When you think of a world-famous neurosurgeon, you probably picture someone in a sterile white coat, maybe a bit detached, moving from one high-stakes operation to the next. Honestly, Dr. Barth A. Green MD breaks that mold completely. Yeah, he’s spent thousands of hours inside the human spine, but if you ask him what he does, he’s just as likely to talk about picking up dog poop in his yard or his run-ins with the KGB during the Cold War.
He’s a legend in Miami, but his reach is global. He didn't just fix backs; he co-founded The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and Project Medishare for Haiti. He's the guy who flew into Port-au-Prince less than 24 hours after the 2010 earthquake while everyone else was still trying to find a working phone line.
Why Barth Green matters more than your average specialist
Most surgeons specialize in "the fix." You break a bone, they set it. You have a tumor, they cut it out. Barth Green has always been obsessed with the "what next?"
Back in medical school at Indiana University in the late 60s, he watched paraplegic patients volunteer for research with more courage than most people show in a lifetime. That sparked something. It wasn't enough to just perform the surgery; he wanted to know why the nerves weren't growing back.
In 1985, he teamed up with NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti. Nick’s son, Marc, had been paralyzed in a college football game. They didn't just want better wheelchairs; they wanted a cure. That’s how the Miami Project started. Fast forward to 2026, and it’s basically the gold standard for spinal cord research. They’re doing things with Schwann cell transplants and hypothermia that sounded like sci-fi when Green started his residency.
✨ Don't miss: 24 hour fitness memberships: What Most People Get Wrong About the Fine Print
The pivot from the operating room to global health
In 2021, Dr. Green hung up the scrubs.
Well, mostly.
He performed his final surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital in May of that year. After 50 years and roughly 15,000 surgeries, most people would go play golf. Not this guy. He shifted his focus to being the Executive Dean for Global Health and Community Service at the University of Miami.
👉 See also: Detroit Harper University Hospital: What You Actually Need to Know Before Checking In
He’s 80 now, but he still sees patients in his neurosurgery clinic and does rounds. He’s kinda addicted to the work. He’s often said that being stuck in an OR for 40 hours a week actually limited how much he could help the world. Now, he spends his time on disaster response in the Bahamas, Ecuador, and India.
What people get wrong about his "retirement"
People think he stepped away because he was tired. If you meet him, you'll see that's not it. He’s got this mischievous sense of humor and more energy than most 30-year-olds. He just realized that the systemic issues—like the fact that people in Haiti had zero access to critical care—needed his attention more than another lumbar fusion did.
- Project Medishare: He co-founded this in 1994. It wasn't a "fly-in, fly-out" mission. They built sustainable infrastructure.
- Shake-A-Leg Miami: This is his project for adaptive water sports. Because why shouldn't someone in a wheelchair be able to sail a boat?
- The "Humble" Factor: He credits his wife, a former nurse, for keeping him grounded. He jokes that despite the awards, he's still the guy responsible for taking out the trash at home.
The wild stories you won't find on a CV
Usually, a doctor's bio is a snooze-fest of "published 200 papers" and "served on this board." Barth Green’s life sounds like a Bourne movie. He was once kidnapped by the Medellín cartel in Colombia. He’s been followed by the KGB in Russia. He was the personal doctor for the leader of China after the Cultural Revolution because the leader’s son was paralyzed.
👉 See also: Why Ribs Hurting in Pregnancy is So Common (and How to Breathe Again)
These aren't just "fun facts." They shaped how he views medicine. He treats every patient like family because he's seen how fragile life is in every corner of the planet.
How to use Dr. Green's philosophy in your own health journey
If you’re dealing with a spinal issue or looking for a specialist, you can’t exactly book a surgery with him anymore, but his influence is everywhere in South Florida’s medical scene. Here is how to navigate the "Barth Green way":
- Don't settle for "good enough" recovery. If you have a neurological injury, look for "Translational Research." This is the stuff Green pioneered—moving science from the lab to the patient quickly.
- Look for multidisciplinary teams. Green never worked in a silo. He brought in radiologists, physical therapists, and researchers. If your surgeon isn't talking to your rehab team, find a new team.
- Check out The Miami Project. Even if you aren't a patient at UHealth, their resources on spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are world-leading and often free to access online.
- Support Project Medishare. If you want to see how "Global Health" actually works, look at their model of capacity building rather than just donating supplies.
Actionable Next Steps for Patients
If you are currently seeking care for a complex spinal condition in the Miami area, you can still find the "Green legacy" at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
- Consult the Clinic: While he doesn't operate, Dr. Green still sees patients for consultations and second opinions regarding complex spine and spinal cord injuries. You can reach the neurosurgery department at (305) 243-6946.
- Evaluate Clinical Trials: If you have a chronic spinal cord injury, visit the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis website to see if you qualify for ongoing Schwann cell or neuromodulation trials.
- Telemedicine: He is a big proponent of telemedicine for international patients or those with limited mobility, making expert neurological advice more accessible than ever before.
Dr. Green has always said the "future is a mystery." But by shifting the focus from just surviving an injury to actually curing the paralysis that follows, he’s made that future look a whole lot brighter for millions of people.