Physician Bios

William E. McCormick, M.D.

Board-certified Neurological Surgeon

Dr. William McCormick is a board-certified neurosurgeon who performs both cranial and spinal surgery.  He received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and his medical degree from the University Rochester School of Medicine. Dr. McCormick completed his neurosurgical training at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio where he performed extensive research in spinal surgery biomechanics, and was the recipient of the Department of Neurosurgery Humanitarian Award.  He is a member of multiple medical societies including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and serves on the Medical Board Staff Liaison Committee at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center.

Dr. McCormick specializes in the management of back and neck pain and is proficient in minimally invasive spine surgery as well as more complex spinal instrumentation procedures.  He recognizes that most patients choose surgery only after conservative measures fail, and can honestly discuss and review all options with patients including physical therapy, chiropractic therapy and pain management intervention.

Honors and Awards

• Distinguished Graduate Award, East Haven High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame, November 23, 2014

Journal Articles

• Lubelski D, McCormick WE, Ferrara L, Benzel EC, Kayanja M. A cadaveric analysis of cervical fixation; the effect of intermediate fixation points and dynamization in multilevel cervical fusions. Journal of Neurosurgery Spine 21 (5):736-42, 2014
• McCormick WE, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC. Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Make the Difficult Diagnosis, Then Refer for Surgery.  Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 70 (10): 899-904, 2003

• McCormick WE, Lee JH. Pseudobulbar Palsy Caused by a Large Petroclival Meningioma. Report of Two Cases. Skull Base: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Vol 12, No. 2: 67-71, 2002
• McCormick WE, Barnett GH, Peereboom DM, Stevens GHJ. Delayed Carbon Granulomas of the Scalp after Use of Carbon Fiber Pins for Refixation of a Stereotactic Frame. Journal of Neurosurgery 95: 129-131, 2001
• McCormick WE, Will SF, Benzel EC. Surgery for Thoracic Disc Disease. Complication Avoidance: Overview and Management. Neurosurgical Focus 9 (4): Article 13, 2000

Book Chapters

• McCormick WE, Steinmetz MP, Hamilton A, Crownover R, Kalfas IH, Benzel EC. Stereotactic Radiosurgery of the Spine. In Benzel EC (ed.), Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance and Management, 2nd ed., Churchill Livingstone, New York, 2005
• Steinmetz MP, McCormick WE Valadka A, Ball PA, Yazbak PA, Benzel EC. Penetrating Spinal Cord Injuries. In Benzel EC (ed.), Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance and Management, 2nd ed., Churchill Livingstone, New York, 2005
• Ferrara LA, McCormick WE. Biomechanics of Interbody Fusion in Osteoporotic Spine.  In An YH (ed.), Orthopaedic Issues in Osteoporosis. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2002
• Steinmetz MP, McCormick WE, Benzel EC. Cervical Radiculopathy: Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis. In Benzel EC (ed.), The Cervical Spine, 4th ed., Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, 2002

Presentations

• Treatment of Intraventricular Hemorrhage, Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip, New York, September 12, 2012.
• Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip, New York, April 27, 2004
• Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion with Carbon Fiber Cages for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.  AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, February 27-March 2, 2002
• Surgery for Thoracic Disc Disease. Complication Avoidance: Overview and Management. AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, February 27-March 2, 2002
• Post-Operative Neurosurgical ICU Care in the Pediatric Population. Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, May 3, 2001
• Pseudobulbar Palsy Caused by Petroclival Meningioma. Report of Two Cases. Cleveland Clinic Foundation Annual Neuroscience Research Day, May 3, 2001
• Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm Rupture in a Seven-Month Old Infant.  Case Report and Review of the Literature, Cleveland Clinic Foundation Annual Neuroscience Research Day, May 5, 2001

Over the past 20 years, the spine physicians at Spine Care Long Island have been the preferred back doctor for low back pain and neck pain patients from across Long Island, from the North Shore and South Shore of Nassau County and Suffolk County, and from Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn to the East End. Those with back pain or neck pain often struggle to find a back doctor or spine center that can provide a second opinion for spine surgery and offer nonsurgical treatment for back pain, neck pain, scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and pain symptoms related to a herniated disc. Spine Care Long Island is a regional spine center that provides spinal injections, minimally invasive spine surgery, artificial disc surgery and other advances in spine care.