Anuj Patel, M.D.
Harvard Fellowship Trained Board Certified Orthopedic Spine SurgeonAnuj Patel, M.D. is a fellowship-trained board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery who provides expert spine surgical care to patients in the Atlanta Metro Area.
Dr. Patel specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) techniques and is a leader in the field of MIS spine surgery. He has been a faculty member in over 15 courses training other spine surgeons and medical professionals on minimally invasive surgical techniques. He is an official host site for a surgeon Peer-To-Peer Education Program for surgeons across the country to come learn new innovative techniques and he frequently travels across the country to give lectures on minimally invasive techniques to treat spinal pathology in a less invasive and more effective way. In the past year, he has been a faculty member for the National Sales Meetings for the two largest spine companies in the world, discussing minimally invasive spine surgical techniques to help spread his knowledge across the country.
Dr. Patel performs all spinal surgeries including anterior and posterior cervical decompression and fusion, cervical disc replacement, cervical laminoplasty, lumbar microdiscectomy and laminectomy, and thoracic and lumbar anterior, lateral, and posterior fusions, all through minimally invasive approaches. He treats all spinal conditions of the neck and back including degenerative, traumatic, oncologic, and deformity conditions, using techniques that he has helped perfect over the past 6 years, techniques that were not available to patients just a few years ago.
Dr. Patel grew up in the northeast Alabama and Atlanta areas. He is passionate about helping the patients in his local community where he was raised. He returned to the southeast after his spine surgery fellowship at Harvard University in Boston, MA to bring novel and innovate techniques to the Atlanta Area that allow for less post-operative pain, decreased soft tissue injury, less blood loss, and faster recovery times.
Dr. Patel has been published in multiple international spinal journals including The Spine Journal, Clinical Spine, and Global Spine on the topic of minimally invasive spine surgery. He has presented at international spine meetings including NASS, CSRS, SRS, and the AAOS and won the best clinical presentation at CSRS in 2016.
"The spine is a delicate body system that requires a thoughtful and comprehensive treatment approach. We aim to provide the highest quality spinal care using innovative and effective techniques in a caring, nurturing, and efficient environment." – Dr. Patel
Training and Education
Professional Training
- Harvard University Combined Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Boston, MA - August, 2018 – July, 2019
- Spine Surgery Fellowship
- Microendoscopic Spine Institute Boston, MA - February 2019 – April 2019
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Sub-fellowship
- Emory University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Atlanta, GA - July, 2013 – June, 2018
- Orthopaedic Surgery Chief Administrative Resident - July, 2017 – June, 2018
- Orthopaedic Surgery Residency - July, 2014 – June, 2018
- Orthopaedic Surgery Internship - July, 2013 – June, 2014
Education and Examinations
University of South Alabama College of Medicine Mobile, AL - August, 2009 – May, 2013
- Medical Doctorate
- GPA : 4.0 , AOA member
- USMLE Step 1 – 252 - June 15th , 2011
- USMLE Step 2 CK/CS – 254/Pass - Aug 6th, 2012
- USMLE Step 3 – 221 - Feb 21st , 2014
Georgetown University Washington, DC - August, 2005 – May, 2009
- Bachelor of Science, ACS Accreditation in Biology
- SAT score: 1540 / 1600 - April, 2004
- MCAT: 34 - June, 2008
Faculty Appointments
- Faculty – National Sales Meeting, Keynote Speaker - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Globus | Nuvasive - January, 2026
- Faculty – The AiBLE Experience Cadeaveric Lab - Atlanta, GA
- Medtronic - December, 2025
- Faculty - Ultrasonics in Spine: Sonopet 3 - Atlanta, GA
- Stryker Neurosurgical - October, 2025
- Faculty – MERC: Advanced Procedural Solutions: Prone Lateral - Audobon, PA
- Globus | Nuvasive - August, 2025
- Faculty – National Sales Meeting; Advanced Lateral Techniques - Denver, CO
- Medtronic - June, 2025
- Faculty – MERC: Advanced Procedural Solutions: Prone Lateral - Englewood, NJ
- Globus | Nuvasive - March, 2025
- Instructor –XLIF: US 301 Spine Sales Training - Audobon, PA
- Globus | Nuvasive - February, 2025
