About Dr. Merola
Dr. Andrew A. Merola is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon with more than three decades of experience caring for the neck and back — herniated discs and sciatica, spinal stenosis, cervical myelopathy, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis and spinal deformity. His approach starts conservatively. Surgery is reserved for problems with a clear indication and a defined expected outcome, and when it is the right answer he favors the least invasive technique that will do the job, including navigation-guided minimally invasive surgery.
Dr. Merola earned his bachelor’s degree at New York University and his medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine. He is an attending spine surgeon at Weill Cornell and NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, has held faculty appointments in orthopaedic surgery at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York Medical College and Weill Cornell Medical College, and co-edited the textbook Surgical Techniques for the Spine. He is a Fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society, which honored his work with its Russell A. Hibbs Award. He speaks English, Spanish and Italian, and sees patients in Manhattan and the Bronx.
Clinical interests
- Herniated discs and sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Cervical myelopathy and cervical spine surgery
- Scoliosis and spinal deformity
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Spinal fusion and disc replacement
- Non-operative spine care
Education & training
- New York University — BA, 1985
- Howard University College of Medicine — MD, 1990
Board certification
- Board Certified, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Fellow, Scoliosis Research Society
Hospital affiliations
- Attending Spine Surgeon, Weill Cornell
- Attending Spine Surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
- Former Attending, NewYork-Presbyterian / Lower Manhattan Hospital
- Former Attending, Mount Sinai Hospital and SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Academic appointments
- Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
- Clinical Assistant Professor, New York Medical College
- Assistant and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Awards & honors
- 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
- New York Magazine Top Doctors
- Super Doctors
- Russell A. Hibbs Award, Scoliosis Research Society