Jang Yoon, MD, MSc, is an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Penn Medicine. Dr. Yoon sees patients at the Penn Spine Center at Pennsylvania Hospital, where he specializes in complex spine surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery.
What conditions do you treat at Penn Medicine?
I specialize in treating all types of spinal diseases, which include degenerative spine disease, spinal oncology, deformity, trauma and vascular diseases of spine. I am fellowship trained in complex spine surgery so that I can offer both minimally invasive and open surgical options for my patients. By utilizing minimally invasive technique, I can perform spinal decompression and fusion through a small incision. This technique can reduce post-operative pain, recovery time and length of hospital stays. In addition, I will be treating general neurosurgical conditions of brain and spine.
What is the most exciting thing about being a part of the Penn neurosurgery team?
I am privileged to be a part of Penn Neurosurgery team that is pushing the boundaries of modern neurosurgery and changing the way neurosurgery is practiced worldwide. I am extremely excited to be working alongside with opinion leaders in the field of neurosurgery, and provide excellent clinical care as well as conducting cutting-edge research to better take care of patients in the future.
What is your philosophy on patient care?
My philosophy is to treat all my patients as my own family, and always be available for my patients and their family members. As Dr. William J. Mayo, M.D. once said “The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered.” I am also an incrementalist. I believe in minimizing the amount of surgery upfront and maximizing the benefits of surgery for the patients.
What kinds of research will you be involved in at Penn and what does that mean for patients?
I will be involved in both clinical and basic translational research in spine diseases. My research interests include medical device and surgical technique innovations as well as developing software for improving outcomes for those with spinal diseases. In addition, I will be involved in the latest clinical trials for those undergoing spinal surgery at Penn Neurosurgery.
What do you enjoy doing outside of practicing medicine?
I enjoy exercising, playing basketball, spending time with my family and watching movies.