Mark F Abel, MD
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Bio & Overview
Dr. Abel has been with UVA Health Children's since 1993. He has served in numerous leadership roles including chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery between 2002 and 2003 and from August of 2008 through August 2013. He has been involved in committees overseeing quality and strategy. Dr. Abel has joint appointments at the rank of professor in the departments of pediatrics and neurosurgery.
He serves as the division head of Pediatric Orthopaedics, which has been ranked in the top 50 such programs by US News & World Report. He is also the Medical Director of the Motion Analysis & Motor Performance Laboratory. His expertise covers a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions affecting children. Approximately 50% of his practice deals with the management of spinal conditions in children, including healthy children and children with chronic conditions such as cerebral palsy.
He is nationally recognized as an expert in pediatric orthopaedics and pediatric spinal deformities and scoliosis. He has published over 90 original papers and numerous book chapters on topics in pediatric orthopaedics. He has been listed among Connelly’s Best Doctors in America annually since 2006.
Mark Abel, MD, is not accepting new patients or referrals but maintains privileges at UVA for current patients.
Academic Information
- Department
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Academic Role
- Professor
- Division
- Orthopedics-Pediatric
- Research Interests
- Clinical assessments and management of spinal deformities in children. Management of cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular conditions.
- Gender
- Male
- Languages
- English
- Age Groups Seen
- Infants (0-2)
Children (2-12)
Adolescents (12-21)
- Primary Education
- Tulane University School of Medicine
- Residency
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
- Fellowships
- Children's Hospital and Health Center
- Certification
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (Orthopaedic Surgery)
Highlights
Dr. Mark Abel profile video
[MUSIC PLAYING] MARK ABEL: I'm Dr. Mark Abel, and I'm a division head of pediatric orthopedic surgery within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. When I came to the University of Virginia 22 years ago, they had just established a motion analysis laboratory and had a large population of children with cerebral palsy. That was key to our understanding of how children affected with neuromuscular conditions moved and how you could improve their movements. So I continued to work and manage children with cerebral palsy. And about 70% of my practice is in the management of complex spinal deformity, scoliosis, and other conditions. And that's where my two interests have really converged, because children with neuromuscular conditions also get spinal deformities. So on the one hand, I treat fairly healthy children with spinal deformities. I also treat children with neuromuscular conditions. And so that has really been my focus over the last five years. My care philosophy is putting the patient first at all times, listening carefully to complaints, and trying to understand the perspective of the patient. In my case, it's the parent and the child. It's very rewarding. And when we create this bond and this communication link, it makes the care so fulfilling. And I try to instill that in the resident group that works with me. The resident physicians are an integral part of my management team, and I try to stress to them that care is really about communication and listening more than anything else.
Awards
- 2017-2020 Best Doctors in America® List
- 2012 awarded the Charles J. Frankel Professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery
- 2008-2013 Lillian Pratt Distinguished Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- 2006 Editor for American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; Orthopaedic Knowledge Update-Pediatrics
- Served on Board of Directors for American Academy of Cerebral Palsy & Developmental Medicine
- 2008 Named Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Virginia
- 2004 awarded Alfred R. Shands, Jr Endowed Chair, at the University of Virginia
- 2000 admitted to American Orthopaedic Association:"Membership reflects leadership in orthopaedic surgery through teaching & research"
Research Awards from American Academy for Cerebral Palsy & Developmental Medicine
- 2000 Original Research Award: Southern Medical Association:"For outstanding clinical research" in Southern Region
- 2000 for study entitled:"Relationships Among Musculoskeletal Impairment, Function and Perceived Health Status in Spastic CP: A multi-center collaboration"
- 1996 for study on:"Relationship of Gait Analysis to Gross Motor Function in Cerebral Palsy"