About Me
From a young age, I was interested in and had an aptitude for science. I considered a career in scientific research, but ultimately chose medicine because I wanted to work with people and help improve their lives. I have always been drawn to structural challenges—as a child, I helped my father with house and car repairs, and later I worked as a bike mechanic—so surgery was a natural calling. To me, neurosurgery is the most interesting type of surgery, and it allows me to greatly enhance the lives of my patients.
At NYU Langone’s Spine Center, I treat adults who have all types of spinal conditions, from the skull down to the pelvis. I have particular expertise in providing care to adults who have complex spinal deformities including scoliosis, kyphosis (also known as flat-back syndrome), and dropped-head syndrome.
Many of my patients have common degenerative spinal conditions, such as degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease, spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and spondylolisthesis. At our Spine Center, experts in neurology, pain management, and physiatry are often able to provide people with nonsurgical treatments. When these less-invasive approaches are not sufficient to manage the patient’s symptoms, we discuss potential surgical options. Spinal tumors and spinal traumas can also sometimes be managed without surgery but require a spinal neurosurgeon’s evaluation. Our aim is to provide treatments that meet the individual needs of each patient.
At NYU Langone, we take a collaborative approach to medicine. When I joined the institution in 2009, I reached out to my new colleagues in orthopedic spine surgery, and I have worked closely with them ever since. We often perform co-surgery together and conduct research jointly in our neurosurgery–orthopedics research group. I also partner with specialists in plastic surgery and otolaryngology when patients need their expertise for a particular spinal problem. Our team approach improves workflow, efficiency, and patient safety.
I've been recognized in Super Doctors as a “New York Super Doctor,” and in 2014 was named one of “35 Spine Surgeons Under 40 to Know” in Becker’s Spine Review.
Conditions and Treatments
Conditions
- ankylosing spondylitis
- back pain
- brain injury
- cervical myelopathy
- cervical spine fracture
- degenerative disc disease
- herniated disc
- injury of the lumbar spine
- kyphosis with lordosis
- neck pain
- neck problem
- nerve root injury
- shoulder pain
- spina bifida
- spinal arthritis
- spinal cord injury
- spinal cord tumor
- spinal deformity
- spinal injury
- spinal stenosis
- spine compression fractures
- spine infection
- spondyloarthropathy
- spondylolisthesis
- spondylolysis
- spondylosis
- syringomyelia
Treatments
- disc repair
- minimally invasive surgery
- neck surgery
- spinal cord procedures
- spinal cord reconstruction
- spinal fusion
Learn more about conditions we treat at NYU Langone:
Back Pain , Degenerative Disc Disease , Herniated Disc , Neck Pain , Spina Bifida in Children , Spinal Cord Tumors , Spinal Stenosis , Spine Compression Fractures , Spondylolisthesis , SpondylolysisCredentials
Positions
- Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine
- Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Board Certifications
- American Board of Neurological Surgery - Neurological Surgery, 2010
Education and Training
- Residency, University of Pennsylvania, Neurosurgery, 2007
- MD from University Of Virginia, 2000
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Edit profileInsurance Plans Accepted
This provider accepts the following insurance plans.
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Aetna
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Indemnity
- Aetna Medicare
- Aetna POS
- Aetna PPO/EPO
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Cigna
- Cigna EPO/POS
- Cigna PPO
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Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Indemnity
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield MediBlue
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield POS
- Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
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GHI
- GHI CBP
- GHI HMO
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HIP
- HIP Access I
- HIP Access II
- HIP Child Health
- HIP EPO/PPO
- HIP HMO
- HIP Medicaid
- HIP Medicare
- HIP POS
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Healthfirst
- Healthfirst
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Humana
- Humana Medicare
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Local 1199
- Local 1199 PPO
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MagnaCare
- MagnaCare PPO
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Medicaid
- NY Medicaid
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Medicare
- Medicare
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MultiPlan/PHCS
- MultiPlan/PHCS PPO
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NYS Health Insurance Plan
- The Empire Plan
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Oxford
- Oxford Exchange
- Oxford Freedom
- Oxford Liberty
- Oxford Medicare
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Railroad Medicare
- Railroad Medicare
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UHC
- UnitedHealthcare EPO
- UnitedHealthcare HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare
- UnitedHealthcare POS
- UnitedHealthcare PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Top Tier
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UPN
- UPN Elite
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United Healthcare
- United Healthcare Compass Exchange /CareCore / Charter
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WTC Health Program
- WTC Health Program
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Workers Comp
- Workers Comp
Michael L. Smith, MD does not accept insurance.
