Dr. Carol D. Morris

Dr. Carol D. Morris, MD, MS, is Chief of the Orthopaedic Surgery Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where she leads the largest team of board-certified orthopedic oncologists in the nation. Under her leadership, the service performs approximately 1,000 operations annually for adults and children with cancerous and benign tumors of the bones and soft tissue. A dedicated surgeon with a particular passion for caring for children, adolescents, and young adults, Dr. Morris brings a precision medicine philosophy to her practice, tailoring each surgical approach to the individual patient's traits, goals, and needs. She firmly rejects a one-size-fits-all model, recognizing that the right treatment for a child with a given condition will often differ significantly from the right treatment for an adult with the same condition.

Dr. Morris is an expert in limb salvage surgery, a specialized approach that preserves the limb by removing diseased bone and surrounding tissue while avoiding amputation. She has contributed to the development of more durable and functional bone replacements, including metallic implants and bone grafts from other parts of the body. She also brings extensive experience in rotationplasty, an innovative procedure for tumors near the knee that might otherwise require above-knee amputation, allowing most patients to return to an active lifestyle. Her treatment mission extends beyond tumor removal to encompass the health of the entire musculoskeletal system, with a strong emphasis on maintaining and restoring bone and muscle function and quality of life following cancer treatment.

Dr. Morris is equally committed to the trifold mission of MSK: clinical care, education, and research. She mentors faculty and fellows with a focus on helping them reach their full potential, and she advances the field of orthopedic oncology through scholarship and collaboration. Her approach to patient care centers on understanding what each person hopes to accomplish through treatment and finding creative ways to turn those goals into realities. Through her leadership, surgical expertise, and dedication to the whole patient, Dr. Morris continues to elevate the standard of orthopedic cancer care.