cotrel, a pioneer in this field. He once said, “A mission is not something you give yourself, it is something you receive.”and I agree!
II 2023, a new mission came to me, almost by chance: to train school nurses in the clinical screening of spinal disorders. This initiative came about thanks to a decisive meeting with Ms. Nora Muller-Conte, representative of the Cotrel Foundation. It is part of a decree from the Ministry of Education, which makes medical examinations mandatory for sixth graders, including back screening.
The 2023-2024 school year saw the training of 450 school nurses from the Grenoble Academy through theoretical medical instruction followed by immediate practical application, organized by the Cotrel Foundation. School doctors also attended the theoretical training, demonstrating their shared interest in this public health issue. Everyone’s motivation and involvement were galvanized by the energy and commitment of Ms. Muller-Conte.
During the first training session in Annemasse in September 2023, a clinical screening protocol for scoliosis was developed in collaboration with the school nurses. This document, now approved by the Scientific Council of the Yves Cotrel Foundation, was presented to the Ministry of National Education.
Since 2023, I have had the honor of contributing to two fundamental missions of the Cotrel Foundation: Early identification of scoliosis and raising awareness of this condition, which remains a major public health issue among children and adolescents.
