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Patrick Doherty, MD

Neurosurgery, Spine Surgery
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Patient type treated
Adult
Accepting new patients
Yes
Referral required
From patients or physicians
Board Certified in
Neurological Surgery

Biography

Yale Medicine neurosurgeon Patrick Doherty, MD, says his first priority is to help patients relax. “Almost every patient who comes to me is stressed,” he says. “They’re concerned, they’re in pain, they know that there’s something wrong with them. My role is to take that stress and flip it around, either with humor or by explaining what is going on that’s causing their pain.” As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Doherty specializes in treating a range of conditions, including herniated discs, spine tumors, traumatic brain injuries, blood clots in the brain and brain trauma. He often uses models, MRI scans, and other images to help patients understand their conditions better and make informed decisions about their care.

Dr. Doherty’s passion for neurosurgery began in medical school, where he met a comatose patient with a subdural hematoma—a condition where broken blood vessels cause blood to pool between the brain and its outer covering. After surgeons removed the blood from the surface of the brain, the patient recovered and left the hospital a week later. Now chief of Yale Medicine neurosurgery at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Dr. Doherty continues to have similarly rewarding experiences, including a patient who came into the hospital unable to walk and now competes successfully in stair-climbing competitions.

While brain surgery is a serious matter, Dr. Doherty likes to make sure his patients get a good laugh pr two during their time with him. “A lot of what we deal with is not light, but there's always an opportunity to relate to the patient or their family in a slightly less than serious way, to help them appreciate that you're human, and this relationship is human,” he says.

Titles

  • Associate Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery
  • Chief of Neurosurgery, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital - New London

Education & Training

  • Resident
    University of Maryland and Shock Trauma (1999)
  • MD
    University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Rutgers Medical School (1993)
  • BA
    The Johns Hopkins University (1989)

Additional Information

Locations
Lawrence + Memorial Medical Office Building
194 Howard Street
New London, CT 06320
  • Lawrence + Memorial Medical Office Building
    194 Howard Street
    New London, CT 06320

Biography

Yale Medicine neurosurgeon Patrick Doherty, MD, says his first priority is to help patients relax. “Almost every patient who comes to me is stressed,” he says. “They’re concerned, they’re in pain, they know that there’s something wrong with them. My role is to take that stress and flip it around, either with humor or by explaining what is going on that’s causing their pain.” As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Doherty specializes in treating a range of conditions, including herniated discs, spine tumors, traumatic brain injuries, blood clots in the brain and brain trauma. He often uses models, MRI scans, and other images to help patients understand their conditions better and make informed decisions about their care.

Dr. Doherty’s passion for neurosurgery began in medical school, where he met a comatose patient with a subdural hematoma—a condition where broken blood vessels cause blood to pool between the brain and its outer covering. After surgeons removed the blood from the surface of the brain, the patient recovered and left the hospital a week later. Now chief of Yale Medicine neurosurgery at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Dr. Doherty continues to have similarly rewarding experiences, including a patient who came into the hospital unable to walk and now competes successfully in stair-climbing competitions.

While brain surgery is a serious matter, Dr. Doherty likes to make sure his patients get a good laugh pr two during their time with him. “A lot of what we deal with is not light, but there's always an opportunity to relate to the patient or their family in a slightly less than serious way, to help them appreciate that you're human, and this relationship is human,” he says.

Titles

  • Associate Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery
  • Chief of Neurosurgery, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital - New London

Education & Training

  • Resident
    University of Maryland and Shock Trauma (1999)
  • MD
    University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Rutgers Medical School (1993)
  • BA
    The Johns Hopkins University (1989)

Additional Information

Locations
Lawrence + Memorial Medical Office Building
194 Howard Street
New London, CT 06320
  • Lawrence + Memorial Medical Office Building
    194 Howard Street
    New London, CT 06320
Lawrence + Memorial Medical Office Building
194 Howard Street
New London, CT 06320
  • Lawrence + Memorial Medical Office Building
    194 Howard Street
    New London, CT 06320