About Dr. Vitale

Dr. Vitale is the Ana Lucia Professor of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery within the Department of Orthopaedics at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Dr. Vitale is also Vice Chair for Quality and Strategy in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, leading efforts to improve outcomes, ensure patient safety, and develop new advances in patient care. He is also Chief of Pediatric Spine and Scoliosis Service for the NewYork-Presbyterian health system, where he has focused on improving the care of children with spinal asymmetry since joining the staff of the Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian in 2001.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Vitale is a prolific researcher, having published approximately 200 articles focused on pediatric spine surgery and patient safety, and is the author of several books, including digital resources, on these topics. He has created and written more than 700 peer-reviewed articles and abstracts. Recognized as a leader in the academic orthopedic community, Dr. Vitale is the recipient of numerous national awards, and has held various national leadership positions, including Chairman of the Safety in Spine Surgery Summit, Founder of Safety in Spine Surgery Project (S3P), Chairman of the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium, President of the Children’s Spine Foundation and Pediatric Spine Study Group.

In 2020, Dr. Vitale assumed the role of President of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. Please check out this podcast from 2019 to learn more.

In 2025, Dr. Vitale started writing a blog during his sabbatical to recover from shoulder surgery. Browse his blog about family, legacy, and more.

Dr. Michael G. Vitale’s practice primarily focuses on scoliosis and spinal asymmetries. Half of his patients are under the age of eight and the rest are adolescents and young adults. He primarily concentrates on ways of making care better. He strives to accomplish this goal by:

• taking a leadership position on CSSG (Children’s Spine Foundation)
• leading the four full-time researchers on staff at Columbia Pediatric Orthopedics
• developing an Early Onset Scoliosis Classification System
• being involved in developing a Best Practice Guidelines For High-Risk Pediatric Spine Surgery, which is now being used at other hospitals to make care better
• launching the Spine Safety Summit that focuses on optimizing care of children undergoing spine surgery