Michelle J. Clarke

Michelle J. Clarke, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Orthopedics at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. She serves as a Consultant in the Department of Neurologic Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, specializing in complex spine surgery and spinal oncology.

Dr. Clarke's educational background includes:

• PhD in Health Professions Education from MGH Institute of Health Professions (2025)
• Master of Clinical Education and M.Ed. in Medical and Adult Education from University of Cincinnati (2021)
• MA in Bioethics from Loyola University Chicago (2017)
• MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine (2002)
• BSE in Aerospace Engineering with Minor in Biology/Neuroscience from Princeton University (1998)

Dr. Clarke specializes in the treatment of spine tumors (including primary and metastatic tumors, spinal cord tumors, and spinal vascular lesions), degenerative spine disease, and complex spinal reconstructions. Her research focuses on spinal column and spinal cord tumors from clinical and translational perspectives, with emphasis on novel surgical techniques, optimizing patient outcomes, and multi-institutional studies of rare primary spinal column tumors. She is also deeply involved in medical education and serves as a member of the bioethics faculty at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Clarke has received numerous awards and honors including the Top International Spine Paper for the Year Award from Congress of Neurological Surgeons (2021), First Poster Prize from North American Skull Base Society (2017), and Best Clinical Paper from AOSpine North American Annual Fellows Forum (2016).

She holds active professional memberships in numerous organizations including the Neurosurgical Society of America, Society of Neurological Surgeons, American Board of Neurological Surgery, and serves as President of the Mayo Foundation Chapter of Sigma Xi. Dr. Clarke also directs the Enfolded Spine Fellowship program in the Department of Neurologic Surgery at Mayo Clinic.