Michael G. Kaiser, MD
Dr. Michael Kaiser became a neurosurgeon due to his lifetime interest in neurological sciences. In medical school, he anticipated he would become a surgeon. After watching a cranial neurological procedure, he knew he wanted to pursue this interest. On a daily basis, Dr. Kaiser is driven by the opportunity to engage in personal interactions with his patients and to provide them with peace of mind. He is motivated by improvements in the diagnostic process and the ability neurosurgeons have to serve as patient advocates. Dr. Kaiser understands not all candidates benefit from a surgical procedure. He takes pride in making this distinction for his patients.
Dr. Kaiser received his undergraduate degree from New York University, where he graduated summa cum laude as a Farr Scholar and Biology Representative for his class. He was class President and awarded his doctorate from the Yale University School of Medicine. At Yale, Dr. Kaiser was an American Heart Association Research Fellow. He also won The Peter F. Curran Thesis Award. He completed his internship in the Department of Surgery and his residency in the Department of Neurological Surgery at College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University. Dr. Kaiser also completed a comprehensive spine fellowship at Emory University.
Dr. Kaiser has been engaged in clinical research throughout his training. While at Yale medical school he received the American Heart Association Research grant to study cerebral blood flow physiology and was awarded the Peter F Curran thesis award. During his residency at Columbia University, he was engaged in novel treatments of brain tumors and authored several book chapters on spine surgery. During his spine fellowship at Emory University, he conducted cutting edge clinical research on patients undergoing both cervical and lumbar fusion procedures and published these results in leading peer reviewed journals. Dr. Kaiser specializes in treatments for cervical and lumbar degenerative disease, complex cervical spine reconstructions, spinal cord and nerve tumors, spine tumors, and minimally invasive spinal procedures. The ability to assist patients suffering from a neurological deficit has been a focus of his career.
Dr. Kaiser has been an active member of numerous national neurosurgical societies including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), Society of University Neurosurgeons (SUNS), and the AANS/CNS Joint Section of Spine and Peripheral Disorders. He routinely presents and moderates courses, teaching his fellow neurosurgeons, at annual meetings of the AANS and CNS. He has served on the editorial board for the AANS Journal of Neurosurgery:Spine, completing his 5 year term in 2017, and has served as a guest examiner for the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). He has been an ad-hoc reviewer for other peer reviewed journals including Neurosurgery, The Spine Journal, and Neurosurgical Focus. He has also been a member of the medical advisory board for the Alan T. Brown Foundation to cure paralysis. His publications are numerous, having authored over 70 peer reviewed articles, 16 textbook chapters, and recently served as lead editor on a textbook describing the surgical care of patients with cervical degenerative disease. Finally, he has been a major participant in the development of national guidelines pertaining to cervical and lumbar degenerative disease and thoracolumbar trauma, providing his fellow neurosurgeons with a foundation to provide appropriate care for patients suffering from such conditions.
In addition to his work with Neurosurgeons of New Jersey, Dr. Kaiser is a former Associate Professor of Neurosurgery with the Department of the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University.