Clark Charles Smith, MD

Academic Appointments

John A. Downey Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center

Current Administrative Positions

Director, Interventional Spine
Medical Director, Outpatient Operations

This provider accepts new patients
Appointment Phone Number: (212) 305-3535


Clark Smith, MD, MPH, FAAPMR is an Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. He specializes in treating patients with acute and chronic sports and spine injuries. Dr. Smith is board certified in both Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine. He completed his undergraduate education at Duke University, received his M.D. and Masters of Public Health (M.P.H.) from Tulane University, underwent residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Emory University where he also served as Chief Resident, and completed a multidisciplinary pain medicine fellowship at Northwestern University and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Dr. Smith has a special interest in pain and sports medicine. He uses a multidisciplinary non-operative approach to treating acute and chronic sports and spine problems. Depending on the scope and severity of the problem, treatment options may include individualized therapy programs, medications, or non-operative interventional procedures targeted at a particular injury or problem. Procedures that Dr. Smith performs include: ultrasound and fluoroscopically guided joint injections, Platelet Rich Plasma (PrP), spine injections, epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation, and many others. The goals of Dr. Smith’s treatment are to help every patient achieve his or her highest level of performance and function.
Dr. Smith sees patients at CUMC's main campus at 180 Ft. Washington Ave, Suite 199, HP 182, and at CUMC's midtown campus at 51 W 51st st. between 5th and 6th ave., 3rd Floor. Call 212-305-3535 for an appointment.

Board Certifications

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Pain Medicine

Areas of Expertise

Interventional Spine Care
Pain Medicine/Management
Arthritis
Arthritis of Spine
Cervical Disc Herniation
Cervical Neck Pain
Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Cervical Spine Disease
Cortisone Injection
Degenerative Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Degenerative Spinal Disorder
Degenerative Spine Disease
Disorder of Intervertebral Disc
Herniated Cervical Disc
Herniated Disc
Herniated Lumbar Intervertebral Disc
Hip Pain
Knee Pain
Knee Problem
Low Back and Neck Pain
Low Back Pain
Lower Back Pain
Lumbar Disc Herniation
Lumbar Herniated Disc
Muscle Strain
Musculoskeletal Pain
Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
Neck and Back Pain
Neck and Lumbar Spine Problems
Neck Pain
Neck Pain, Acute
Nerve Blocks
Nerve Pain Due to Spinal Stenosis
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
Radiculopathy
Radiofrequency
Radiofrequency Ablation
Rehabilitation
Rotator Cuff Tear
Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Runner's Knee
Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Sciatica
Shoulder Arthritis
Shoulder Pain
Spinal Arthritis
Spinal Disorder
Spinal Injections
Spinal Nerve Root Block
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal Stenosis of Lumbar Region
Spine Rehabilitation
Spondylosis
Sports Injuries
Sports Injury
Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Sports Medicine
Sports Medicine Rehabilitation
Sprains and Strains
Tendonitis
Trigger Point Injections

Languages Spoken

Spanish

Education and Training

Tulane University / School of Medicine
MD, MPH, 2006 Tulane University School of Medicine
Internship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Residency: Emory University Affiliated Hosptials
Fellowship: Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Locations

CUIMC/Harkness Pavilion

180 Fort Washington Avenue
1-199
New York, NY 10032For new and current patient appointments, call: (212) 305-3535
Fax: (212) 342-1470

