Training and clinical focus
A neurosurgeon focused on spine care
Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D. is a board-certified neurosurgeon at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute. His practice includes back and neck conditions, spinal tumors, spinal deformity, and minimally invasive and revision spine surgery.
He completed medical school at the University of Kentucky and neurological surgery training at the University of Chicago, where he served as chief resident. In 2026 he was appointed a clinical associate in the University of Chicago Department of Neurosurgery, an academic appointment he holds alongside his practice at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute. His approach connects the examination and imaging findings with each patient’s symptoms and goals.
Training and certification
Credentials
Board certification
American Board of Neurological Surgery
- Board-certified neurological surgeon
Medical school
University of Kentucky
- Doctor of Medicine, College of Medicine
- B.S., Biology & Philosophy; B.A., Chemistry
Residency and academic appointment
University of Chicago
- Neurological surgery internship and residency, Chief Resident
- Clinical Associate, Department of Neurosurgery 2026
- M.S., Public Health Sciences
Professional associations
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- North American Spine Society
Credential information is linked to the official practice profile above.
Published research
Peer-reviewed research
Dr. Hobbs is an author on 15 peer-reviewed papers indexed on PubMed, published between 2016 and 2021 while he was with the Section of Neurosurgery at the University of Chicago. They cover spinal tumors, spine infection and fractures, the risks of neurosurgical procedures, and brain injury; 5 are first-author papers. A selection:
- Does steroid use before surgery raise the risk of death for patients with metastatic spinal tumors?
- Spinal epidural abscess: does adding a fusion to the decompression help or hurt?
- Two ways to stabilize a broken upper neck: which carries less risk?
- How image guidance makes spinal tumor surgery more precise
All 15 papers, with plain-language summaries · View the list on PubMed
In the news
Becker’s Spine Review, the national spine-industry publication, covered Dr. Hobbs twice in autumn 2026: a news story on the nation’s first two-level patient-specific spinal fusion and a follow-up interview on where personalized implants go next.
Interview · Becker's Spine Review · October 9, 2026
Personalized implants could be a spine standard — access is a hurdle
In an interview with Becker's, Dr. Hobbs argued that patient-specific spinal implants, so far used mostly for complex deformity surgery at academic centers, can benefit appropriately selected patients with degenerative conditions in community hospitals, and that cost, infrastructure, and reimbursement rather than the technology are the main barriers to access. He described the evidence as early and largely industry-supported, called for measured adoption with rigorous follow-up, and pointed to implants matched to a patient's bone quality as the next frontier.
“Patients with degenerative disease deserve the same rigor in planning that we bring to complex deformity surgery.”Dr. Hobbs, as quoted by Becker's Spine Review
News · Becker's Spine Review · September 28, 2026
Indiana neurosurgeon performs nation's 1st customized spinal fusion
Becker's reported that Dr. Hobbs performed the first two-level lumbar interbody fusion in the United States to combine Carlsmed's patient-specific aprevo TLIF interbody cages with Medtronic's patient-specific UNiD rods, at Northwest Health – Porter in Valparaiso.
All coverage, with key quotes and what each story means for patients
Patient reviews
Dr. Hobbs has a separate Google listing for each office where he sees patients. Counted together on October 9, 2026, the 4 listings total 328 Google reviews with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.
- Chesterton office on Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 35 reviews
- Portage office on Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 125 reviews
- Crown Point office on Google: 4.9 out of 5 from 157 reviews
- Michigan City office on Google: 4.9 out of 5 from 11 reviews
Verified patient surveys collected by rater8: 496 ratings and 270 written reviews, averaging 5.0 out of 5.
The Crown Point listing is also mirrored on Birdeye (170 reviews, 4.9 out of 5); those are Google reviews shown again, not additional ones.
Counts are updated periodically; live totals are on Google and rater8.
Conditions and treatment options
Back, neck, and nerve symptoms
Explore herniated discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica, and cervical myelopathy.
Complex spine conditions
Learn about spinal tumors, adult scoliosis and deformity, and revision spine surgery.
Planning your care
Read about minimally invasive techniques, the surgical process, and a second-opinion consultation.
What a consultation can help clarify
A consultation is an opportunity to review symptoms, prior treatment, and imaging together. Nonsurgical options are considered when appropriate. If surgery is discussed, the conversation should address its purpose, alternatives, risks, recovery, and the possibility that some symptoms may remain.
Office locations
Crown Point office
500 E 109th AvenueCrown Point, IN 46307
Chesterton office
601 Gateway BoulevardChesterton, IN 46304
Consultation locations and surgical facilities are different. Confirm the address on your appointment or surgery instructions.