The Spine and Orthopedic Center- Santa Maria
326 W. Main st.
Suite 120
Santa Maria, CA 93454
805-925-9997
Board Certified and Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Surgeon Specializing in Surgeries of the Spine.
Dr. Moelleken attended SUNY Albany as an undergraduate student. He graduated number one in his class with a Double Honors’ Degree and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa as a junior.
He subsequently enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he received his medical training and graduated with an M. D. degree in 1983. He then preformed a year of orthopedic surgery research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
He was then accepted into a prestigious orthopedic residency program at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
After completion of his residency, he attended New York University (NYU), New York, for special fellowship training in neurosurgery and orthopedic spine surgery. His mentors included some of the most famous neurosurgeons, spine surgeons, and experts in scoliosis. While at NYU, he served as an assistant professor and an attending physician teaching neurosurgery and orthopedic residents at Bellevue Hospital Medical Center in New York and at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center in New York (affiliated with NYU Medical Center).
Dr. Moelleken is a member of a variety of academic and scientific organizations, such as the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), the North American Spine Society (NASS), and the American Medical Association (AMA). He has authored numerous scientific publications and presentations. For the past nine years, he has been the chairman of the monthly Tri-County Spine Conference. He maintains his cutting-edge knowledge and expertise as a spine surgeon by regularly attending national and international spine conferences and by constantly familiarizing himself with the latest research in the fields of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery, especially as it pertains to disorders of the spine.
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Medical School: Pennsylvania School of Medicine, University of
Graduation Year: 1987
Professional Webpage: www.spineandorthocenter.com/about-us-physicians-dr-moelleken...
Listed as one of the Spine Surgeons to Know 2014
Spine Surgeons to Know, Becker's Spine Review, 2014
Listed as one of the Spine Surgeon Leaders to Know
Spine Surgeon Leaders to Know, Becker's Spine Review, 2013
Rated as one of 209 Spine Surgeons and Specliasts to Know
208 Spine Specialists to Know, Becker's Orthopedic and Spine Review, 2012
Included in list of Top Doctors: Southern California
Top Doctors: Southern California, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., 2012
Rated as one of the 100 Best Spine Specialists in America
100 Best Spine Specialists in America, Becker's Orthopedic and Spine Review, 2011
Rated as one of the 50 best spine specialists in America
50 Best Spine Specialists in America, Becker's Orthopedic and Spine Review, 2010
Graduated first in class of 2,338 with a 4.0 GPA
Valedictorian, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1983
Diplomate, National Board of Medical Examiners
Board Certified, American Board, Orthopedic Surgery
Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME)
California Medical Board, License #G68712
The Spine and Orthopedic Center- Spine and Orthopedic Surgeon
1994
Bellevue Hospital Medical Center- Attending Physician in Orthopedic & Neurosurgery
1993
COMPARISON OF SURGICAL OPTIONS FOR 42-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WITH CERVICAL
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Kevin Groh, PA-C, MSPAS,
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
3/14 69-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WITH LOW BACK PAIN AND BILATERAL LEG SYMPTOMS FOR FOUR
MONTHS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jesse Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
6/14 63-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WITH ACUTE ONSET OF BILATERAL PARAPARESIS. Santa Barbara
Cottage Hospital. Victoria Lindsay, PA-C, MMS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/14 46-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WITH LOW BACK PAIN AND LEFT BUTTOCK PAIN. Santa Barbara
Cottage Hospital. Greg Stevens, PA-C, MPA, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2014
2/13 COMMON SPINE AND ORTHOPEDIC INJURIES IN ELITE ATHLETES. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
3/13 55-YEAR-OLD-MALE WITH CHIEF COMPLAINT OF LEFT LEG PAIN FOR 3 YEARS. Santa Barbara
Cottage Hospital. Jesse Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
6/13 46-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH LOW BACK PAIN TIMES MULTIPLE YEARS. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Darren Richards, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
8/13 18-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WITH NECK AND UPPER BACK PAIN. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Jesse Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/13 65-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH PROGRESSIVE WEAKNESS INTO THE POWER EXTREMITIES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2013
1/12 DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN SHOULDER VERSUS NECK PATHOLOGY. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital, Darren Richards, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
3/12 NAME THAT LESION: LOWER LIMB INJURIES MASQUERADING AS LUMBAR RADICULOPATHY.
