Mark Michael, DO

Dr. Mark Michael is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive, robotic-assisted, and complex reconstructive surgery of the neck and back. Raised in Palm Harbor, he is proud to return home to care for the Tampa Bay community that raised him.

He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, graduating cum laude, and his medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, where he graduated at the top of his class both academically and on his national board examinations. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Jefferson Health New Jersey, training under spine surgeons of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, and was selected to serve as chief resident. His research has been published in Clinical Spine Surgery, the North American Spine Society Journal, and The Spine Journal; at the 2023 AAOS Annual Meeting his work was recognized as the highest-rated study in the spine category.

He then completed the John H. Moe Spine Surgery Fellowship at Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis, one of the oldest and most respected spine fellowships in the country, gaining advanced experience across the full breadth of spinal conditions — from minimally invasive and robotic techniques to complex deformity and revision reconstruction.

Dr. Michael has a special interest in minimally invasive surgery, robotics, and emerging applications of artificial intelligence in spine care. Whenever possible, his approach favors preserving motion, sparing healthy tissue, and protecting patients' long-term spinal health — not just for the next year, but for decades. Surgery is never the first option when a better one exists.