Locations and Appointments
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute
645 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Research My Research
Interests
spinal tumors, spinal deformity
Academic Contact
Academic office
530 1st Avenue
Suite 8R
New York, NY 10016
Phone
Research Interests Timeline
Clinical Trials and Research Studies
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An Interventional Multi-Center investigation of Single Level Transforaminal Lumber Interbody Fusion (TLIF) Stabilized with Pedicle Screws
Publications
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Dou, Yongchao; Katsnelson, Lizabeth; Gritsenko, Marina A; Hu, Yingwei; Reva, Boris; Hong, Runyu; Wang, Yi-Ting; Kolodziejczak, Iga; Lu, Rita Jui-Hsien; Tsai, Chia-Feng; Bu, Wen; Liu, Wenke; Guo, Xiaofang; An, Eunkyung; Arend, Rebecca C; Bavarva, Jasmin; Chen, Lijun; Chu, Rosalie K; Czekański, Andrzej; Davoli, Teresa; Demicco, Elizabeth G; DeLair, Deborah; Devereaux, Kelly; Dhanasekaran, Saravana M; Dottino, Peter; Dover, Bailee; Fillmore, Thomas L; Foxall, McKenzie; Hermann, Catherine E; Hiltke, Tara; Hostetter, Galen; Jędryka, Marcin; Jewell, Scott D; Johnson, Isabelle; Kahn, Andrea G; Ku, Amy T; Kumar-Sinha, Chandan; Kurzawa, Paweł; Lazar, Alexander J; Lazcano, Rossana; Lei, Jonathan T; Li, Yi; Liao, Yuxing; Lih, Tung-Shing M; Lin, Tai-Tu; Martignetti, John A; Masand, Ramya P; Matkowski, Rafał; McKerrow, Wilson; Mesri, Mehdi; Monroe, Matthew E; Moon, Jamie; Moore, Ronald J; Nestor, Michael D; Newton, Chelsea; Omelchenko, Tatiana; Omenn, Gilbert S; Payne, Samuel H; Petyuk, Vladislav A; Robles, Ana I; Rodriguez, Henry; Ruggles, Kelly V; Rykunov, Dmitry; Savage, Sara R; Schepmoes, Athena A; Shi, Tujin; Shi, Zhiao; Tan, Jimin; Taylor, Mason; Thiagarajan, Mathangi; Wang, Joshua M; Weitz, Karl K; Wen, Bo; Williams, C M; Wu, Yige; Wyczalkowski, Matthew A; Yi, Xinpei; Zhang, Xu; Zhao, Rui; Mutch, David; Chinnaiyan, Arul M; Smith, Richard D; Nesvizhskii, Alexey I; Wang, Pei; Wiznerowicz, Maciej; Ding, Li; Mani, D R; Zhang, Hui; Anderson, Matthew L; Rodland, Karin D; Zhang, Bing; Liu, Tao; Fenyö, David; Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium
Cancer cell. 2023 Sep 11; 41(9):1586-1605.e15
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Zutshi, Ipshita; Buzsáki, György
Current biology. CB. 2023 Sep 11; 33(17):3648-3659.e4
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Kompa, Benjamin; Hakim, Joe B.; Palepu, Anil; Kompa, Kathryn Grace; Smith, Michael; Bain, Paul A.; Woloszynek, Stephen; Painter, Jeffery L.; Bate, Andrew; Beam, Andrew L.
Drug safety. 2023 Jan 01; ?-?