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Parish Vaidya, M.D., James Kinchsular, D.P.M., Jessica
Habeck, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
4/12 DISCOGENIC PAIN. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jesse Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
5/12 COMPARTMENT SYNDROME. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Mitchell Fallon, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
6/12 50-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH CHIEF COMPLAINT OF NECK AND BILATERAL UPPER
EXTREMITIES TIMES 20 YEARS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Matthew Ebling, PA-C,
MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
7/12 64-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH LOW BACK AND BILATERAL HIP PAIN FOR 10 MONTHS. Santa
Barbara Cottage Hospital. Josie Kozloff, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
9/12 50-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WITH CHIEF COMPLAINT OF LOW BACK PAIN AND BILATERAL LEG
SYMPTOMS TIMES 19 YEARS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Kenneth Nisbet, PA-C, MSPAS,
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/12 66-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH CHIEF COMPLAINT OF FEVER, CONFUSION, AND GENERAL
WEAKNESS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Darren Richards, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken,
M.D.
11/12 56-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN AND AN ACUTE COMPRESSION
FRACTURE. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jesse Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken,
M.D.
12/12 77-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WITH NECK PAIN FOLLOWING SLIP AND FALL. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Matthew Ebling, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2012
05/11 ADVERSE EFFECTS & COMPLICATIONS OF COMMON MEDICATIONS USED IN
SPINE/ORTHOPEDICS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Darren Richards, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
06/11 EVALUATION & TREATMENT OF BULLETS IN THE SPINE. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jesse
Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
07/11 ADJACENT SEGMENT DISEASE. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jessica Habeck, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
08/11 HAND TRAUMA. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Dave Davis, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
09/11 SI JOINT DYSFUNCTION. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Matthew Ebling, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
11/11 DISC HERNIATIONS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
2011
02/10 DISKITIS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D
03/10 FRACTURES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Dave Davis, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
04/10 SPRAINS/STRAINS OF CERVICAL & LUMBAR SPINES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jesse
Jacobs, PA-C, MSPAS, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
05/10 THORACIC DISC HERNIATION. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jessica Habeck, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
09/10 ORTHOPEDIC TREATMENT MODALITIES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Dave Davis, PA-C,
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/10 SPONDYLOLYSIS & SPONDYLOLITHES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jennifer Lewis, PA-C,
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
12/10 OUTPATIENT SPINE SURGERY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jessica Habeck, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
2010
01/09 THORACIC OUTLOOK SYNDROME. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C.
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
02/09 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF LUMBAR RADICULOPATHY. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
03/09 DOUBLE CRUSH SYNDROME. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. David Davis, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
04/09 PHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH TO SPINAL CORD INJURIES. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Jessica Habeck, PA-C. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
06/09 THORACIC/LUMBAR FRACTURES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
09/09 PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM VS CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Lisa Mendez, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/09 VERTEBROPLASTY VS KYPHOPLASTY., Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jesse Jacobs,
PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/09 FACET HYPERTROPHY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Jessica Habeck, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
2009
01/08 NEUROPHYSIOLOGIC MONITORING OF SPINE PROBLEMS. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Philip Delio, M.D., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
03/08 LUMBAR SPRAIN/STRAIN. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Boris Tapia, Alan Moelleken,
M.D.