ColumbiaDoctors - Midtown

51 West 51st Street
375
New York, NY 10019For new and current patient appointments, call: (212) 305-3535

Practices and Centers

ColumbiaDoctors Midtown

Provider Affiliations

NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical Center

Insurance Programs

Please contact the provider's office directly to verify that your particular insurance is accepted.
AETNA [Aetna Signature Administrators, EPO, HMO, Medicare Managed Care, POS, PPO, Student Health]
CIGNA [EPO, Great West (National), HMO, POS, PPO]
Emblem/GHI [Medicare Managed Care, PPO]
Emblem/HIP [ConnectiCare, EPO, Essential Plan, HMO, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicare Managed Care, POS, PPO, Select Care (Exchange), Vytra]
Local 1199 [Local 1199]
MagnaCare (National) [MagnaCare]
Medicare [Railroad, Traditional Medicare]
Multiplan [Multiplan]
Oxford Health Plans [Freedom, Liberty]
Quality Health Management [Quality Health Management]
RiverSpring [Special Needs]
UnitedHealthcare [Compass (Exchange), Empire Plan, HMO, Medicare Managed Care, POS, PPO]

Links

Dr. Smith on NPR's Leonard Lopate Show

Contact Info

(212) 305-3535

Past Positions

Columbia University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 2011-present
John P. Downey Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine
Northwestern University and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), Chicago, IL 2010-2011
Fellow, Interventional Pain Medicine
Emory University, Atlanta, GA 2009-2010
Chief Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program
Emory University, Atlanta, GA 2007-2009
Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA 2006-2007
Resident Physician, Preliminary Year, Internal Medicine Residency Program

Presentations

National Presentations

International Spine Intervention Society – Annual Scientific Meeting 2014, Orlando, FL
Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection – The Infraneural Approach
Immunizations, Infections and Corticosteroid injections

International Spine Intervention Society – Annual Scientific Meeting 2015, Las Vegas, NV
Musculoskeletal and Systemic Causes of Radicular Pain
Diabetes and Epidural Corticosteroid injections

Spine Intervention Society – Annual Scientific Meeting 2016, New Orleans, LA
Interventional Spine Procedures and Anticoagulants

North American Spine Society 2016 – Annual Meeting
Interventional Approach to Hip Pain

Spine Intervention Society --- Annual Scientific Meeting 2017, San Francisco, CA
Diagnosis and treatment of posterior buttock pain

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine – Annual Meeting 2017, Denver, CO
Diagnosis and treatment of posterior buttock pain

Spine Intervention Society --- Annual Scientific Meeting 2018, Chicago, IL.
Informed Consent, A Form or a Conversation
Long Term Systemic Risks of Epidural Steroids

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation – Annual Meeting 2018, Orlando FL
Updates on Safety for Safe Performance of Epidual Steroid Injections


Lectures Given (Medical Students, Residents, Fellows)

Introduction to Lumbar Spine Procedures: Hands on Resident Course. Columbia University, September 2018.
Introduction to Lumbar Spine Procedures: Hands on Resident Course. Columbia University, September 2016.
Current Frontiers: New Techniques in Management and Diagnosis of Tendinopathy. Columbia University. April 2014.
Ultrasonic Evaluation of Strains and Sprains. National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) Ultrasound Course 2012
Faculty member, New York Society of PM&R Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Course 2011. 2012
Radiculopathy and Electrodiagnostics, Columbia University Neurology Rounds, May 2012
Shoulder Pain, Columbia University Anesthesiology Rounds, May 2012
Other lectures to residents, medical students and fellows on various topics including: Electromyography in Pain Medicine, Painful Neuropathy, Radiculopathy, Muscle Physiology, Spinal Cord Injury and Chronic Pain. Functional Capacity Evaluation, Celiac Plexus Blocks, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Shoulder Examination, Cervical Spine Examination, Opioids and Non-Malignant Pain

Committees / Societies / Memberships

Spine Intervention Society
- Chair, Patient Safety Committee
- Member, Standards Division

North American Spine Society

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabiliation

Honors and Awards

Super Doctors New York Rising Stars 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013
John P. Downey Endowed Associate Professor 2019
Academy of Clinical Excellence 2019

Publications

Patel J, Schneider BJ, Smith CC. Intra articular corticosteroid injections and hyperglycemia. Pain Medicine 2018; 19:1091-1092. Doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx303

