Leading the Way in Brain & Spine Care

UC San Diego Health is proud to be consistently ranked San Diego's No. 1 hospital system by U.S. News and World Report and has been nationally recognized in neurology and neurosurgery for six years in a row. We've also earned top certifications for delivering exceptional and complex care in cancer, spine conditions, epilepsy, stroke and trauma.

Our distinctions in brain and spine care include:

• The region's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
• The region's only Level 4 Epilepsy Center, offering the highest level of care
• The only hospital with an intraoperative MRI in the region, enhancing precision during surgery
• Home to two Comprehensive Stroke Centers (UC San Diego Health is the first in San Diego and the third in the nation to earn this designation)
• The first health system in California to receive The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery (ACSS)
• Ranked among the top 10 academic medical centers nationwide for high-quality care and strong patient outcomes, including being in the top 10% for mortality index, by Vizient in 2025

Our neurosurgeons perform highly specialized procedures, such as minimally invasive brain surgery, deep brain stimulation, stereotactic radiosurgery, and intraoperative MRI. We serve many patients who were unable to receive this level of care at other medical centers in the San Diego region.

Yes. As the region’s only academic medical center, we offer access to clinical trials and leading-edge treatments not widely available. You may be eligible for new therapies through our research programs.