04/08 SAFETY OF LUMBAR FUSION OF THE ELDERLY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. David
Davis, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
05/08 POLYTRAUMA & CAUDA EQUINA. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
07/08 NEUROPATHIC PAIN. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. David Davis, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
08/08 CONTRADICTIONS TO SPINAL MANIPULATION. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. John
Michalak, D.C., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/08 POST SURGICAL BRACING-CERVICAL. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. David Davis,
PA-C., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2008
01/07 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF RADIATING LEG PAIN. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
02/07 NONSURGICAL SPINE CARE: NEW TECHNOLOGY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
04/07 PROGRESSIVE SCOLIOSIS IN ADULTHOOD. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet,
PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
05/07 LUMBAR SPONDYLOLISTHESIS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. David Davis, PA-C, Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
06/07 MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY AND THE SPINE. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C,
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
07/07 MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE TREATMENT. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Robert
Wood, M.D., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
09/07 CERVICAL MYELOPATHY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/07 RADIOLOGY OF COMMON SPINE DISORDERS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Sonja
Moelleken, M.D., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
12/07 CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF LOWER BACK PAIN. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Ryan Nakasone. D.C., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2007
10/06 DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT OF FACET DISEASE IN THE CERVICAL SPINE. Santa Barbara
Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
12/06 AUTOFUSION & SPONTANEOUS FUSIONS IN SPINE TRAUMA AND DOD. Santa Barbara
Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2006
03/05 DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE OF THE LUMBAR SPINE. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Alan Moelleken, M.D.
04/05 SPINE FUSIONS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
05/05 CERVICAL STENOSIS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
06/05 PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY & SPINAL STENOSIS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
07/05 SPINE TUMORS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ken Nisbet, PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/05 RADIOLOGY OF SPINE: DIAGNOSIS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Sonja Moelleken,
M.D., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/05 PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES IN CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN PATIENTS; ROLE OF NEW DISC
REPLACEMENT SURGERY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2005
03/04 ADDICTION MEDICINE AND SPINE DISORDERS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Joseph
Frawley, M.D., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
04/04 FOOT DROP AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. St. Francis Medical Center. Alan Moelleken,
M.D.
07/04 CONSERVATIVE CARE FOR HERNIATED CERVIAL DISCS. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/04 SPINE FUSIONS AND KYPHOPLASTY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/04 OSTEOPEROSIS: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
2004
02/03 PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR SPINAL SURGERY. St. Francis Medical Center. Marsha McIntyre,
P.T., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
03/03 FAILED SPINE SURGERY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
04/03 SPINE FRACTURES. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
06/03 ACUPUNCTURE FOR SPINE PROBLEMS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Mary Thigold,
L-Ac, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
07/03 CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS. Santa Barbara Surgery Center. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
08/03 APPLICATION OF LASER TECHNOLOGY IN SPINAL PATHOLOGY. Santa Barbara Surgery
Center. Meghan Meliziano, P.T., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
09/03 DEGENERATIVE SPINE CONDITIONS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
09/03 HERNIATED LUMBAR DISCS: SURGICAL INDICATIONS. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
10/03 SPINE INJECTIONS, RHIZOTOMY & CAUDA EQUINA SYNDROME. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
11/03 IMPLANTS IN SPINE SURGERY. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
12/03 CONSERVATIVE CARE OF THE SPINE FOR SPONDYLOLISTHESIS. Santa Barbara Surgery
Center. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2003
UPPER MOTOR NEURON LESIONS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Andrew Duncan,
PA-C, Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2002
INTRADISCAL MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE. St. Francis Medical Center. Kathleen
Abbott, M.D., Alan Moelleken, M.D.
2002
INSTRUCTOR, SYNTHES SPINE INSTRUMENTATION COURSE. Marina Del Rey. Alan Moelleken,
M.D. (by invitation)
1997
TECHNIQUES IN ANTERIOR SPINAL INSTRUMENTATION. Marina Del Rey, California. Alan
Moelleken, M.D. (by invitation)
1997
SCOLIOSIS. UC Santa Barbara Continuing Education Program. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
1997
SCOLIOSIS FOR THE PEDIATRICIAN. Santa Barbara County Pediatric Society.
