Dr. Wharton specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the spine.Dr. Wharton completed a surgical internship at Yale–New Haven Medical Center, and then completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. This was followed by a fellowship in spine surgery and the care and treatment of patients with traumatic spine injuries at the USC Rancho los Amigos Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Wharton served active duty in the United States Air Force as a spine surgeon at David Grant Regional Medical Center after his spine fellowship. He has over 40 years of clinical experience in the management and treatment of spinal trauma, degenerative, metabolic and infectious disease involving the spine.Dr. Wharton served on the clinical faculty of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School for over 30 years. During that time his teaching assignments routinely included the anatomy and biomechanics of trauma related spinal injuries, with emphasis on correction of deformities and instability. Dr. Wharton also taught the neuroanatomy of trauma related injuries to the spinal cord and peripheral nerves.Dr. Wharton has also received special recognition for his contribution to patient education and successful return to work programs. He has endorsed and emphasized the development and utilization of evidence based treatment guidelines which have been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes.