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Alan R. Cohen

Alan R. Cohen, MD

4.815 ratings, 8 reviews

Brain and Tumor NeurosurgeryNeurosurgeryPediatric Neurosurgery

Accepting New Patients

Highlights

Age Groups Seen

  • Child 3-12

Languages

  • English

Gender

Male

Johns Hopkins Affiliations:

  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty

About Alan R. Cohen

Professional Titles

  • Director, Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Carson-Spiro Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Director, Pediatric Brain Tumor Center
  • Director, Neurosurgery Medical Student Education

Primary Academic Title

Professor of Neurological Surgery

Johns Hopkins Physician

Logo for Johns Hopkins Physician

Background

Alan R. Cohen is the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and one of the top pediatric neurosurgeons in the country. His area of specialty is treating infants and children diagnosed with brain tumors. Dr. Cohen’s goal is to get his patients back to being a kid again. He has a patient-centered approach to caring for each of his patients, working closely with the child’s family at every stage of the decision-making process. Dr. Cohen sees patients in the neurosciences clinic located in the Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center.

As the Carson-Spiro Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Dr. Cohen is a leader in developing minimally invasive techniques to enhance the safety and efficacy of selected pediatric neurosurgical procedures. He serves as director of the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Laboratory at Johns Hopkins and directs the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Fellowship Program. His lab focuses on developing novel instruments and surgical approaches. 

He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and published two textbooks. He has given approximately 330 national and international presentations, and has been an invited visiting professor at 50 medical centers.

He is past president of the Society of Neurological Surgeons, the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons and the AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery. He is past vice president of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery, a past director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and current director of the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery.

Patient Reviews
Hear what patients have to say about Dr. Cohen’s care:
•   Healthgrades Patient Reviews 
•   Vitals Patient Reviews

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

  • Pediatric Brain Tumor Surgery: Filip’s Story, Johns Hopkins Mediine (January 2025)

  • Johns Hopkins Pediatric Moyamoya Center Opens, Johns Hopkins Medicine (Jan. 8, 2025)

  • Maryland family celebrates Christmas after 3-year-old son survives brain tumor, WUSA-TV, (Dec. 25, 2024)

  • New A.I. Tool Diagnoses Brain Tumors on the Operating Table, The New York Times, (Oct. 11, 2023)

  • Fall at the pediatrician left Frederick 15-month-old minutes from death, WTOP-AM, (July 27, 2020)

  • ‘Every Parent’s Worst Nightmare’: 15-Month-Old Frederick Boy Nearly Dies After Falling At Pediatrician’s Office, WJZ-TV  (July 21, 2020)

  • 7-Year-Old Boy Forms Special Bond With Johns Hopkins Neurosurgeon Who Saved His Life, WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore, (Dec. 26, 2019)

  • Collaboration Conquers a Rare Intracranial Cyst, e-Pediatrician (June 17, 2019)

  • Doctors Find Air Pocket Hidden in Man's Brain CNN ( 3/14/2018)

  • Boy's skull pierced with screw in treehouse-building accident CNN (Jan 26, 2018)

  • Hopkins' Cohen Emphasizes 3 H's of Patient Care. NIH Record, (December 1, 2017)

Additional Academic Titles

Professor of Oncology, Professor of Pediatrics

Research Interests

New instruments and techniques for minimally invasive pediatric surgery

Lab Website

Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery - Lab Website

  • Directed by Alan R. Cohen MD, Carson-Spiro Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology and Pediatrics, the laboratory is focused on developing novel instruments and approaches to enhance the safety and efficacy of neurosurgical procedures. Current investigations include work in microsurgery, endoscopy, image guidance and robotic surgery. A cadaveric Skills Lab offers training in neurosurgical techniques.

Selected Publications

  • Cohen AR (Editor-in-Chief):  Pediatric Neurosurgery:  Tricks of the Trade, NY:  Thieme, 2016.  (Textbook, 881 pp.)

  • Cohen AR. Brain Tumors in Children The New England Journal of Medicine 386(20): 1922-1931, May 19, 2022

  • Cohen AR:  Curiosity. Neurosurgery 65(1):  37-48, 2018.  (Honored Guest Presentation:  2017 Annual Meeting, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Boston, MA).

  • Cohen AR:  Humility.  Neurosurgery 65(1):  6-14, 2018.  (Honored Guest Presentation:  2017 Annual Meeting, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Boston, MA)

  • Cohen AR:  Simplicity. Neurosurgery 65(1):  15-23, 2018.  (Honored Guest Presentation:  2017 Annual Meeting, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Boston, MA).

