Mike Companion has practiced as a Certified Orthopaedic Physician’s Assistant since 2005. Over the span of his professional career, he has worked primarily in a surgical setting specializing in adult reconstructive surgery, revision surgery, and sports medicine. Mike began working with Dr. Charles Gordon and The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint in December of 2019.
Education
Orthopaedic Physician’s Assistant Certification
Columbus College
Columbus, GA (1981)
Orthopaedic Physician’s Assistant Certification
Auburn University
Auburn, AL (1979)
Certification
Orthopaedic Physician Assistant-Certified, National Board for Certification of Orthopaedic Physician Assistants (OPA-C)
Orthopaedic Technologist, National Board for Certification of Orthopaedic Technologist
Kristy W. Barrentine, a registered nurse since 2004, has practiced as a nurse practitioner since 2009. Over her career span, Kristy’s professional clinical focus has been spine treatment, with experience in both neurosurgery and interventional pain management. Kristy began working with Dr. Charles Gordon, The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint in May of 2020.
Education
Master of Science in Nursing, School of Nursing
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL (2009)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, College of Nursing
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL (2004)
Certification
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, American Nurses Credentialing Center
Licensure
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: State of Mississippi
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner: State of Alabama
Shireen Knowles has been a nurse since 2002 and a nurse practitioner since 2010. Her professional focus has been in orthopaedic and neuropathic conditions, including spine health, since graduating from UAB. Since 2016, Shireen has worked with Dr. Paul Canale, medical director for The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint.
Education
Master of Science in Nursing, School of Nursing
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL (2010)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, College of Nursing
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL (2008)
Associate in Applied Science (Associate Degree in Nursing)
Alabama Southern Community College
Monroeville, AL (2002)
Certification
Alabama Board of Nursing, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner
Patrick Hall Dunn Jr. has been a Certified Physician’s Assistant for 20 years. For the last 14 years he has worked alongside Dr. Paul Canale, Medical Director for The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint PC. During his 20-year career he has worked primarily in a surgical setting specializing in spine and orthopaedics.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Surgical Physician Assistant,
University of Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama (1999)
Bachelor of Science, Biology
Millsaps College
Jackson, MS (1993)
Certification
Physician Assistant-Certified
National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Dr. Paul Canale is a board certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon who has successfully treated patients with neck and spine conditions for more than 30 years. He specializes in complex spinal reconstruction surgery. Dr. Canale serves as medical director of The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint.
Education
BS Mechanical Engineering: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1980
Masters Program, Mechanical Engineering: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1981
Medical School
The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, 1985
Internship
General Surgery: Wayne State University,Detroit, MI, 1985-86
Orthopaedic Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 1986-90
Fellowship
Foot/Ankle/Complex Lower Extremity Reconstruction:
The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 1990-91
Spine Disorders/Surgery:
University of Missouri/ Columbia Spine Center: Columbia, Missouri, 2003-04
Certification and Licensure
State of Alabama
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, 1993
Societies
Alabama Orthopaedic Society (AOS)
Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS)
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
North American Spine Society (NASS)
Baldwin County Medical Society
Medical Association of Alabama
Other
Medical Director, The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint
Dr. Charles Gordon is a board eligible, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon with specialized training and emphasis in minimally-invasive spine surgeries. He practices with The Spine Institute at Baldwin Bone & Joint in Mobile and Baldwin County, Alabama.
Education
B.S., General Physics, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 2007
Medical School
M.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, AR, 2011
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo Buffalo, NY, 2017
Fellowship
Spinal Surgery, University of Maryland and Shock Trauma Hospital
Baltimore, MD, 2018
Certification and Licensure
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Board Eligible
Alabama Board of Medical Examiners
Societies
AO North America Spinal Surgery, Fellow
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Fellow
North American Spine Society
Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society
Medical Association of the State of Alabama
Alabama Orthopaedic Society
Patient Testimonial
“”Quite a few times, I’d go outside to play with my kids, and if I took a wrong step, I’d be on the ground, not able to get up. Dr. Gordon was like ‘I can fix you. I can fix it.’ He didn’t even hesitate about it. […] Dr. Gordon did amazing.”
Tim Moseley, Patient of Dr. Charles Gordon, Jr.
Patient Testimonial
“Dr. Gordon, he did the surgery and the pain is gone. And I can walk. I’m really glad I had that surgery. It gave me the ability to really get my life back to where it was before. You don’t realize until you have difficulties what mobility is.”
Linda Gibson, Patient of Dr. Charles Gordon, Jr.
Dr. Gordon Explains MISS
Dr. Gordon describes some different types of spinal fusion surgery treatment options that are available to those suffering from pain caused by degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis and how the minimally-invasive OLIF25™ procedure provides a faster recovery with less post-operative pain for patients – patients just like Steve Schwartzer.
Patient Testimonial
“When I came out of surgery, I reached down to my left leg and I looked at Deb. I said, ‘There’s no pain. This feels great!” And it did. You know for it being less than 24 hours out of surgery. And to be straight and to walk without any pain? I’m telling you what, I still can’t describe it.”
Tim Peavy, Patient of Dr. Charles Gordon, Jr.
Patient Testimonial
“It got to a point where I physically couldn’t turn and it just continued on and the pain was intensifying. It was hard to walk; it was hard to sit – I just had to say, ‘This is not going to work. I gotta find something that will cure it.’ And that is when I found Dr. Gordon.”
Steve Schwartzer, Patient of Dr. Charles Gordon, Jr.