About Dr. Goel
About Dr. Gunjan Goel
Dr. Gunjan Goel is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon. She cares for patients with brain and spine tumors, skull base conditions, degenerative spine disease, and trigeminal neuralgia, and takes a patient-centered approach to complex neurosurgical decisions.
She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at UPMC, providing care at UPMC Shadyside, UPMC Presbyterian, and UPMC East. She trained at UC San Diego, where her residency included fellowships at Weill Cornell Medicine in skull base microsurgery and minimally invasive endoscopic endonasal surgery.
She is a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS) and a Fellow of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (FCNS).
Board Certified
American Board of Neurological Surgery
Residency
UC San Diego Neurological Surgery
Fellowship Training
Weill Cornell Skull Base and Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery
Recognition
San Diego Top Doctor and two-time Sharp Guardian Angel Honoree
Clinical approach
Dr. Goel treats neurosurgical disease with a broad view of the patient, not only the scan. Her clinical interests include brain and spine tumors, including meningiomas, gliomas, intraventricular and pineal-region tumors, and colloid cysts, along with skull base surgery, neuroendoscopic surgery, trigeminal neuralgia, and degenerative spine conditions.
Dr. Goel considers the diagnosis, symptoms, imaging, overall health, and patient goals when recommending treatment. She discusses non-surgical options when appropriate and weighs the expected benefits of surgery against its risks, recovery, and alternatives.
Before joining UPMC, Dr. Goel practiced in San Diego and Miami, including serving as Medical Director of Brain and Spine Neurosurgery at HCA Mercy Hospital. That leadership experience informs a practical, collaborative style of care for patients, families, and referring clinicians.
Good neurosurgical care begins with listening
Patients facing neurosurgical disease often arrive with anxiety, uncertainty, and difficult choices. Dr. Goel's goal is to help patients understand the diagnosis, the available options, and the reasoning behind any recommended treatment.
Education and Training
Education and training
Her Cornell fellowships were completed during her UC San Diego residency. See her University of Pittsburgh faculty profile.
University of California, Berkeley
BA in Psychology, a foundation that supports her emphasis on communication, patient experience, and shared decision-making.
Wayne State University School of Medicine
MD with Distinction, Alpha Omega Alpha membership, and Distinction in Biomedical Research.
Weill Cornell Medicine
Fellowships during residency in skull base microneurosurgery and minimally invasive endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.
University of California, San Diego
Neurological surgery residency, with advanced clinical training across spine, cranial, trauma, and complex neurosurgical care.
Board certification
Certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
Academic Medicine
Leadership and academic work
Dr. Goel’s academic work includes peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and textbook chapters on neurosurgical care. She brings that experience to clinical research and surgical education. More about her academic work is on her University of Pittsburgh faculty profile.
Leadership
Medical Director, Brain and Spine Neurosurgery
Before joining UPMC, Dr. Goel served as Medical Director of Brain and Spine Neurosurgery at HCA Mercy Hospital in Miami, following several years of attending neurosurgical practice in San Diego.
Recognition
Honors and recognition
Her recognitions include San Diego Top Doctor, two Sharp Guardian Angel awards given by patients, Alpha Omega Alpha membership, and graduation with distinction from Wayne State University School of Medicine.
Books
Picture books
Dr. Goel writes picture books for children with her mother, Latesh Goel, illustrated by her daughter, Sofie: The Sandalwood Horse and Kian and the Sandalwood Horse.
Connect with Dr. Goel
Appointments and referrals are scheduled by phone through UPMC offices in Pittsburgh, Monroeville, and North Huntingdon.
Please note: Appointments and referrals are scheduled by phone through UPMC: 724-382-3600 for Pittsburgh, Monroeville and North Huntingdon. For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.