Articles :: Mark R McLaughlin MD

The General Albert C. Wedemeyer Strategic Lecture Series Endowment is a part of West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance. This endowment honors the intellectual and strategic legacy of General Wedemeyer through a series of lectures, think tanks, or roundtable discussions.

From Do No Harm to Do Harm: A Neurosurgeon’s Path to Madness?

Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, was sentenced to life in prison for what headlines described as “botched’ surgery. I'm saddened to learn that patients suffered injury at the hands of a doctor they had trusted to help them, and by the pain and suffering of his patients, their families and friends.

West Point and Elite Performance

On February 27th, 2017 I was honored again by the opportunity to speak at West Point. People who know me are aware of my passion for finding the keys to unleashing maximum performance. Not surprisingly West Point is packed with people who are driven by the pursuit of excellence.

5 Lessons I Re-learned Courtesy of Ryan Lochte

I’m pretty sure that after the dust settles, Ryan Lochte will be fine. Sure, he tarnished his reputation in action and words, but ultimately he fessed up to his big fish story. I'm reminded of some key lessons about life.

Level V Leadership in Coaching and Life

Level V Leadership in Coaching and Life: Lessons Learned from Olympic Gold Medalist Wrestler Dan Gable

Olympic Anticipation

The first records of wrestling date back some 5000 years. Wrestling was introduced to the Ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC. I'm EXCITED about the upcoming Rio Olympics. Here's some information to help you watch the events.

Pat Summitt Basketball Coach Passes Away - A Tribute

Legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summit passed away on June 28th at the age of 64. Her final years were spent battling Alzheimer's Disease. It's difficult to grasp the the depth of her impact on women's basketball and sports in general.

On Meeting Living Legend Dan Gable

I was honored to meet wrestling legend Dan Gable. Dan was an Olympic Gold Medalist in Men's Freestyle, 68 kg. (approximately 150 pounds) He did not give up a single point in Olympic Games despite wrestling with injuries to his knee and head.

Electricians vs Carpenters

Now and then a patient will ask this question: Should I have my spinal surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon? Which one is better? Over the years, I have thought about the best way to answer this question.

The Passing of Doctor Peter Jannetta

The first gift Dr. Jannetta ever gave me was a Snickers bar. It was on the first day I met him during my interview. I thought to myself. Hmmmm, is this some kind of examination technique or ploy? Was it some obscure test of my suitability?

Concussion- Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in the NFL

Concussion- A movie about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in the NFL. What the movie should tell us.

Skin Infections: A Tough Opponent for Wrestlers

Many wrestlers battle skin infections. They are a fact of life in the sport. Skin infections don’t affect only a few participants. The NCAA Injury Surveillance System states that 20% of time-loss injuries in wrestling are due to these infections

RIP Dr. John Jane - On The Passing of a Giant

The neurosurgical world lost a giant this last September in the passing of Dr. John Jane, Chairman of Neurosurgery at The University of Virginia. I interfaced with him on many occasions as a medical student, as a resident, and as a colleague.

Do No Harm - Dr Henry Marsh From My Bookshelf

The New York Times and The New Yorker gave Do No Harm, by Henry Marsh. solid reviews, which it deserves. It’s by an English neurosurgeon who chronicles his career experience, the highs and lows.

Peter Jannetta Tribute

A tribute to Dr. McLaughlin's teacher, mentor, and friend Peter Jannetta, MD. This tribute was prepared in 2010 and discusses Dr. Jannetta's achievements. With commentary from a number of leading neurosurgeons.

Proof of Heaven

I just finished listening to Eben Alexander’s Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife. Because I am in the car driving so much I often “read” books this way and I highly recommend it.

Plebe Summer: My son at Annapolis

Extremely proud of my son Patrick who participated in the USNA "Plebe Summer" at Annapolis. Plebe Summer lays the foundation of the Naval Academy's four-year professional development curriculum.

Walking and Brain Surgery

Edward Weston was a famed (in his time) long-distance and endurance walker who in 1909, at age 70, walked cross-country in 105 days. Wayne Curtis weaves a fascinating read about the power of walking.

WGN TV Video About Trigeminal Neuralgia

The wife of WGN Sports Anchor Pat Tomasulo suffers from Trigeminal Neuralgia. An informative video.

The World Needs More Wrestlers

Legendary Coach Dan Gable: "The world needs more wrestlers." I'm honored to announce that I have been selected Grand Marshal of the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

Concentration: What a Neurosurgeon Knows

Concentration and Performance: This quick video offers a summary of some key ideas to improve performance and concentration in business, in sport, and in life. Let us know what you think.

Jannetta Society Meeting 2013

On October 21, 2013 I attended the annual CNS conference in San Francisco California. While there, he also attended the Jannetta Neuroscience Foundation annual meeting

West Point Wrestling Team March 2014

On March 3rd 2014, I was once again honored to present my approach to elite performance to a number of West Point Cadets.

NCAA Head Injury Settlement - Interview Dr. Mark McLaughlin

As an an ex-NCAA athlete, a neurosurgeon, and a coach, I have followed closely.the progress of the NCAA Head Injury Settlement. NJTV News interviewed me for their news feature about the preliminary settlement of $70 million in a class action suit regarding head injury and the NCAA.

Parallels in Precision Workshop with West Point Military Academy

Video of the Parallels in Precision Workshop with the psychology class at West Point

Elite Performance - West Point Lecture

On March 3, 2014 I was honored once again to have the opportunity to speak about elite performance with some of the future leaders of America's military. I'm very proud of the relationship that has been forged with West Point Academy over the past year.

West Point Wakeup Call

I recently spoke at West Point to a sports psychology class. The topic was “Psychological Aspects of Elite Performance”. In the process of pulling together the talk, I learned a lot about myself and grew closer to my son.

Love Me..., Let Me Fail

To all parents out there: Carve out a half hour alone this weekend, and read the article “How to Land Your Kid in Therapy” by Dr. Lori Gottlieb.

Laser Surgery Update

Here's an article about laser spine surgery from Bloomberg that a fellow surgeon sent me. It's worth the read.

Millionaire Coaches: Remember Reason Your Players Are in College

Super Bowl 2013 is almost upon us, with all the hype and hoopla it entails. But I am not finished with the college football season yet. I have some real concerns about the overwhelming prominence of football – at the expense of academics – that seems to be present at major universities.

Why I Coach

I’m not only a doctor, I’m a parent and a coach. Coaching is one of the most rewarding activities I do. This article shares my thoughts on the rewards and value of coaching.

The Laser Myth

There are many claims made by proponents of laser spinal surgery. At the heart of these arguments is that the laser scalpel is better than other surgical options because it is more technically advanced and minimally invasive. Let's test that myth. Here are the facts.

Russian-American Neurosurgery Collaboration

Russian-American Neurosurgical Collaboration.

What Would Grandpa Think?

Grandpa Pizzi would not be happy reading this blog