Dr. Ryan McCormack, MD

Dr. Ryan McCormack graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami before enrolling in the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program, where he earned a combined MD-PhD degree and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his residency in neurosurgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, where he served as chief resident. Working with both neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons, he completed a fellowship in complex spine surgery at the same institution. Widely published in medical journals and textbooks, Dr. McCormack holds two patents related to an innate immune protein that he helped to characterize in his PhD training.

Dr. McCormack specializes in complex spine conditions. His practice encompasses brain, spine, and peripheral nerve conditions; however, his primary passion is spine surgery, including degenerative spine conditions, spinal tumors, and complex scoliosis. Incorporating current and innovative robotic and endoscopic techniques, he treats most conditions through a minimally invasive approach. He sees patients of all ages.

Dr. McCormack believes that elective spine surgery should only be offered when all conservative measures have been exhausted and there is both a clear clinical and anatomical indication for surgery. His practice emphasizes focused treatment of the patient’s acute problem rather than simply addressing the imaging, which can sometimes reveal a multitude of non-symptomatic issues. He provides his patients with a comprehensive understanding of their conditions and engages them in shared decision-making about their treatment goals.

Outside of the hospital, family is also very important to him. He is married to an interventional cardiologist and is the father of two. When he’s not caring for patients, he enjoys spending time with them, including swimming, traveling, cooking, fishing, and trying new restaurants in Houston.