About · New York City
About H. John Cooper, MD
Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian, and a fellowship-trained surgeon focused on hip and knee replacement.
Division of Hip & Knee Reconstruction
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Midtown · Uptown · Westchester
Biography
Dr. H. John Cooper is Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University and an attending surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where he is part of the Division of Hip & Knee Reconstruction. He has been in surgical practice in New York City for 15 years and has been on the Columbia faculty since 2017.
His practice is built around three areas: direct anterior approach hip replacement, robotic knee replacement, and complex revision surgery for patients whose earlier joint replacement has failed or worn out. He also sees patients for nonoperative care and second opinions. He began training in the direct anterior approach in 2009 and has used it for effectively all of his hip replacements since starting practice in 2012.
Dr. Cooper is the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed publications on joint replacement outcomes and surgical technique. He teaches residents, fellows and surgeons from around the world, and serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
He earned a degree in mechanical engineering and materials science, summa cum laude, from Duke University before attending Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He grew up in Allendale, South Carolina.
Training
- Fellowship
- Adult Reconstructive Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, 2011 to 2012
- Residency
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, 2006 to 2011; Chief Resident, 2010
- Medical school
- M.D., Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2006
- Undergraduate
- B.S.E., Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, summa cum laude, 2002
- Additional surgical training
- Visiting Surgeon Training Program, Clermont-Ferrand, France, 2013
- Board certification
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, certified 2014 and recertified 2025
Appointments
- Oct 2026 to present
- Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons; Attending, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
- 2019 to 2026
- Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Columbia; Associate Attending, NewYork-Presbyterian
- 2017 to 2019
- Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Columbia; Assistant Attending, NewYork-Presbyterian
- 2012 to 2016
- Private practice and Assistant Attending, Lenox Hill Hospital; Director of Clinical Research, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2016
- 2011 to 2012
- Instructor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush Medical College
Recognition
- Top Doctor
- Castle Connolly, eight consecutive years, 2019 to 2026; New York Super Doctors, 2021 to 2026
- Teaching
- Charles H. Neer, M.D. Teacher of the Year, New York Orthopaedic Hospital at Columbia, 2018; James A. Nicholas Award for Excellence in Residency Education, Lenox Hill Hospital, 2017
- Research
- Best Poster Award, Primary Knee clinical category, AAHKS Annual Meeting, 2026, for a randomized trial of a short oral methylprednisolone taper after primary total knee replacement; Best Video Technique, Anterior Hip Foundation, 2025; Honorable Mention, AAOS Orthopaedic Video Theater, 2021; AAOS Orthopaedic Video Theater award winner, 2017; Young Investigator Award, The Knee Society, 2016; Ranawat Award, Eastern Orthopaedic Association, 2017 and 2019; best poster awards from the American Orthopaedic Association, AAHKS and the Orthopaedic Research Society
- Patient safety
- "Great Catch" Award, Columbia Doctors Patient Safety Recognition Program, 2021
Editorial and societies
- Editorial
- Associate Editor Panel (Adult Hip), The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, since 2016; Associate Editor, Direct Anterior Approach to Hip Reconstruction, Second Edition; reviewer for JBJS, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Journal of Arthroplasty
- Societies
- The Hip Society; The Knee Society; British Hip Society; American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons; American Orthopaedic Association; International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty; Eastern Orthopaedic Association
- Research
- Full publication list on PubMed · ORCID
- Elsewhere
- LinkedIn · Instagram
Outside the OR
Dr. Cooper lives in New York City with his family. He trains for and competes in HYROX fitness races and is a certified personal trainer, and he brings that perspective to helping patients prepare for surgery and return to the activities they love.
He also has an interest in nutrition and has authored books, available on Amazon.
Schedule a consultation
Appointments are available at all three offices. Call to schedule a surgical consultation or a second opinion.