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Theodore H. Schwartz, M.D.

Neurological Surgery

Locations and Appointments

Insurances Accepted

Please contact the doctor's office to verify that your insurance is accepted.

  • EPO/POS
  • EPO
  • HMO
  • Mediblue (Senior)
  • PPO
  • Freedom
  • Liberty
  • Medicare Advantage
  • Metro/Core/Charter
  • Community Plan
  • Medicare
Personal Statement

Neurosurgery has always been more of a passion than a profession for me. I view patient care as a privilege that requires complete dedication to patient well-being. I am fully aware that the concept of having to undergo a neurosurgical operation, a “brain surgery,” is a daunting and terrifying prospect to a patient. I try to make the whole experience pleasant and positive, and to create a calm and soothing environment for my patients. My whole office staff is centered on the patient experience to provide professional, rapid responses to any questions in a courteous and caring manner.

Behind the scenes, I have dedicated my career to pursuing minimally invasive operative techniques to make neurosurgical procedures easier on my patients so they recover more rapidly and can return quickly to their normal lives. Nothing makes my day more than seeing patients a few weeks after surgery and getting a big hug and smile from them and their families for a job well done. I am also privileged to practice in Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. The staff and affiliated services are the best in New York, and their assistance is invaluable in providing the best and most compassionate care to my patients. 

 

Biographical Info

Theodore H. Schwartz, MD, received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. After completing his residency and chief residency in Neurosurgery at The Neurological Institute of NewYork at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, Dr. Schwartz spent a year at Yale-New Haven Medical Center receiving advanced fellowship training. Dr. Schwartz specializes in the surgical treatment of brain tumors, pituitary tumors, and epilepsy using the latest techniques in computer-guided surgical navigation, minimally invasive endoscopy, and microsurgery. Dr. Schwartz was recently named David and Ursel Barnes Professor in Minimally Invasive Surgery, the first endowed professorship in the department.

Dr. Schwartz has provided commentary for numerous television shows on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Larry King, in addition to national radio shows. His expertise has been sought through interviews, quoted and published, in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, and Crain's New York Business; he is asked to lecture throughout the country and world. Dr. Schwartz has published many scholarly articles for the Journal of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery, Epilepsia, Clinical Neurosurgery the Journal of Neuro-Oncology, Nature Medicine, NeuroImage and the Journal of Neuroscience.

Dr. Schwartz has been named one of New York's Super Doctors, Best Doctors in New York Magazine, America's Top Surgeons, America's Best Doctors and America's Best Doctors for Cancer. He is the co-author of two books on endoscopic skull base surgery and endoscopic pituitary surgery.

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Dr. Schwartz sees patients at: 1305 York Avenue (at 70th Street), 9th Floor, New York, NY

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To schedule an appointment with Dr. Schwartz, please call (212) 746-5620

Honors and Awards

1985-87: John Harvard Scholarship for Academic Achievement

1987: Hoops Prize for Senior Thesis– Harvard College

1987: Magna Cum Laude – Harvard College 

1991: Harvard Medical Student Research Fellowship  

1993: Magna Cum Laude – Harvard Medical School  

1996: Central Neuropsychiatric Association Resident Award, Honorable Mention   

1997: Academy Award, The American Academy of Neurological Surgeons, Honorable Mention

1997: Junior Investigator Award, American Epilepsy Society 

1999: Epilepsy Foundation Research/Clinical Training Fellowship 

1999: Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship  

2000: William P. Van Wagenan Fellowship 

2000: German Academic Exchange (DAAD) Award 

2000: Academy Award, The American Academy of Neurological Surgeons, Honor. Mention 

2001-02: Junior Investigator Award, Epilepsy Foundation of America 

2001-02: Young Clinician Investigators Award, NREF, AANS 

2002: The Goldenberg Lectureship, St. Francis Hospital, W. Hartford, CT 

2002-07: NINDS K08 (NS 43799)  

2002-05: The Dana Foundation Program in Clinical Imaging Award 

2002-05: NINDS R21 (NS 42325)

2004-08: NINDS R01 (NS 94822) 

2005: NIH Study Section (NCRR GCRC Site visit) 

2005-06: NIH Study Section (NSD C) 

2005-06: NINDS Research Supplement for Minorities – Preceptor 

2005-present: Marquis Who’s Who in Healthcare 

2006: MHHC Foundation Health Leadership Award  

2006: Synthes Skull Base Award, CNS 

2006-07: Post-doctoral Research Fellowship, EFA – Preceptor 

2006-2010: NINDS NSD-C Permanent Member 

2007: Univ. of Pitt. Neurosurgery Chair Interview  

2007: NIBIB Study Section 06-003 RFA

2008: NINDS, study section ZNS1 SRB-B

2008: Visiting Professor, UCLA 

2008: George Ehni Lectureship, Visiting Professor, Baylor School of Medicine 

2008: Faculty of 1000 Biology, PNAS paper   

2008: New York Superdoctors  

2008: Faculty of 1000 Medicine, Epilepsia Paper  

2008: Visiting Professor, Stanford University   

2008: NINDS, study section ZNS1 SRB-S 

2008: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly 

2009: America’s Top Surgeons , Castle Connelly 

2009: New York Superdoctors   

2009: Top Doctors, New York Magazine

2009: NINDS study section, ZNS-1 SRB-B 12 

2009: Visiting Professor, UCSD 

2009: Best Doctors in America 

2009-present:The Global Directory of Who’s Who (Top Doctors)

2009-present: Who’s Who in Science and Engineering 

2010: America’s Top Surgeons, Castle Connelly  

2010: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly 

2010: New York Superdoctors  

2010: New York Magazine   Best Doctors  

2010: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2010: Best Doctors in America 

2010: NIH Study Section ZRG1 ETTN-B 

2010: President, Medical Strollers  

2010: Visiting Professor, St. Catherine”s College, Oxford, England

2010: Visiting Professor, MGH, Harvard 

2010: Visiting Professor, U. Rochester  

2010: Welcome Trust Grant 

2010: CTSC GRANT UL1-RR024996 

2010: American Academy of Neurological Surgery 

2010: Visiting Professor, Johns Hopkins 

2011: Visiting Professor, Bombay Neurological Association, India

2011: Visiting Lecturer, Dr. Balabhatic Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, India

2011: America’s Top Surgeons, Castle Connelly  

2011: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly  

2011: New York Superdoctors  

2011: New York Magazine Best Doctors 

2011: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2011: Best Doctors in America 

2011: Distinguished Skull Base Professor, University of Pennsylvania  

2011: Visiting Professor, Dept of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute 

2011: Visiting Professor, Dept of Neurosurgery, Jefferson Med Center 

 2011: Visiting Professor, Dept of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan 

2011: Honored Guest, Mexican Neurosurgical Congress 

2011: Visiting Professor, Dept. of Psychology, University of Sheffield, England 

2012: NSADA K21 (Mentor)  

2012: Kingswood-Oxford Stroud Science Symposium Lecture 

2012: Visiting Professor, Dept. of Neurosurgery, North Shore-LIJ 

2012: Honored Guest, 1st International Forum on Skull base Trauma and Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery and 1st Workshop on Endoscopic Skull base Surgery and 12th Workshop on Latest Neurosurgical Advancements, Neurosurgical Department of Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China       

2012: Visiting Professor, Dept of Neurosurgery, Yale-New Haven Medical Center   

2012: International Faculty, 5th World Congress for Endoscopic Surgery of the Brain, 

2012: Skull Base and Spine, Vienna, Austria 

2012: Honored Guest, Society for British Neurosurgeons, Aberdeeen, Scotland  

2012: America’s Top Surgeons, Castle Connelly 

2012: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly 

2012: New York Superdoctors   

2012: New York Magazine   Best Doctors  

2012: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2012: Best Doctors in America  

2012: Voices Against Brain Cancer Honoree

2013: NINDS R21 (NS 078644) 

2013: Visiting Professor, Dept. of Neurosurgery, Lennox Hill 

2013: Honored Guest, NUHS Dept. of Neurosurgery, Singapore 

2013: America’s Top Surgeons, Castle Connelly  

2013: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly  

2013: New York Super Doctors   

2013: New York Magazine   Best Doctors   

2013: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly  

2013: Best Doctors in America 

2013: Plenary Lecture, Rhinology Meeting, Sao Paolo, Brazil    

2013: Plenary Lecture, International League Against Epilepsy Meeting, Montreal          

2013: Plenary Lecture, Mexican Neurosurgical Congress           

2013: Honored Guest Lecturer, 1st Dandy Division of Skull Base Surgery            

2013: Visiting Professor, Dept. of Neurosurgery, Stanford University  

2013: Gentle Giant Award, Pituitary Network Association  

2014: New York SuperDoctors      

2014: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2015: New York SuperDoctors 

2015: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2016: New York SuperDoctors      

2016: New York Magazine Top Doctors

2016: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly 

2016: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2017: New York SuperDoctors 

2017: New York Magazine Top Doctors

2017: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly

2017: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2018: New York SuperDoctors     

2018: New York Magazine Top Doctors 

2018: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly

2018: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2019: New York SuperDoctors 

2019: New York Magazine Top Doctors

2019: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly

2019: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

2020: Top Doctors, New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly

2020: America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly 

 

Board Certifications
American Board of Neurological Surgery
Clinical Expertise
Brain Tumor
Endoscopic Pituitary Surgery
Epilepsy Surgery
Meningioma
Glioblastoma Multiforme
Astrocytoma
Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery
Endoscopic Chordoma Surgery
Endoscopic Craniopharyngioma Surgery
Pituitary Surgery
Brain Cancer
Endoscopic Neurosurgery
Cushing Disease
Acromegaly
Pituitary Disease
Pituitary Neoplasm
Seizure Disorder
Stereotactic Surgery
Chordoma Tumor
Endoscopic Brain Surgery
Minimally Invasive (Endoscopic) Neurosurgery
Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery
Brain Stem Glioma
Functional Brain Mapping
Gliomas
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy
Spinal Cord Tumor
Pituitary Adenoma
Pituitary Benign Neoplasm
Pituitary Carcinoma
Pituitary Cushing Syndrome
Pituitary Cyst
Pituitary Disorder
Pituitary Mass
Brain Tumor Surgery
Excision, Neoplasm, Brain, Endoscopic
Brain Surgery
Craniotomy
Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery
Languages
English
Education 
  • M.D.
    Harvard Medical School
    1993
Appointments 
  • Attending Neurological Surgeon
    NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
  • Professor of Neurological Surgery in Otolaryngology
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Professor of Neurological Surgery
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • David and Ursel Barnes Professor of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Professor of Neuroscience
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University

Relationships and collaborations with for-profit and not-for profit organizations are of vital importance to our faculty because these exchanges of scientific information foster innovation. As experts in their fields, WCM physicians and scientists are sought after by many organizations to consult and educate. WCM and its faculty make this information available to the public, thus creating a transparent environment.

Consultant: 
Elliquence
Ownership: 
Endostream
Mivi Neuroscience
Neurotechnology Investors, LLC
Serenity Medical Inc.