Honors

  • Honorary Faculty, Universidade Evangelica do Parana Curitiba, Brazil, 1/1/18
  • Richard J. Otenasek, Jr. Faculty Teaching Award, Department of Neurosurgery from the Neurosurgery House staff Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1/1/18
  • First Prize, Prose Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence for the textbook- Pediatric Neurosurgery: Tricks of the Trade, Association of American Publishers, 1/1/17
  • Chairman's Award for Excellence in Teaching, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1/1/17
  • Honored Guest, Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting Boston, Massachusetts, 1/1/17
  • Honorary Faculty, Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting Boston, Massachusetts, 1/1/17
  • First Prize, British Medical Association, ohen AR (Editor-in-Chief): Pediatric Neurosurgery: Tricks of the Trade, NY: Thieme, 2016. (Textbook, 881 pp.), British Medical Association, 1/1/17
  • First Prize, Association of American Publishers, Prose Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence, Association of American Publishers, 1/1/17
  • First Prize, for the textbook- Pediatric Neurosurgery: Tricks of the Trade, British Medical Association, 1/1/16
  • Research Innovation Award Smart Start- A Novel Device for Minimally Traumatic Brain Dissection, Institute for Pediatric Innovation, 1/1/09
  • Golden Stethoscope Award- Rainbow Clinical Faculty, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, 1/1/08
  • Children's Miracle Network National Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to Patient Care, Children's Miracle Network, 1/1/07
  • Colors of the Rainbow Award, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Family Advisory Council, 1/1/06
  • Scholarship in Teaching Award, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 1/1/05
  • J. Horvitz Award for Excellence in Clinical Service, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Clinical Faculty, 1/1/04
  • Faculty Alpha Omega Alpha Award, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 6/1/02
  • Best Doctors in America, Woodward White, 1/1/97
  • America's Top Docs, Castle Connolly, 1/1/96
  • Summa cum Laude, Harvard University, 6/1/74
  • Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard University, 6/1/74

Memberships

  • American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons, Past President
  • AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery, Past President
  • Society of Neurological Surgeons, Past President
  • Boston Society of Neurology and Psychiatry, Past President
  • Ohio State Neurosurgical Society, Past President
  • American Academy of Neurological Surgery, Past Vice President
  • Hydrocephalus Association, Medical Advisory Board
  • American College of Surgeons, Fellow
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Fellow
  • American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Fellow

Professional Activities

  • American Board of Neurological Surgery, Past Director
  • American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery, Director
  • Child's Nervous System, Editorial Board

Additional Training

  • American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery (1997)

Locations

  1. Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center

Expertise

Education

  • Residency: NYU Langone Hospital, Neurological Surgery, 1987
  • Residency: NYU Langone Hospital, General Surgery, 1980
  • Medical Education: Weill Cornell Medical College, MD, 1978

Board Certifications

  • Neurological Surgery: American Board of Neurological Surgery, 1991

Insurance

Please contact the location directly to confirm your health plan is accepted.
Search plans
  • Aetna
  • CareFirst
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Geisinger Health Plan
  • HealthSmart/Accel
  • Johns Hopkins Health Plans
  • MultiPlan
  • Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
  • Point Comfort Underwriters
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)

Ratings & Reviews

4.8 out of 5

15 ratings, 8 reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

Overall Rating by Patient
Provider Listened Carefully
Provider Explained Things Clearly
Provider Knew Medical History
Provider Showed Respect
Provider Spent Enough Time
Search reviews
    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/10/2026

    The provider was good

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 2/12/2026

    We felt really cared for. Everything about the experience was as good as it can be. Dr. Cohen was knowledgeable and has perfect dominion of his subject matter, but most importantly he is the most caring and empathetic surgeon I have ever seen in 30 years as a physician.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 2/3/2026

    He's wonderful. He stopped and listened to our concerns as parents and our neurologists concerned and worked towards a path that made everything much better.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 1/20/2026

    Very well

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 10/14/2025

    My provider was great. I would definitely recommend this provider to other family members.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 7/15/2025

    Dr. Cohen was very friendly and very easy to understand and ask questions.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 6/10/2025

    So nice and so good Really cares about my daughter and wanted to feel the most better she can be

    4 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 4/18/2025

    The provider visited for a very short amount of time, but that was to be expected with the type of appointment. The PA spent more time with us and was absolutely wonderful. The vitals person however, that process was not good. It took much longer than expected. We were called back twice it was Not organized.