Tsinsue Chen, MD

Dr. Chen was originally born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  Her family immigrated to the U.S. when she was 2 years old, and she has since considered San Diego her home.  Her personal experience with neurosurgery in a close family member impacted her life greatly and led her to this field.  She completed her medical training at the University of California, San Diego, and neurosurgery residency at the Barrow Neurological Institute.  Given her passion for treating patients with movement disorders, Dr. Chen pursued one year of subspecialty training in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, with an emphasis on deep brain stimulation procedures, at the Queen Square National Hospital in London, UK and at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ.  In her free time, Dr. Chen enjoys running, yoga, and going on hikes with her husband. 

As a neurosurgeon, my philosophy of care, is that I don't only treat the disease, I treat the patient.  Every person who walks into my office is someone with a unique story.Each patient I see has individual values, loved ones, hobbies, and his or her own life wisdom, and I consider all of these things when guiding patients through the surgical process. Whether I am performing brain surgery to remove a tumor causing paralysis, spine surgery to relieve the pain from a compressed nerve, or deep brain stimulation to alleviate someone's tremor, I believe it is the surgeon's responsibility to guide people through the surgical process with patience and compassion, and empower them to make an informed decision.