New Jersey Brain and Spine Earns #3 National Ranking For Neurosurgical Practices
New Jersey Brain and Spine has once again been recognized among the nation’s elite neurosurgical practices—this time earning a Top 3 national ranking from Castle Connolly. In the newly released annual rankings, New Jersey Brain and Spine placed #3 nationwide, reinforcing our position as one of the most respected neurosurgical groups in the country and a top-ranked practice in New Jersey.
This is the fourth year in a row that we have ranked inside the Top 10, a level of recognition that reflects the practice’s continued commitment to subspecialized expertise, compassionate service, and exceptional patient outcomes across a wide range of complex brain and spine conditions.
A National Leader in Subspecialized Neurosurgical Care
New Jersey Brain and Spine has built our reputation on a model that prioritizes subspecialization—ensuring patients are treated by surgeons who focus deeply on specific conditions of the brain, spine, and nervous system. This approach allows for more precise diagnoses, tailored treatment plans, and better long-term outcomes.
With multiple Centers of Excellence and locations across New Jersey, our practice delivers academic-level care within community settings, giving patients access to nationally recognized expertise close to home.
The Castle Connolly rankings are particularly rigorous, based on a combination of peer nominations, extensive research, qualifications, reputation, and patient care standards.
Fifteen NJBS Physicians Recognized as Top Doctors
In addition to the practice’s overall national ranking, 15 New Jersey Brain and Spine physicians were individually honored with Top Doctor accolades this year—an achievement that underscores the depth and breadth of clinical excellence across our group.
The physicians recognized include:
- Patrick A. Roth, MD, MHA, FAANS, FACS
- Roy Vingan, MD, FAANS, FACS
- George J. Kaptain, MD, FAANS
- Daniel E. Walzman, MD, FAANS
- Hooman Azmi, MD, FAANS, FCNS
- Reza J. Karimi, MD, FAANS, FACS
- Kangmin Daniel Lee, MD, MS, FAANS
- Mohammed Faraz Khan, MD, FAANS
- Giorgio J. Rotoli, DO
- Robert R. Goodman, MD, PhD, FAANS
- Ira M. Goldstein, MD, FAANS
- Elana Clar, MD
- Paul S. Chirichella, MD, FAAPMR
- Peter Schmaus, MD, FAAPMR
- Ugo Paolucci, MD
These individual honors reflect a shared culture of clinical rigor, innovation, and patient-centered care across our entire organization.
Commitment to Our New Jersey Community
New Jersey Brain and Spine continues to be proud of its close relationship with Hackensack University Medical Center, the top hospital in the NY-NJ metro area and the #1 neurosurgery program in New Jersey. We helped develop and shape that program, which has also been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as being among the top 50 in the country for neurology and neurosurgery.
These rankings come on the heels of another year in which we advanced our commitment to expanding access to premier neurosurgical care. In 2025, we opened a new state-of-the-art flagship office in Paramus as well as a new Annandale location to support our focus on functional and restorative neurosurgery. We are now celebrating three decades of delivering top-tier care to our New Jersey community.
Setting the Standard for Neurosurgical Care
Earning a Top 3 national ranking is both an honor and a responsibility. New Jersey Brain and Spine views this recognition as validation of its mission to deliver world-class neurosurgical care to our community while continually raising the standard for what patients and referring providers should expect.
As the practice continues to grow, invest in innovation, and expand access to subspecialized care, its focus remains unchanged: achieving the best possible outcomes for every patient and their family, every time.