Popescu A, Patel J, McCormick ZL, Maus TP, Rodes M, Walega DR, Smith CC, Patient Safety Committee of the Spine Intervention Society; Fact Finders for Patient Safety: Are Gadolinium-Based Contrast Media Safe Alternatives to Iodinated Contrast Agents for the Safe Performance of Spinal Injection Procedures?, Pain Medicine, 1018. 19(10), 2089-2090, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pny090

Schneider B, McCormick Z, O'Brien D, Bunch M, Smith CC. Patient Safety: Conscious Sedation. Pain Medicine 2018; 19: 1872-1873. Doi: 10.1093/pm/pny048

Patel J, DeFranesch F, Smith CC. "Spinal Cord Simulation in Patients with Permanent Pacemakers and Defibrillators. Pain Medicine. 2018; 19: 1693-1694. Doi: 10.1093/pm/pny049

Smith CC, Schneider B, McCormick ZL, Gill J, Loomba V, Engel D, Duszynski B, King W, ; Risks and Benefits of Ceasing or Continuing Anticoagulant Medication for Image-Guided Procedures for Spine Pain: A Systematic Review, Pain Medicine, Volume 19, Issue 3, 1 March 2018, Pages 438-448, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnx152

McCormick, Zachary L., Byron Schneider, and Clark Smith. "Driving After an Epidural Steroid Injection Without Sedation." Pain Medicine (2018).

Smith, Clark, Fred DeFrancesch, and Jaymin Patel. "Radiofrequency Neurotomy for Facet Joint Pain in Patients with Permanent Pacemakers and Defibrillators." Pain Medicine (2018).

Miller D, Smith CC. FACTFINDERS FOR PATIENT SAFETY: NPO Prior to Interventional Spine Procedures. Pain Medicine. 19 (12), 2018, 2570-2571.

Patel, J., DeFrancesch, F., Smith, C. and Spine Intervention Society's Patient Safety Committee, 2018. Spinal Cord Stimulation Patients with Permanent Pacemakers and Defibrillators. Pain Medicine, 19(8), pp.1693-1694.

Byron J Schneider, Zachary McCormick, David O'Brien, Michael Bunch, Clark C Smith, on behalf of the Spine Intervention Society's Patient Safety Committee; Patient Safety: Conscious Sedation, Pain Medicine, pny048, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pny048

Smith CC, Obrien D, King W., Laseter J., ; Masks, Gowns, and Caps for Interventional Spine Pain Procedures, Pain Medicine, 2018, pny016, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pny016

McCormick, Z, Chung B, Smith CC.; Internal Skin Burn Due to Novel Radiofrequency Ablation Technology, Pain Medicine, pny017, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pny017

Vorobeychik YM; Stojanovic MP; Smith CC. Letter to the Editor: Spinal Cord Infarction after Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection Using Dexamethasone. Pain Physician. 2017.

Miller D, Patel J, Smith CC. FactFinders for Patient Safety: Radiation Safety for Interventional Spine Procedures. Pain Medicine 2017; 0: 1-2 doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx302

Patel J, Schneider B, Smith CC. FACTFINDERS FOR PATIENT SAFETY: Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injections and Hyperglycemia. Pain Medicine, 18 December 2017. pnx303, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnx303
Page Break

Wade King, MMedSc MMed(Pain), David C. Miller, MD, MA,, Clark C. Smith, MD, MPH, on behalf of the Spine Intervention Society's Patient Safety Committee; Systemic Effects of Epidural Corticosteroid Injection. Pain Med 2017 pnx173. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx173

Smith, CC. et al. FactFinders for Patient Safety: Gowning, Caps, and Masks for Interventional Spine Pain Procedures. Pain Medicine (2018). (In Press).

