Meet Dr. Thomas C. Schuler

Dr. Schuler is named among America’s Top 50 Spine Surgeons and serves as the Chairman of the National Spine Health Foundation’s Medical and Scientific Board.

Dr. Schuler’s passion for his patients’ recovery is fueled by his experience as a patient. Watch Dr. Schuler’s journey as he went from debilitating neck and arm symptoms back to an active life and physically demanding career thanks to the modern marvels of hybrid spine surgery.

One of Dr. Schuler’s greatest passions is improving lives! In 1992 he founded VSI (Virginia Spine Institute) to create a center of exceptional healthcare. This was necessary since the field of spine surgery was in its infancy. Today, his powerful vision has resulted in an internationally renowned institute. Through his leadership and medical innovations, Dr. Schuler and his interdisciplinary team have revolutionized spinal healthcare, thus transforming the lives of millions worldwide.

Dr. Schuler is double-board certified and trained in neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery of the spine. He is a recognized international leader in the treatment of neck and lower back conditions. Dr. Schuler is noted among the 100 best spine surgeons and specialists in America. US News and World Report named him among the top 1% of physicians in his specialty nationwide. He serves as President of the National Spine Health Foundation, and Chairman of its Medical and Scientific Board. His work with this national non-profit organization enables him to collaborate with his peers, the top spinal surgeons in the nation, to educate the world as to the most effective treatments in modern spinal healthcare.

Not only is he a world-class surgeon, but Dr. Schuler has also been on the receiving end of spinal surgery. He suffered from severe neck pain, three-disc herniations, and nerve compression which resulted in him undergoing a cervical hybrid surgery. Interestingly, Dr. Schuler performed the first hybrid multilevel cervical artificial disc replacement and spinal fusion in the Nation only a few months prior to his own surgery. His recovery further instilled in him greater empathy for his patients’ emotional and physical needs.