DR. ROBERT WATKINS JR MD, is a board certified orthopedic spine surgeon and co-director of the Marina Spine Center. His areas of specialty include minimally invasive spine surgery, image guidance, disc replacement, and spinal deformity. Dr. Watkins, Jr. completed his medical degree at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine where he was student body president for two years. He performed his orthopedic surgery residency at the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California General Hospital and then completed a spine fellowship at The Queen's Medical Centre in England. Following his fellowship, Dr. Watkins, Jr. was a traveling spine fellow throughout Europe specializing in artificial disc replacement and scoliosis surgery. Dr. Watkins, Jr. lectures frequently to physical therapist, doctor, and patient groups and is a member of the admissions board at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. He has authored several papers on spine biomechanics, deformity surgery, and computer spine surgery.