Rakesh D. Patel, MD, MBA

Spine Service Chief
Clinical Associate Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Taubman ACU Medical Director
Associate Chair for Clinical Innovation and Strategy
Area of Practice
Orthopaedic Spine

Dr. Rakesh Patel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spine Division, at the University of Michigan. Dr. Patel completed his undergraduate training at the University of California in Los Angeles where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He received his medical degree upon graduation from the New York University School of Medicine in 2000. Dr. Patel did his residency training in Orthopaedic Surgery at NYU-Hospital for Joint Diseases, where he was awarded an Aventis Orthopedic Scholarship NYU-HJD Senior Research Award. After completion of his training in New York, Dr. Patel went on to finish a one-year Spine Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin and recently completed the Executive MBA program here at the University of Michigan.

Clinical Interests

  • Spinal deformities
  • Spinal fractures
  • Reconstructive surgery (primary and salvage) of all areas of the spine
  • Cervical spine flexion deformity
  • Kyphoplasty
  • Minimally invasive surgical procedures

Research Interests

  • Minimally invasive spine surgery
  • Spine trauma
  • Biomechanics of internal fixation of the spine