Derek Southwell, MD, PhD
Accepting New Patients
Duke Health Provider question
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.
– Derek Southwell, MD, PhD

Derek Southwell, MD, PhD

Neurosurgeon

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Neurology Morreene Road - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery
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.
– Derek Southwell, MD, PhD

About Me

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.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English

Call for an Appointment

Ratings and Reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.

Overall Provider Rating
4.81 out of 5
66 ratings, 9 reviews

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery
Residency
Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, 2013-2018
Neurosurgery, Stanford University (California), 2011-2013
Education
PhD, Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, 2009
MD, University of California, San Francisco, 2011

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

I conduct basic neuroscience research in the Duke Neurobiology Program. Our research group studies how brain cells (neurons) develop during early life and how their dysfunction results in diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, and autism. We are also studying the transplantation of neurons as a prospective treatment for these diseases and for brain injuries.

Clinical Trials
Publications and Grants

Insurance Accepted

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.

    • Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
    • Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
    • Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
    • Aetna HMO
    • Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
    • Aetna Managed Choice POS
    • Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
    • Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
    • Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
    • Aetna Open Choice PPO
    • Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
    • Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
    • Aetna Select HMO
    • Aetna Traditional Choice
    • Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
    • Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
    • Aetna/CVS Health
    • Ambetter of North Carolina
    • Blue Advantage
    • Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
    • Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
    • Blue Select
    • NC State Employees Health Plan
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.

    • Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
    • Cigna Choice Plus
    • Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
    • Cigna Open Access
    • Cigna Open Access Plus
    • *Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.

    • Duke Basic
    • Duke Select
    • Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
  • Gateway Health Alliance
  • Healthgram
    • Humana Choice (PPO)
    • Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
    • Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
    • Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
  • MedCost
    • First Medicare Direct
    • Medicare Part A
    • Medicare Part B
    • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
    • Carolina Complete Health
    • Healthy Blue
    • NC Medicaid Direct
    • WellCare of North Carolina
    • TRICARE Prime
    • TRICARE Prime Remote
    • TRICARE Select
    • AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
    • AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
    • AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
    • All Savers Alternate Funding
    • All Savers Fully Insured
    • United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)
    • United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
    • United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
    • United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
    • United Healthcare Option PPO
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
    • United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
    • United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
    • United Medical Resources (UMR)
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.

Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.

External Relationships

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies or institutions listed below. This information has been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
  • Guidepoint
  • NeuroPace
  • NovoGlia