- ABOUT ME
- AREAS OF FOCUS
- EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP
- LOCATIONS & HOSPITALS
- NEWS & PUBLICATIONS
As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Medress strives to alleviate suffering and prevent further neurologic deterioration by using the most up-to-date surgical techniques. Nothing makes him happier than seeing his patients return to the lives they want to live, alongside their families and loved ones.
Dr. Medress is a Stanford educated and trained neurosurgeon with advanced sub-specialty fellowship training in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery and expertise in general neurosurgery. At Stanford, he was awarded the Samuel Hassenbusch Young Neurosurgeon Award from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Robert Florin, MD Resident Award by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He has published over 50 manuscripts and book chapters within the field of neurosurgery and neuroscience. His clinical areas of focus include minimally invasive spine surgery, treatment of spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, spinal deformity, spinal tumors, infections of the spine, chiari malformations, and brain tumors.
Dr. Medress is inspired by the resilience, will, and strength of his patients, many of whom have recovered after facing incredibly challenging diagnoses and enduring technically demanding procedures.
Outside of work, Dr. Medress enjoys exploring the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific Northwest with his wife and children. He loves the friendly, open, and inclusive culture of the Pacific Northwest. Nothing beats the coffee, trees, and natural beauty of Portland.
Volunteer Activities
Stanford Neurosurgery Mission in Mbarra, Uganda
Other Activities
Member, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Member, Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Member, Joint Spine Section
Member, The Hanbery Society
Areas of Focus
General Neurosurgery/Complex Spine
Brain & Spine Tumors
Adult Spinal Deformity/Reconstruction
Cervical Spine Surgery
Minimally Invasive Brain & Spine Surgery
Chiari Malformations
Peripheral Nerve Surgery
Spondylolisthesis
Spinal Stenosis
Degenerative Disc Disease
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Residency, Neurosurgery, Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Palo Alto, CA, 2022
Fellowship, Complex and Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Palo Alto, CA, 2020
MD, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 2015
BA, Human Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 2009
BOARD CERTIFICATION
Neurosurgery – Board Eligible
HONORS
Portland Monthly Magazine, “Top Doctors,” 2025
Samuel Hassenbusch Young Neurosurgeon Award (Congress of Neurological Surgeons)
Robert Florin, MD Resident Award (American Association of Neurological Surgeons)
Top Resident Abstract–2nd place (California Association of Neurological Surgeons)
Estelle and Bernard Shuer Award for Excellence in Neuroscience Research (Stanford University)
Pacific Palisades Rotary Club Scholarship, Crossroads Achievement Award
Locations
Hospitals Served
- Providence Portland Medical Center
- Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
Publications
Medress ZA, Xu LW, Ziskin JL, Lefterova MI, Vogel H, Li G. Pilocytic astrocytoma with IDH1 mutation in the cerebellum of an elderly patient. Clin Neuropathol. 2015;34(2):96-98
Jin MC, Medress ZA, Azad TD, Doulames VM, Veeravagu A. Stem cell therapies for acute spinal cord injury in humans: a review. Neurosurg Focus. 2019;46(3):E10.
Bhambhvani HP, Rodrigues AJ, Medress ZA, Hayden Gephart M. Racial and socioeconomic correlates of treatment and survival among patients with meningioma: a population-based study. J Neurooncol. 2020;147(2):495-501.
Cheng I, Stienen MN, Medress ZA, et al. Single- versus dual-attending strategy for spinal deformity surgery: 2-year experience and systematic review of the literature. J Neurosurg Spine. 2020:1-12.
Marquardt LM, Doulames VM, Wang AT, et al. Designer, injectable gels to prevent transplanted Schwann cell loss during spinal cord injury therapy. Sci Adv. 2020;6(14):eaaz1039.
Medress Z, Ugiliweneza B, Parker J, et al. Simulating Episode-Based Bundled Payments for Cranial Neurosurgical Procedures. Neurosurgery. 2020;87(1):86-95.
Medress ZA, Veeravagu A. Commentary: Predictors of the Best Outcomes Following Minimally Invasive Surgery for Grade 1 Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis. Neurosurgery. 2020.
Varshneya K, Medress ZA, Jensen M, et al. Trends in Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion in the United States: A MarketScan Study From 2007 to 2014. Clin Spine Surg. 2020;33(5):E226-e230.
Zhang Y, Fatemi P, Medress Z, et al. A predictive-modeling based screening tool for prolonged opioid use after surgical management of low back and lower extremity pain. Spine J. 2020;20(8):1184-1195.
Varshneya K, Stienen MN, Medress ZA, et al. Risk Factors for Revision Surgery after Primary Adult Thoracolumbar Deformity Surgery. Clin Spine Surg. 2021
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