
Overview
I specialize in the treatment of brain tumors and spinal disorders. I am a native of North Carolina and after spending time in military service, I have returned to provide care at Duke because I believe the people and assets here are dedicated to providing the best possible neurological care. I was drawn to the field of neurosurgery after my own family's experience with a brain tumor. I know firsthand that in the treatment of neurological disease, compassionate communication and joint decision-making with each patient is as important as the surgical procedure. I aim to bring up-to-date methods and treatments as part of a multi-disciplinary approach to help each patient deal with their illness. I also promise to help each individual understand all aspects of their care with the most honest and straightforward guidance that I can provide. In my spare time, I am very active in the outdoors of North Carolina as I enjoy spending time with my wife and four children.
Dr. Cook is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gliosarcoma. His top areas of expertise are Meningioma, Subdural Hematoma, Chronic Subdural Hematoma, Awake Craniotomy, and Sacral Nerve Stimulation.
His clinical research consists of co-authoring 9 peer reviewed articles. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years.
Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- POS
- PPO
- OTHER MANAGED MEDICAID
- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- HMO
- POS
- OTHER COMMERCIAL
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
20 Duke Medicine Cir, Durham, NC 27710
3643 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704
3643 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704
Additional Areas of Focus
Dr. Cook has provided the following conditions as areas of focus. Please note that we may not have enough data to validate their experience in some of these conditions.
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
Duke Cancer Center
I am an academic adult and pediatric neuro-oncologist who helps lead The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke. I am the author of more than 500 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and book chapters, and I have presented extensively at both international and national meetings. I am a committed educator who is a member of the executive and super-executive committees of the Duke University School of Medicine, which are responsible for the recruitment, screening and selection of medical students. I have reviewed grants for the National Institutes of Health for over 15 years, in a spectrum of different study sections. I am the senior editor of CNS Oncology and a reviewer for over 25 academic journals. I serve on the advisory board of a number of organizations, including Voices Against Brain Cancer, the Tug McGraw Foundation, Pinnacle Care, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, the National Children’s Cancer Society, and the American Brain Tumor Association. Dr. Friedman is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gliosarcoma. His top areas of expertise are Glioma, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, and Brain Tumor.
Duke Cancer Center Brain Tumor Clinic
What we specialize in at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center is compassionate care – we take care of our patients. It’s complete care. The patients don’t have to go out and find a radiologist. We have the radiation oncologist, the chemotherapy, the surgery, the radiology, we have all kinds of nursing people as well as help getting physical therapy and getting in-the-home assistance. Patients also can expect cutting-edge care because we run such a terrific science program here. I really like working with the patients. No question about it. It’s not that I’m doing some trivial procedure six times a day. When someone comes in with a brain tumor, there’s usually some bonding, and instead of running away from that, I really enjoy it. Dr. Friedman is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gliosarcoma. His top areas of expertise are Astrocytoma, Glioma, Glioblastoma, Awake Craniotomy, and Laminectomy.
Duke Cancer Center
My primary focus is patient care and clinical research. My clinical research focuses on providing innovative and aggressive therapies to adults with primary brain tumors. I always keep the patient's quality of life foremost in my practice. I completed my residency in adult neurology at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec. I finished a two-year fellowship in neuro-oncology at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke. Upon completion of my fellowship in 2005, I joined the Center as faculty. I am a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. Dr. Desjardins is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gliosarcoma. Her top areas of expertise are Gliosarcoma, Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes, Glioblastoma, and Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT).
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Advanced
- Awake CraniotomyDr. Cook isAdvanced. Learn about Awake Craniotomy.
- Chronic Subdural HematomaDr. Cook isAdvanced. Learn about Chronic Subdural Hematoma.
- MeningiomaDr. Cook isAdvanced. Learn about Meningioma.
- Metastatic Brain TumorDr. Cook isAdvanced. Learn about Metastatic Brain Tumor.
- Spinal StenosisDr. Cook isAdvanced. Learn about Spinal Stenosis.
- Subdural HematomaDr. Cook isAdvanced. Learn about Subdural Hematoma.
- Experienced
- ApoplexyDr. Cook isExperienced. Learn about Apoplexy.
- Arachnoid CystsDr. Cook isExperienced. Learn about Arachnoid Cysts.
- AstrocytomaDr. Cook isExperienced. Learn about Astrocytoma.
- Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT)
- Brain AbscessDr. Cook isExperienced. Learn about Brain Abscess.
- Brain HerniationDr. Cook isExperienced. Learn about Brain Herniation.



