Gady Har-El, MD

Gady Har-El, MD, is the chief of head and neck surgery and oncology at Northwell Health's Lenox Hill Hospital. He performs head and neck surgery for tumors of the thyroid, parathyroid, neck, mouth and larynx. He also specializes in skull base surgery for tumors of the nose, sinuses, eye socket and pituitary gland.During his more than 30 years as a surgeon, Dr. Har-El has helped develop innovations in larynx reconstruction and minimally invasive procedures, including transnasal endoscopic surgery-performed through the nose-for skull base tumors.At the age of 19, Dr. Har-El sustained a serious injury that required a hospital stay. "I was a relatively healthy kid, but this experience showed me a side of medicine that went beyond a routine doctor visit," he says. After active military service, he attended medical school at Ben-Gurion University, then completed an otolaryngology residency at The State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. He received his fellowship training in head and neck surgery and skull base surgery at Long Island College Hospital.At Lenox Hill Hospital, Dr. Har-El runs a tumor board, where he collaborates with other surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, imaging specialists and pathologists to create highly tailored treatment plans. "Each patient's care is discussed and agreed upon by all tumor board participants," he says.As an adjunct professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Dr. Har-El is committed to training otolaryngology and head and neck surgery residents. He is also professor of otolaryngology and neurosurgery at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.Dr. Har-El has been a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for more than 20 years and is the former president of the American Laryngological Association, American Broncho-Esophagological Association, New York Head & Neck Society and New York Laryngological Society. He has published more than 250 journal articles and book chapters on head and neck and skull base tumors, and regularly presents at national and international meetings.One of the most valued parts of his job is ensuring every person he treats receives personalized care. "I examine them and talk to them about their condition, in addition to performing surgery and providing ongoing care," he says. "Every time I meet with a patient, I'm inspired."