Joseph D. Stern, MD, FACS | CNSA Physician | Neurosurgeon & Spine Specialist in Greensboro NC

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My Locations

Greensboro

Joseph D. Stern, MD, FACS

Special Interests

  • Brain Tumors
  • Complex Spinal Surgery
  • Deep Brain Stimulation
  • Neurosurgeon
  • Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Biography

In his exceptionally thought-provoking and moving memoir, Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion, Joseph Stern, MD, grapples with grief and loss as he searches for compassion in a field notorious for neutrality. 

As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Stern has long been familiar with death; but when his younger sister, Victoria, was suddenly diagnosed with acute leukemia, he found himself unprepared to accept her diagnosis. Her illness and death broke down the self-protective barriers he had built over the course of his 25-year career and led to a profound shift in his approach to medicine. Grief Connects Us shows that no matter which side of the patient-doctor relationship you find yourself on, empathy, vulnerability, and emotional agility can facilitate deeper, more authentic human connection and prepare us for life’s greatest challenges. Dr. Stern goes beyond simple reflection by providing concrete suggestions for how we can improve health care delivery to achieve this shared connection. To learn more or to order Dr. Stern's book, click here.

Education

Fellowship - Orthopedic Spine and Scoliosis Surgery, Dr. Jean Dubousset, St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, Paris, France

Residency - University of Michigan Medical School

Internship - University of Michigan Medical School

Medical School - University of Michigan Medical School

Reviews

Media

Featured Articles:

Dr. Stern has also contributed to the Journal of Palliative Medicine:
Why Should a Neurosurgeon Attend a Palliative Care Conference, Anyway?

Minimizing Medical Burnout: Dr. Joseph Stern On How Hospitals and Medical Practices Are Helping To Reduce Physician and Healthcare Worker Burnout

Dying in the Neurosurgical ICU | Critically injured patients in the neurosurgical ICU | Joseph Stern, MD
Practice Neurosurgeon Published in New York Times

Joseph Stern, MD, shared his insights about the importance of communicating with family members of critically injured patients in the neurosurgical ICU.

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Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates’ Team Provide Life-Changing Care to Patients in Honduras

A team of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates’ Physicians and staff traveled to Honduras in November 2021 to volunteer their time, expertise, and resources on a medical mission trip with NuVasive Spine Foundation (NSF).

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