Dr. Kevin T. Foley, MD, FAANS

Kevin T. Foley, MD, FAANS, serves as a distinguished professor in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Surgery & Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center located in Memphis, Tennessee. He holds the position of chairman at Semmes-Murphey Clinic, is the chairman of the board and medical director for the Medical Education & Research Institute, and is an emeritus director of the spine fellowship at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Foley earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from UCLA in 1979, just five years after completing high school, and was subsequently inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He finished his neurosurgery residency at UCLA in 1985. After completing his residency, Dr. Foley dedicated his service to the United States Army Medical Corps, where he held the role of Assistant Chief of Neurosurgery at Brooke Army Medical Center, Chief of Neurosurgery at Tripler Army Medical Center, and Chief of Neurosurgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. At Walter Reed, he also chaired the neurosurgical residency training program. Throughout his military career, Dr. Foley rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and received several accolades, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Order of Military Medical Merit, and the Surgeon General's Physician Recognition Award. In 1992, Dr. Foley transitioned from military service to join Semmes-Murphey Clinic and the Department of Neurosurgery at UTHSC. His research interests encompass minimally invasive spine surgery, image-guided navigation, robotics, spinal biomechanics, clinical outcomes, disc regeneration, and innovative bone adhesives for cranial and spinal procedures. He boasts over 250 peer-reviewed publications, has presented at more than 700 scientific conferences and educational workshops, and has served as a visiting professor and invited lecturer at numerous institutions both nationally and internationally. Additionally, Dr. Foley holds over 180 U.S. patents, far surpassing any neurosurgeon, past or present. His innovative contributions include tubular retractors for minimally invasive spinal surgery, devices for image-guided surgery, minimally invasive spinal fixation techniques, and progenitor cell therapy for disc regeneration. In recognition of his significant contributions to the field, Dr. Foley received the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery in 2019, followed by the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies William Beecher Scoville Award in 2023.