Dr. Clinton John Baird, MD

“I feel absolutely privileged to be involved in the care of patients at such a challenging time in their lives,” says Dr. Clinton Baird. “The ability to give someone hope through compassionate, high-quality cancer care is an awesome experience. Being witness to and part of their improved quality of life is worth every effort.” Dr. Baird adds, “I interact with my patients and their families like they are a personal friend or family member. All of my patients have full access to me and my staff. My cell phone number is given during their first visit, and I communicate with my patients regularly by cell phone to check on them outside of their appointments. I help my patients and their families understand their treatment and encourage them to help make important decisions about their care.” A neurosurgeon at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southwestern Regional Medical Center, Dr. Baird serves patients who have neurological cancers, including those with primary brain tumors (e.g., glioblastoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioima, oligoastrocytoma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma), primary spinal column tumors, metastatic tumors to the brain, as well as tumors near the spinal column or peripheral nerves. Surgical procedures Dr. Baird performs include all aspects of care for tumors using traditional surgical approaches or endonasal endoscopic surgery for minimally invasive brain surgery. Dr. Baird also cares for patients with trigeminal neuralgia treatment, cerebrovascular disorders, as well as patients needing minimally invasive or complex spinal surgery. In addition, Dr. Baird uses some of the most sophisticated tools for intraoperative electrophysiology "brain mapping" and intraoperative neuronavigation. Both tools help enhance the safety of brain tumor treatment. Dr. Baird earned a medical degree from Saint Louis University, where he also completed bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry and a graduate study in biology. At Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Baird completed an internship in general surgery, a residency in neurological surgery and the Hunterian Neuro-Oncology Research Fellowship, supported in part by the American Brain Tumor Association. He also completed a fellowship in endoneurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Over the years, Dr. Baird has received a number of awards, including the Irving J. Sherman Award for Resident Achievement from the Department of Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, as well as the Robert Woolsey Award in Neurology from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Baird is a member of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He has been published in numerous medical journals. Dr. Baird has served as a medical reviewer of clinical research for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and as co-investigator in a brain tumor clinical trial for the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He has been a recipient of the American Brain Tumor Association Research Fellowship. Dr. Baird has researched cancer immunology and computer-integrated surgical systems and technology for neurosurgical procedures. Dr. Baird also serves as a clinical instructor for the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa's School of Community Medicine. Family is very important to Dr. Baird. He and his wife Mindy have four children, Clinton, Caleb, Laurel, and Ezra. Dr. Baird notes, “Ezra has a skeletal dysplasia that has left him in need of ventilator support and full-time care. Being with my son on a daily basis and helping to care for my mother as she fought and lost her battle against ovarian cancer at age 51 has helped me to have a fuller understanding of the struggles and blessings my patients go through each day in their fight against cancer.”