Michelle Clarke MD

Dr. Michelle J. Clarke is a board-certified neurosurgeon, Professor of Neurosurgery, and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She specializes in complex spine surgery and spinal oncology, with expertise in the management of primary and metastatic spinal tumors, spinal cord tumors, spinal vascular lesions, Chiari malformations, and degenerative spine disorders. Her clinical practice emphasizes multidisciplinary care, advanced surgical techniques, and personalized treatment strategies to optimize patient outcomes and quality of life.

Dr. Clarke earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Aerospace Engineering with minors in Biology and Neuroscience from Princeton University, followed by her Doctor of Medicine from Georgetown University School of Medicine. She completed residency training in Neurological Surgery and the Clinician Investigator Training Program at Mayo Clinic, a fellowship in Spine Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and advanced graduate degrees in Bioethics, Medical and Adult Education, and a Ph.D. in Health Professions Education. She is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

An internationally recognized clinician-scientist, Dr. Clarke leads a translational research program focused on spinal column and spinal cord tumors, novel surgical techniques, and improving outcomes for patients with rare spinal neoplasms. Her research includes multicenter collaborative studies investigating primary spinal tumors, intradural and spinal cord tumors, quality-of-life outcomes, and evidence-based approaches to degenerative spine disease. She is dedicated to advancing multidisciplinary treatment strategies that improve survival, neurological function, and long-term patient care.

In addition to her clinical and research activities, Dr. Clarke is deeply committed to medical education and ethics. She serves as Program Director of the Mayo Clinic Enfolded Spine Fellowship and is a member of the Mayo Clinic Bioethics Faculty. She has held numerous national leadership positions within organizations including AOSpine, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and the Minnesota Neurosurgical Society. Her contributions to neurosurgery have been recognized with multiple honors, including the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Top International Spine Paper of the Year Award, the AOSpine Best Clinical Paper Award, the Lumbar Spine Research Society Best Science Paper Award, and numerous research and teaching distinctions.