Thomas Mroz, MD, Named Chair of the Orthopaedic & Rheumatologic Institute

Thomas E. Mroz, MD, is the new chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Orthopaedic & Rheumatologic Institute.

In his new role, Dr. Mroz will oversee more than 478 caregivers and 125 staff physicians who comprise the institute. He currently serves as Director of the Center for Spine Health and Director of the Spine Research Lab. Prior to his appointment, he joined Cleveland Clinic as a staff physician in 2004. He specializes in all aspects of spinal surgery and has a dedicated interest in minimally invasive surgery and cervical spine surgery, including radiculopathy, myelopathy, stenosis, disc herniations, cervical disc replacement, revision cervical surgery, cervical infections, cervical tumors and cervical deformity.

“I am honored to have the tremendous privilege to lead a renowned group of physicians and caregivers,” said Dr. Mroz. “The Orthopaedic & Rheumatologic Institute has a history of amazing patient care and exceptional education, academic and innovative performance. I’m looking forward to working with this talented team to develop and adopt new technologies and capabilities that I believe will help define rheumatologic and orthopaedic care nationally.”

International leader in spine surgery

Dr. Mroz is active in research, and he has lectured nationally and internationally on minimally invasive surgery and cervical spine surgery. He has authored over 400 research articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed medical literature, and he serves currently as Deputy Editor of the Global Spine Journal and The Spine Journal.

He has been a leader in orthopaedics and organized spine surgery throughout his career. In addition, he has served on governing boards of several academic societies and has chaired many national and international meetings.

Dr. Mroz is currently a board member of the North American Spine Society and serves as its chairman of the Continuing Medical Education Committee. Dr. Mroz is also a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He continues to have a very active role in the education of medical students, residents and fellows as a clinical faculty member of Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.

He attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C., and two fellowships, one at the University of California, Los Angeles, focusing on spinal surgery and the other in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, focusing on minimally invasive spine surgery.

Dr. Mroz succeeds Brendan M. Patterson, MD, who served as interim chair since 2018. Dr. Patterson is also chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and will continue in that role.