- Faculty – Lateral Fusion Techniques Addressing L4-L5 and Above - San Diego, CA
- Globus | Nuvasive - November 2024
- Faculty - Minimally Invasive Solutions - Las Vegas, NV
- Stryker Neurosurgical - September 2023
- Visiting Faculty – How to Optimize Lateral Techniques - Greenville, SC
- Globus | Nuvasive - December 2024
- Proctor – R&D Cadaveric Training Lab - Atlanta, GA
- Kuros Biosciences Inc - April 2024; April 2025
- Faculty - Lumbar decision making in a minimally invasive approach: Prone XLIF. - San Diego, CA
- Nuvasive, Inc. - November, 2022
- Faculty - Ultrasonics in Spine: Sonopet IQ - Atlanta, GA
- Stryker Neurosurgical - March, 2022
Licensures and Professional Memberships
Medical Licensures and Certifications
- Board Certification, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery - August, 2021 - Present
- Georgia State Medical License - June, 2019 - Present
- Massachusetts State Medical License - July, 2018 – June, 2021
- Advanced Trauma Life Support Certification - July, 2013 - Present
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification - September, 2017 - Present
- Emergency Medical Technician - August, 2010
Professional Society Memberships
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - 2013 – Present
- North American Spine Society - 2015 – Present
- Georgia Orthopaedic Society - 2013 – Present
- Cobb County Medical Society - 2020 – Present
- Atlanta Orthopaedic Society - 2013 – Present
- American Medical Student Association, Program Coordinator - 2009 – Present
Presentations
- The Lateral Space: How to Optimize Retroperitoneal Technique - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
- Keynote Speaker – South Carolina Brain and Spine Annual Meeting - November, 2024
- The Pa-Mjoa: A Patient-Derived, Self Reported Outcome Instrument For Measuring Myelopathy - Comparison With The Mjoa - Toronto, Canada
- Winner – Best Clinical Poster Award - Cervical Spine Research Society Annual Meeting - December, 2016
- The Use of Autologous Free Vascularized Fibula Grafts in Reconstruction of the Mobile Spine Following Tumor Resection: Surgical Technique and Outcomes - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Podium Presentation – IMAST 2019 26th International Meeting - July, 2019
- Hand2Hand: Establishing a Domestic Service Project for the Touching Hands Project - Boston, MA
- Podium Presentation – American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting -September, 2o18
- A Reproducible and Reliable Localization Technique for Lumbar Spine Surgery that Minimizes Unintended Level Exposure and Wrong level Surgery - Atlanta, GA
- Emory Kelly Day Research Society Annual Meeting - June, 2018
- Risk factors of Lumbar Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis. - Orlanda, FL
- Podium Presentation – North American Spine Society Annual Meeting - October, 2017
- Observed Patterns of Cervical Radiculopathy: How often do they differ from standard distribution? - Orlando, FL
- Podium Presentation – North American Spine Society Annual Meeting - October, 2017
- Risk factors of Lumbar Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis. Hilton Head, SC
- Podium Presentation – Southern Orthopaedic Society Annual Meeting - June, 2017
- Lumbar Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis: MRI Quantification and association with Risk Factors. - San Diego, CA
- Poster Presentation - Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting - March, 2017
- Risk factors of Lumbar Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis. - Atlanta, GA
- Emory Kelly Day Research Society Annual Meeting - June, 2016
- Open Reduction Internal Fixation with Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty for Posterior Column Posterior Wall Acetabular Fracture. - Atlanta, GA
- Podium Presentation - Atlanta Trauma Symposium - May, 2015
Research and Publications
Patel A, Runner R, Bellamy JT, Rhee J. A reproducible and reliable localization technique for lumbar spine surgery that minimizes unintended-level exposure and wrong-level surgery. Spine J. 2019 May;19(5):773-780. PMID 30529787
Patel A, Cha T. Indirect Decompression of Lumbar Stenosis. Seminars in Spine Surgery. 2019 Sep. Volume 31 (3), 100712
Rhee J, Shi J, Cyriac M, Kim J, Zhou F, Easley K, Patel A. The P-mJOA: A Patient-derived, Self-reported Outcome Instrument for Evaluating Cervical Myelopathy: Comparison with the mJOA. Clin Spine Surg. 2018; 31(2): E115-E120. PMID 29088009. Winner of Best Clinical Abstract, CSRS, 2016.
