William R. Stetler, Jr., MD
Special Interests
- Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery
- Brain Aneurysms
- Brain AVMs
- AV Fistulas
- Acute Ischemic Stroke
- Carotid Occlusive Disease
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Degenerative Spine Disease
Biography
As a neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, William R. Stetler, MD, provides clinical expertise and patient care focused on cerebrovascular neurosurgery, brain aneurysms, acute ischemic stroke, and more.
From an early age, Dr. Stetler knew he wanted to be a physician, and the anatomy of the nervous system was his favorite part of medical school and still fascinates him today.
“My father was a physician, and I always loved watching how much he loved caring for others. I quickly realized that I wanted to be in the healthcare sector and knew I wanted to be on the front lines of the medical field. After looking at every field in medicine, neurosurgery struck a tone with me because it allowed me to help people at their worst and most tenuous moments.”
Neurosurgery combines his love for science and passion for helping people. Dr. Stetler shares, “Building trust and rapport through patient and family interactions should be essential to providing quality neurosurgical care. When patients come to me, they are often in their most vulnerable state, needing neurosurgical intervention. These are challenging times for doctors, patients, and their families, but are times when I feel I can make a difference.”
Dr. Stetler does not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach when delivering neurosurgical care to his patients.
“My philosophy of care is to adapt my intervention to each individual patient. I try to keep a broad skill set so that I have various approaches to offer the patient. For instance - multiple aneurysms may mandate multiple treatment strategies in a single patient.”
When he is not at the bedside or in the operating room making a difference, Dr. Stetler is heavily involved in medical research to improve the future of neurosurgical care. He is a co-investigator for several national studies and is a site primary investigator for a novel phase 1 study involving acute ischemic stroke.
Outside of patient care and research, Dr. Stetler enjoys the outdoors through hiking, biking, and camping. He and his family spend free weekends in the western NC Mountains.
Regarding sports affiliations, Dr. Stetler divides his fandom between Alabama and Michigan Football. Although competitors, it took a lot of work for him to live within walking distance from the Big House in Ann Arbor and not fall in love with Michigan football.
Education
Neuroendovascular Surgery Fellowship: The University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Neuroendovascular Surgery Fellowship: The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Residency: The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Medical School: The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Affiliations & Memberships
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Joint Section on Cerebrovascular Surgery
- American Heart Association Stroke Council
Dr. Stetler's Care Team
Reviews
Media
In late 2021, Kate began experiencing intermittent loss of vision in her right eye. Initially, the loss of vision was only once or twice a day, but over time it escalated to over 10 times a day. Kate knew then it was time to call the doctor. After a thorough exam found nothing but healthy eyes, her ophthalmologist ordered an MRI to take a look at Kate’s brain. Kate and her family were shocked by what they found.
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(QUEEN CITY NEWS NOW) — Queen City News Now sat down with Kate Downing, a brain tumor survivor, to talk about her story and the goal of the race. Neurosurgeon Dr. Jonathon Parish also joined talking about the signs and how serious brain tumors can be.
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We are thrilled to announce 19 exceptional doctors who have been recognized as Charlotte Magazine "Top Doctors." Join us in celebrating the expertise and dedication of these exceptional physicians. They have consistently demonstrated their commitment to providing the highest standard of care and have impacted the lives of countless patients.
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