Biography

A visionary in the field of minimally invasive spine surgery, Dr. Frank Phillips was one of the first in Chicago to begin performing these procedures in the 1990s. He specializes in minimally invasive cervical and lumbar reconstructive surgery. He also has expertise in motion-preserving procedures and was a principal investigator in FDA trials on cervical disc replacement. 

Dr. Phillips is a leader in the field and is a founder, board member, and past president of the Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. Dr. Phillips has participated in the development of and pioneered a number of minimally invasive spinal techniques that are now widely used. He regularly teaches and lectures to spine surgeons nationally and internationally on minimally invasive spinal surgery. 

A medical graduate from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Dr. Phillips completed his orthopedic residency at The University of Chicago Medical Center. He then completed a spine fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Before coming to Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in 2003, Dr. Phillips served as the director of the Spine Center at The University of Chicago. Dr. Phillips is currently a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery. He has published and lectured extensively, received numerous research awards and grants, and frequently directs spinal educational courses for other spine surgeons.

Dr. Phillips was voted among the top 10-15% of Top Doctors in America® by U.S.News & World Report and Castle Connolly. The Top Doctors list is widely regarded as a high-quality reference guide to the medical profession. He was recently named one of the top 28 spine surgeons in the country by Orthopedics This Week and is listed in Becker’s Orthopedic Spine and Pain Management as one of the nation’s Top 100 spine surgeons and specialists.