Gupta A, Upadhyaya S, Patel A, Fogel H, Cha T, Schwab J, Bono C, Hershman H. DEXA Sensitivity Analysis in Patients with Adult Spinal Deformity. Spine J. 2020 Feb; 20(2): 174-180 PMID 31479779
Bongers M, Ogink P, Chu K, Patel A, Rosenthal B, Shin J, Lee A, Hornicek F, Schwab J. The Use of Autologous Free Vascularized Fibula Grafts in Reconstruction of the Mobile Spine following Tumor Resection: Surgical Technique and Outcomes. Manuscript pending publication. J Neurosurg Spine. 2020 Nov 6; 1-10. PMID 33157532
Kaushal N, Orland K, Schwartz A, Wilson J , Fletcher N, Patel A, Menapace B, Ramirez M, Wetzel M, Devito D, Murphy J. Effects of race on blood loss in spinal fusions for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgery. J Neurosurg Pediatrics. 202o Nov 6; 1-5. PMID 33157524
Honors and Awards
- Castle Connelly Top Doctor - 2021-Present
- Best Clinical Poster Award - December, 2016
- Cervical Spine Research Society Annual Meeting
- Charlotte H. and Samuel Eichold Scholarship, University of South Alabama College of Medicine - 2009-2013
- Full scholarship given annually in recognition of scholarly achievement and service to community
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, University of South Alabama College of Medicine - August, 2012
- Dean’s List, Georgetown University - August, 2007-May, 2009
- National Merit Scholarship - May, 2005
- National Advanced Placement Scholar - May, 2005
Community Involvement
- Covering Physician Chick-Fil-A Kick-Off - Atlanta, GA - September 2025, 2024, 2023,2022, 2021
- Sideline physician providing spine coverage for NCAA College football games
- Covering Physician 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America - Atlanta, GA - July 2024
- Sideline physician providing spine coverage for international soccer tournament
- Touching Hands Project - Atlanta, GA - November 2016 and 2017
- Participant of first domestic service project sponsored by American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
- Orthopaedic Surgery Volunteer, G F Jooste Hospital - Cape Town, South Africa - May – July, 2010
- Spine and General Orthopedic surgical volunteer with direct care for patients and aid in establishing local orthopedic department
- American Medical Student Association - Reston, VA - May, 2008 – May, 2009
- Worked with director of the Center for the Future of Health Care in developing programs to encourage underserved minority youth to seek careers in medical fields.
Administrative Experience
- Spine Quality Committee - December 2022 – Present
- Piedmont Healthcare System
- Spine Steering Committee - December 2022 – Present
- Piedmont Healthcare System
- Credentials Committee - December 2025 – Present
- Piedmont Healthcare System
- Mentorship Program Director - August, 2022 - Present
- Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta
- Surgical Block Committee - January 2024 – Present
- Piedmont Healthcare System
- Georgetown University Alumni Admissions Committee - August 2020 – Present
- Georgetown University
- Administrative Fellow, Spine Surgery - August, 2018-July, 2019
- Harvard University Department of Orthopaedics
- Chief Administrative Resident - July, 2017-June, 2018
- Emory University Department of Orthopaedics
- Program Evaluation Committee (Resident-Faculty Committee) - July, 2013 – June, 2018
- Emory University Department of Orthopaedics
- Residency Interviewing and Selection Committee - July, 2013 – June, 2018
- Emory University Department of Orthopaedics
- Teaching Assistant and Lab Instructor – Gross Anatomy, Surgical Skills Course - August, 2017 – May, 2o18
- Emory University School of Medicine
- Medical School Admission Selection Committee - January, 2013
- University of South Alabama College of Medicine
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Piedmont Orthopedics
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