
Overview
I was drawn to neurosurgery during medical school when I first witnessed the unusually direct and positive impacts it could make for patients. At Duke Health, I now provide surgical treatments to people affected by epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. My background as a surgeon certainly shapes my interactions with my patients, yet I identify them and also myself more as somebody's sibling, friend, neighbor, and daughter or son. I strive to emphasize our shared perspectives because I believe they lead to the foundations of good care: empathy, respect, clear communication, and a strong focus on patient well-being and safety.
Dr. Southwell is highly rated in 4 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Epilepsy, Absence Seizure, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Awake Craniotomy.
Dr. Southwell is board certified in American Board Of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery. He is actively involved in clinical research, co-authoring 49 peer reviewed articles and participating in 1 clinical trial. Dr. Southwell is currently accepting new patients.
Specialties
Licenses
Board Certifications
Hospital Affiliations
Languages Spoken
Gender
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
- PPO
- EPO
- POS
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- POS
- PPO
- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- HMO
- POS
- 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
40 Duke Medicine Cir, Durham, NC 27710
Additional Areas of Focus
Dr. Southwell 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 Brain Tumor Clinic
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 highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Glioma, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, and Brain Tumor. Dr. Friedman is board certified in American Board Of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and American Board Of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Dr. Friedman is currently accepting new patients.
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 highly rated in 43 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Glioma, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, Awake Craniotomy, and Laminectomy. Dr. Friedman is board certified in American Board Of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery. Dr. Friedman is currently accepting new patients.
Duke Neurosurgery Arringdon
I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications. Dr. Shaffrey is highly rated in 17 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Kyphosis, Scoliosis, Lordosis, Osteotomy, and Spinal Fusion. Dr. Shaffrey is board certified in American Board Of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and American Board Of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery. Dr. Shaffrey is currently accepting new patients.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Derek G. Southwell
How do I make an appointment with Dr. Derek G. Southwell?
You can book an appointment with Dr. Derek G. Southwell by calling their office at 919-681-1700. MediFind provides direct contact information so you can schedule visits, second opinions, or consultations without navigating third-party calendars.
Is Dr. Derek G. Southwell a top-rated expert for Seizures?
MediFind is an objective health platform that identifies experts based on real-world data. Dr. Derek G. Southwell is classified as an Advanced expert for Seizures, meaning they are among the top experts in the country for this condition. This ranking is based on their volume of patients, published research, and peer connections.
What conditions does Dr. Derek G. Southwell specialize in?
While Dr. Derek G. Southwell is a Neurosurgery, they have specific expertise in Seizures, Epilepsy, and Deep Brain Stimulation. MediFind analyzes a doctor's articles and referral patterns to identify their specific areas of focus within Neurosurgery.
Does Dr. Derek G. Southwell participate in research or clinical trials?
Yes. Dr. Derek G. Southwell has published 49 articles and abstracts on conditions like Seizures. You can view a list of Dr. Derek G. Southwell's latest peer-reviewed publications and clinical trial participation on their profile to see if they are active in new treatments.
Does Dr. Derek G. Southwell accept my insurance?
Dr. Derek G. Southwell accepts most major insurance plans, including Aetna and Ambetter. We recommend calling the office directly at 919-681-1700 to verify that your specific plan is currently accepted before your visit.
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
- Absence SeizureDr. Southwell isAdvanced. Learn about Absence Seizure.
- Deep Brain StimulationDr. Southwell isAdvanced. Learn about Deep Brain Stimulation.
- EpilepsyDr. Southwell isAdvanced. Learn about Epilepsy.
- SeizuresDr. Southwell isAdvanced. Learn about Seizures.
- Experienced
- Awake CraniotomyDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Awake Craniotomy.
- Brain TumorDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Brain Tumor.
- Chronic Subdural HematomaDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Chronic Subdural Hematoma.
- DeliriumDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Delirium.
- Epilepsy in ChildrenDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Epilepsy in Children.
- Essential TremorDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Essential Tremor.
- GliomaDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Glioma.
- Gliomatosis CerebriDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Gliomatosis Cerebri.
- HydrocephalusDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Hydrocephalus.
- Hypothalamic TumorDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Hypothalamic Tumor.
- Increased Intracranial PressureDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Increased Intracranial Pressure.
- Movement DisordersDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Movement Disorders.
- NeurofibromatosisDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Neurofibromatosis.
- Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1)Dr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1).
- Parkinson's DiseaseDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Parkinson's Disease.
- Photosensitive EpilepsyDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Photosensitive Epilepsy.
- Pituitary TumorDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Pituitary Tumor.
- StrokeDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Stroke.
- Subdural HematomaDr. Southwell isExperienced. Learn about Subdural Hematoma.

