Nathan J. Lee, MD

Biography

Dr. Nathan J. Lee is an Attending Spine Surgeon and Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery specializing in Cervical, Lumbar, and Complex Spinal Deformity Surgery. He treats patients with a wide array of spinal disorders, including those with scoliosis and spinal deformity (both adult and adolescent), age-related degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, disc herniation, fractures, spinal cord injury, infections, as well as patients requiring revision spinal surgeries. Dr. Lee believes in a multi-disciplinary approach to spinal care, and at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush, he collaborates with world-class colleagues in various fields to deliver personalized care aimed at optimizing patient outcomes and enhancing their quality of life.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, graduating magna cum laude and inducted into the esteemed Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. He received his MD from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he graduated with a Distinction in Research. His orthopedic surgery residency at Columbia University was marked by outstanding achievements, culminating in the prestigious Lawrence G. Lenke Award for Excellence in Spine Surgery. After his residency, he completed a Comprehensive Adult & Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellowship at New York Presbyterian Och Spine Hospital (Columbia and Cornell University), where he was trained by world-renowned surgeons: Dr. Lawrence G. Lenke, Dr. Ronald A. Lehman, and Dr. K. Daniel Riew. His specialized training includes complex spinal deformities as well as complex cervical spine procedures. Throughout his training at Columbia University, Dr. Lee also gained significant experience in pediatric and adolescent spinal surgery at the New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.

Dr. Lee is deeply committed to advancing and evolving the field of spine surgery. He dedicates a substantial portion of his efforts to integrating cutting-edge technology into patient-specific preoperative planning, alongside his mastery of spinal navigation, robot-assisted technology, minimally invasive techniques, and machine learning applications to provide safe, effective, patient-centered care. His contributions to the field are extensive, evident in his authorship of over 130 peer-reviewed scientific articles and over 250 national and international podium and poster presentations over the last 10 years. Dr. Lee's pioneering work has garnered recognition, including prestigious awards such as Best Paper at the 39th North American Spine Society, 2nd Place Resident/Fellow Research Award at the 48th Cervical Spine Research Society, and finalist status for both the Thomas Whitecloud Clinical Award (28th International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques) and Russell A. Hibbs Award in Clinical Research (59th Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meeting).

Curriculum Vitae

Practice Emphasis 

• Adult and pediatric complex spine and scoliosis
• Cervical and lumbar degenerative disorders
• Minimally invasive, robotic surgery

Research Interests 

• Navigation and robot-assisted techniques
• Machine learning applications for patient-specific implants
• Patient safety in spine surgery

Education / Certifications

• Undergraduate Degree
  Columbia University, New York, NY
• Medical School
  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
• Residency
  Columbia University, New York, NY
• Fellowship
  New York Presbyterian Och Spine Hospital, Columbia and Cornell University, New York, NY
• Profesional Associations
  Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, New York Alpha Chapter