Popescu A, Patel J, Smith CC. FACTFINDERS FOR PATIENT SAFETY: Are Gadolinium-Based Contrast Media Safe Alternatives for Spine Procedures?" 2017. Pain Medicine (In Press)

Fred DeFrancesch, MD, David O'Brien, MD, Clark C. Smith, MD, MPH, on behalf of the Spine Intervention Society's Patient Safety Committee; Anesthetic Test Dose and Seizure Risk with Cervical Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection. Pain Med 2017 pnx170. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx170

Byron J. Schneider, MD, Zachary L. McCormick, MD, Clark C. Smith, MD, MPH, on behalf of the Spine Intervention Society's Patient Safety Committee; Particulate or Nonparticulate Steroids for Lumbar Transforaminal Injections. Pain Med 2017 pnx171. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx171

McCormick Z, Popescu A, Smith CC et al. Fact Finders for Patient Safety: Routine Intravenous Access for Epidural Steroid Injections Without Sedation. 2017. Pain Medicine. 2017; 18:1193-1194.

Vorobeychik, Yakov, Sharma, A, Smith CC et al. "The Effectiveness and Risks of Non-Image-Guided Lumbar Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections: A Systematic Review with Comprehensive Analysis of the Published Data."?￠a???ˉPain Medicine 2016; 17:2185-2202. Doi: 10.1093/pm/pnw091

DePalma B, McCormick Z, Smith CC. Is There A Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Fluoroscopy Time During Sacroiliac Joint Injection? A Multicenter Cohort Study. 2015. Pain Medicine. 17:1 26 Dec 2015.

Smith Clark C. Fact Finder: Diabetes and Epidural Steroid Injections. International Spine Intervention Society. (2015) Published Online. www.spinalinjection.org

Kennedy DJ, Levin J, Rosequist R, Singh V, Smith CC, Stojanovic M, and Vorobeychik Y. "Epidural steroid injections are safe and effective: multisociety letter in support of the safety and effectiveness of epidural steroid injections."?￠a???ˉPain Medicine?￠a???ˉ16.5 (2015): 833-838.
Mehta P, Sinha D, Smith CC, Singh JR. The Role of Interlaminar and Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections for Discogenic Low Back Pain without Radiation. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation International. 2014. 1(5)
Smith, Clark C., and Anna-Christina Bevelaqua. "Challenging Pain Syndromes: Parsonage-Turner Syndrome." Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics of North America 25.2 (2014): 265-277.
Smith Clark C. Fact Finder: Swabbing Vial Tops. Spine Intervention Society. (2014) Published Online.
Walega, David R., Clark Smith, and Joel B. Epstein. "Bilateral Stellate Ganglion Blockade for Recalcitrant Oral Pain from Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Case Report." Journal of Oral & Facial Pain & Headache 28.2 (2014).
Gagnon, C. M., Matsuura, J. T., Smith, C. C. and Stanos, S. P. (2014), Ethnicity and Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment. Pain Practice. 14 (6) 532-40. : doi: 10.1111/papr.12102
Smith CC, Telhan G. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. PM&R Knowledge Now. Published online. www.now.aapmr.org 2012.
Smith CC, Syrkin G. Achilles Tendinopathy. PM&R Knowledge Now. Published online. www.now.aapmr.org 2012.
Smith CC, Khan F, Asenjo JF, Benzon HT, "SI Joint Injections," Atlas of Pain Medicine Procedures. Eds. Sudhir Diwan and Peter Staats. McGraw Hill, Philadelphia, 2014.
Khan F, Smith CC, Asenjo JF, Benzon HT, "Deep Muscular Injections" Atlas of Pain Medicine Procedures. Eds. Sudhir Diwan and Peter Staats. McGraw Hill, Philadelphia, 2014.
Smith CC, Lin J, Shokat M. Spinal Cord Injury after Spinal Cord Stimulator Trial, Implantation and Revision. Pain Physician. 2010; 13;357-363.

Smith CC, Booker T, Schaufele MK, Weiss P: Interlaminar versus transforaminal epidural steroid injections for the treatment of symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis. Pain Medicine; 2010 Oct;11(10):1511-5.
Smith, CC. Health Care and the Stimulus Package. The PM&R Resident. Spring 2009 Issue: Vol. 18, No. 2
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