Alan Moelleken, M.D. (by invitation).
1996
SPINE TRAUMA: NON-SURGICAL & SURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS. Santa Barbara Cottage
Hospital. Alan Moelleken, M.D. (by invitation)
1996
Chairman and coordinator of monthly Santa Barbara Spine Conference
Chairman/Coordinator, Santa Barbara Spine Conference, 1995
TREATMENTS FOR COMMON SPINE PROBLEMS. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Alan
Moelleken, M.D.
1995
SPINE & DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING OF THE SPINE. Channel Cities District Radiology Society.
Alan Moelleken, M.D. (by invitation).
1995
NECK PAIN. Santa Barbara Continuing Education Course for Primary Care Physicians. Alan
Moelleken, M.D. (by invitation)
1995
THE SPINE: ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF SPINE X-RAYS. Channel Cities District Radiology
Society. Alan Moelleken, M.D. (by invitation)
1995
COMPRESSION NEUROPATHY. UCLA Medical Center. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
1993
ACROOSTEOLYSIS. UCLA Medical Center. Alan Moelleken, M.D.
1992
Belfort M, Moelleken A, Maley F. Purification and Properties of the Phage T4 Thymidylate
Synthetase Produced by the Cloned Gene in an Amplification Vector. J Biological Chemistry
1983; 258 (3): 2045-2051.
Amplification of the E. coli and Phage T4 Thymidylate Synthetase Genes and Characterization
of their products. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual New York State Health Department
Birth Defects Symposium, November 15-16, 1982. Albany, N.Y.
Moelleken A. in Recombinant DNA and Medical Genetics. Anne Messer, Ian H. Porter, ed.
New York: Academic Press, 1983. p. 204f.
Howard M, Moelleken A, Dawson E. An Anterior Muscle Sparing approach to the Spine.
Western Orthopedic Society. September 1991.
Cohen C, Cuckler J, Moelleken A, Nazar E, Ducheyne P. The Comparative Initial Stability of
Cemented and Cementless Acetabular Prostheses. The Transactions of the 15th meeting of
the Society for biomaterials. Orlando, Florida, 1989.
Moelleken A, Gokaslan Z, Cooper P. in The Practice of Neurosurgery. Iatrogenic Deformities
of the Spine. Williams & Wilkins, 1996.
Sava J, Moelleken A, Waxman K. Cardiac Arrest Caused By Reperfusion Injury Following Lumbar Paraspinal Compartment Syndrome. Journal of Trauma 1998; 46:1.
Moelleken A. Implantable Direct Current Stimulation of Cervical Spine Fusion in a Patient
with Hadju-Cheney Syndrome. 9th International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques,
Montreux, Switzerland. May 23-25, 2002.
Moelleken A, Nazar E, Cuckler J, Ducheyne P. Optimization of the Effect of Centrifugation
on the Strength of PMMA: Comparison of the Effects of Fracture Toughness and Fatigue
Resistance. 35th Annual Meeting, Orthopedic Research Society.
Harrison (2011, February 24). Top Surgeons – Sponsored List. ADR Support: Five
Levels of Decision Support for ADR Seekers. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f50/top-surgeons-sponsored-list-11011.
New York University- Fellowship in Spinal Surgery, Combined Neurological Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
1993
University of California, Los Angeles- Residency in Orthopedic Surgery
1989
University of California, Los Angeles- Interniship in Surgery
1988
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
1983
University at Albany, State University of New York
1979The Spine and Orthopedic Center- Santa Maria
326 W. Main st.
Suite 120
Santa Maria, CA 93454
805-925-9997
The Spine and Orthopedic Center- Oxnard
640 S. B St.
Oxnard, CA 93030
805-485-7042
The Spine and Orthopedic Center- Bakersfield
2726 16th St.
Bakersfield, CA 93301
661-864-1150
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