When Frank Yuk, MD, talks about spine surgery, he speaks from both sides of the operating table.
Before becoming a neurosurgeon, Yuk experienced firsthand what it feels like to be a patient in severe pain — and how life-changing the right surgery can be.
It happened during his first year of medical school, when he was 21 years old.
“One day, I was weightlifting and out of nowhere I ripped my underwear, which is ridiculous,” Yuk recalls with a laugh, “and then I felt a huge pop in my back. I immediately dropped the weight and knew something was wrong.”
Yuk initially tried to rest and medicate, but nothing eased the pain. Eventually, his entire right leg from his hip down became completely numb.
An MRI revealed a large cyst on the right side of Yuk's lower spine that was severely compressing the nerves and causing significant weakness in his right foot. To relieve the pressure, he underwent a minimally invasive procedure to remove part of the bone and the cyst.
The surgery was performed by an orthopedic spine surgeon who Yuk would later shadow in medical school.
“It was an outpatient procedure,” Yuk said. “I was amazed with the fact that I walked out of the hospital pain-free. My back and my right leg felt fine, and my foot drop recovered quickly.”
Destined to be a neurosurgeon
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Yuk moved to the United States with his family when he was 5 years old and grew up in New Jersey.
His parents strongly encouraged him to pursue a career in medicine from an early age.
“My parents moved here with the purpose of sending me to medical school,” Yuk said. “The summer before my mom passed away, she said, ‘Frank, you have to go to medical school, and you have to become a neurosurgeon.’ That is what my parents always wanted me to aspire to be — the very best.”
After graduating from Johns Hopkins University with degrees in neuroscience and economics, Yuk earned his medical degree at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
He completed his first fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in adult complex spine surgery with a focus on minimally invasive spine surgery. He later completed a second orthopedic spine fellowship in adult and pediatric scoliosis at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and spent time at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Yuk joined the Indiana University School of Medicine as an assistant professor of clinical neurological surgery in late 2025.
He has a special interest in minimally invasive spinal procedures, motion-preserving techniques and advanced deformity and scoliosis correction for both pediatric and adult patients.
Being dually trained in the disciplines of neurosurgery and orthopedic spine surgery gives Yuk a “comprehensive perspective few surgeons have,” said Mitesh Shah, MD, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery.
“Frank is uniquely qualified to manage both adult and pediatric patients with the most complex spinal problems,” Shah said. “He is also deeply committed to minimally invasive approaches, which affords his patients the least amount of time off to recover.”
Leading the next generation
Although he initially entered private practice in southern Indiana after fellowship, Yuk eventually realized he missed academic medicine.
“I missed teaching residents. I missed the research perspective. I missed the collegiality of having like-minded colleagues around,” Yuk said. “I am especially appreciative of our extremely supportive chairman. Dr. Shah has a vision for the future of spine surgery, and I am thankful I get to be a part of the team delivering high quality, effective care.”
Mentorship remains one of the most important parts of his work at the IU School of Medicine, shaped by the surgeons who trained him during residency and fellowship.
Yuk believes the best training comes from giving trainees the independence to operate while providing the guidance and support they need to succeed.
“The reason I give residents so much responsibility in the operating room is because that’s how I was trained,” Yuk said. “I try to give residents as much independence as possible so I can see how far they’re comfortable going on their own and where they might need support. One day, they’ll be the attending in the operating room, and there won’t be anyone there to bail them out. I want them to feel confident when that day comes.”
Shah said Yuk’s mentorship stood out from moment he arrived to the IU School of Medicine.
“Frank brought a sense that our residents are truly an important part of the surgical team,” Shah said. “He gives them graduated responsibility and empowers them to be active in every surgical procedure, and that’s exactly the kind of training experience we want for the next generation of surgeons.”
In addition to clinical care and teaching, Yuk is actively pursuing research focused on improving outcomes and fusion rates after minimally invasive spinal surgery. He has an extensive research background with more than 35 peer reviewed journal publications, multiple book chapters, national meeting presentations and several invited lectures.
“I think minimally invasive surgery is the present and the future,” Yuk said. “Can we perform similar surgeries that we used to do 10 years ago through a tiny incision now? Yes. Can we get patients out of the hospital faster and back to work faster? Yes.
“When patients come back a few weeks after a minimally invasive surgery and tell me they’re pain-free or their symptoms are gone, it’s incredibly rewarding. Knowing we helped them avoid a larger operation and get back to normal is what keeps me going.”
Outside of work, Yuk and his wife recently relocated to Carmel with their two children and two dogs. He says the move has been a great fit for his family and for the future he hopes to build at IU.
