About Dr. Simpson

Dr. Venita Marie Simpson is a board-certified neurosurgeon and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She specializes in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal deformity, revision spine surgery, brain and spine tumors, and cranial and spinal trauma.

Inspired by a childhood surgical experience, Dr. Simpson pursued a career in medicine with a commitment to restoring function and improving quality of life for her patients. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University and her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine as a recipient of the prestigious U.S. Navy Health Professions Scholarship. She completed her General Surgery internship at Columbia University/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital before pursuing neurosurgical residency training at Baylor College of Medicine, where she became the first African American woman to complete the program. She also completed an enfolded Complex Spine Fellowship through Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Prior to joining UT Southwestern, Dr. Simpson served as a Lieutenant Commander and staff neurosurgeon at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, caring for active-duty service members, veterans, and their families.

Dr. Simpson is actively involved in neurosurgical education, research, and mentorship. She has delivered presentations at national meetings, authored peer-reviewed publications, contributed to Surgery of the Thoracic Spine, and has served as faculty for the Goodman Oral Board Review Course since 2022. Her work has been recognized nationally, including honors from the North American Spine Society and Becker’s Spine Review.

Above all, Dr. Simpson is dedicated to providing compassionate, patient-centered care and developing individualized treatment plans that help patients return to the activities and lives they value most.