Lisa R. Witkin

Lisa R. Witkin, M.D., M.S., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College and an Associate Attending Anesthesiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. She serves as Site Director of Pain Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital and Site Director at Weill Cornell for the Tri-Institutional Pain Medicine Fellowship. Her clinical practice spans interventional pain management, chronic pain, cancer-related pain, and spine disorders at both the Lower Manhattan and Och Spine centers.

• M.S., Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University (2023)
• M.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2008)
• B.S., Pennsylvania State University, magna cum laude, in engineering science with honors in bioengineering (2004)

Dr. Witkin’s research and clinical interests focus on improving pain outcomes through multimodal, evidence-based, and patient-centered approaches. Her work emphasizes patient-reported outcomes, opioid safety, health disparities, and interventional therapies. She utilizes a multidisciplinary model involving neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, and rehabilitative medicine to optimize patient function and quality of life. Her treatment philosophy integrates medications, behavioral techniques, physical therapy, and minimally invasive procedures such as fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided injections, spinal cord stimulation, and intrathecal pumps.

Her recent publications (2016–2024) reflect a strong trajectory in pain policy, social determinants of health, opioid use, and clinical outcomes. These works appear in journals such as Pain Medicine, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Spine, and JCO Oncology Practice, demonstrating expertise in both clinical and population-level pain research.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor (2019–present)
• Top Doctors New York Metro Area (2019–present)
• Exceptional Women in Medicine (2019–present)
• NewYork-Presbyterian Teacher of the Year (2014–2015)
• Weill Cornell Healthcare Leadership Fellow (2015–2016)
• Super Doctors New York Rising Stars (2015)
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Executive Certificate (2015)
• Mentored Clinical Research Training Program Recipient (2014)
• 2nd Place, Pennsylvania Anesthesiology Resident Research Conference (2011)

Dr. Witkin is actively involved in medical education and leadership. As Site Director for the Tri-Institutional Pain Medicine Fellowship, she mentors future pain specialists. She completed the Weill Cornell Mentored Clinical Research Training Program and executive education at Harvard, underscoring her commitment to clinical research and healthcare innovation. She is a member of major professional societies including the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA), American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA), and North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS).

She practices at two key clinical sites: the Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian and the Pain Management Division in Lower Manhattan, contributing to a comprehensive spine and pain care network. Her work in pain registries and outcome data integration highlights her forward-looking approach to personalized, data-informed pain care.