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About Dr. Farmer
James C. Farmer, MD, specializes in the treatment of spinal conditions and orthopedic trauma. He is an orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery and an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Dr. Farmer’s clinical expertise involves care of patients with cervical, thoracic, and lumbar degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, skeletal dysplasia, spine regeneration, and spinal deformity surgery in both adults and children. His background in orthopedic trauma includes service at the Keesler Medical Center, Biloxi, Mississippi, one of the largest medical centers in the US Air Force, where he was Staff Orthopaedic Surgeon and Chief, Spine Surgery. Inclusive of his work at HSS, Dr. Farmer maintains an academic appointment with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, for which he is dedicated to providing surgical instruction for medical students seeking to become physicians who will care for those serving in all branches of the US military.
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Dr. Farmer is a dedicated clinician and educator who is involved with numerous hospital committees at HSS, including the coordination of comprehensive surgical training programs for new physicians.
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Insurance
If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit.
Credentials
Appointments
Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
Associate Professor of Clinical Orthropedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Affiliations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Fellow
American Orthopaedic Association
Cervical Spine Research Society
Jefferson Orthopaedic Society
North American Spine Society
Certifications
American Board of Orthopaedic SurgeryAwards
Castle Connolly Top Doctor - 10 Years
Castle Connolly America's Top Doctors, 2013-2020
Castle Connolly Top Doctors in New York Metro Area, 2014-2022
New York Magazine Top Doctors, 2021
Education
Medical: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Internship: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Residency: McKay Laboratory of Orthopaedic Surgery Research, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
State Licensure
New York
Languages
EnglishFor My Patients
Patient Information
Directions to The Pavilion
My office is located at The Pavilion, 541 East 71st Street. The main entrance to The Pavilion is on the north side of 71st Street underneath the sky bridge that connects the main hospital to the Belaire Building.
Publications by Dr. Farmer
Patient Education
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Industry Relationships
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
Below are the healthcare industry relationships reported by Dr. Farmer as of April 23, 2026.
- HS2, LLC - Ownership Interest
- Joint Effort Administrative Services Organization, LLC (“JEASO”) - Ownership Interest- (Through JEASO- de minimis owner of the Recovery Shop)
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS. Patients should feel free to ask their HSS physicians questions about these relationships.