Ronit Gilad, MD

Ronit Gilad, MD, serves as chair of neurosurgery at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), assistant professor of neurosurgery at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, member of the Katz Institute of Women's Health, and member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.Dr. Gilad has a surgical focus in treating patients with brain and skull base tumors, including meningioma and pituitary masses. She also has special interests in spine surgery and motion preservation in people with degenerative disc conditions and spinal stenosis. She specializes in minimally invasive procedures, including tubular retractation system surgery for deep brain tumors, which involves making a single a small incision in the skull and inserting a narrow tube-like surgical tool through delicate healthy brain tissue to remove the tumor. Tubular retraction can also be used to remove spinal tumors. To improve the accuracy of surgery, Dr. Gilad routinely uses state-of-the-art equipment such as the exoscope, which projects high-definition, three-dimensional images onto a large screen in the operating room. While she has extensive training and experience as a surgeon and loves the hands-on approach to care that surgery provides, she also helps patients explore non-surgical treatment options, including medication and radiation therapy. "There is no one formula. I take patient preferences into consideration and think outside the box to make sure people's needs are met." Dr. Gilad emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to patient care and will collaborate with imaging specialists, interventional radiologists, medical oncologists, and other surgeons to ensure patients receive the safest and most effective treatment options. Dr. Gilad is committed to teaching and engaging with physician assistants and physician colleagues in an environment of shared collaboration. As a frequent presenter at SIUH's neurosurgery lecture series, grand rounds, and conferences, she helps provide a framework and guide for the advancing field of neurosurgery. Dr. Gilad, who always knew she wanted to be a physician, earned her medical degree at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed a neurosurgery residency and an enfolded fellowship in neuroradiology at Mount Sinai Hospital. Before joining Northwell in 2017, she was a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy and a staff neurosurgeon at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia. Above all, having a positive impact on patients' lives is the best part of Dr. Gilad's job. "I love making a difference," she says. "Providing a good outcome for people who need brain or spine surgery is amazing. Some days, I can't believe I get to do this for a living."