Memorial Sloan Kettering plastic and reconstructive surgeon Jonas Nelson

Jonas A. Nelson, MD, MPH

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Breast cancers and conditions
  • Head and neck cancers

My Specialties

  • Microsurgical breast reconstruction
  • Abdominal wall reconstruction
  • Hernia repair
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Dr. Nelson's Office Information
Languages: English
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Get to Know Me

I am a plastic surgeon specializing in complex reconstruction after surgery for breast cancer, head and neck cancers, and abdominal wall hernia. I have special expertise in microsurgical breast reconstruction and complex abdominal wall reconstruction.

While our primary goal at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) is to cure cancer, appearance and quality of life are essential components of life after cancer. That’s why I strive to help my patients look and feel like themselves as much as possible after their cancer treatment.

I was drawn to a career in oncology after I watched a close family member confront cancer when I was young. The experience of working with a plastic surgeon on several medical trips led me to plastic surgery. I saw that surgeon’s ability to help patients regain a sense of normalcy after cancer, and later in my education, I discovered just how critical reconstructive surgery can be, both functionally and psychologically.

As a former college athlete, form and function have always been important to me. I am especially interested in helping people recover quickly and safely after surgery. I also want to help them achieve a similar degree of function so that they can get back to doing the things they love. My research interests focus on patient-reported outcomes after reconstruction, particularly breast reconstruction. I hope to better understand what leads to improved satisfaction and quality of life outcomes following reconstructive procedures, particularly by using the BREAST-Q, a well-established breast reconstructive outcome measure. We use this tool at MSK in routine clinical care to help guide decision-making. This data allows us to achieve better overall results for people with cancer. Translating research to care is a critical aspect of our mission. 

A cancer diagnosis and the procedures needed to treat the disease can cause anxiety and stress. When I meet with patients and their families, I hope to help alleviate some of their anxieties by answering their questions and clearly laying out a plan of action. At MSK, it is our job to care for our patients. We take extraordinary pride in providing top-level care. I want my patients to walk away from their consultation feeling reassured that they are in good hands.

In addition to my clinical duties, I serve as Director of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinical Research Fellowship and as Assistant Director of the Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Program at MSK, a multidisciplinary team focused on optimizing hernia repair.

When not at work, I am with my wife and three daughters, often enjoying some aspect of the city — food, music, or cycling.

What I Do at MSK

I'm a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, which is a doctor with special training in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. These procedures make your body work better or look better.

  • Associate Attending Surgeon
  • Assistant Director, Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Program
  • Director, Plastic Surgery Service Clinical Research Fellowship Program
Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Breast cancers and conditions
  • Head and neck cancers

My Specialties

  • Microsurgical breast reconstruction
  • Abdominal wall reconstruction
  • Hernia repair
  • Head and neck reconstruction
  • Autologous flap reconstruction
  • DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine
  • MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • BA, Johns Hopkins University

Residencies

  • Plastic Surgery – Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
  • General Surgery – Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Fellowships

  • Breast Reconstruction & Microsurgery – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship – Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Awards and Honors

  • Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2025)
  • Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2024)
  • Top Doctors New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly (2023)
  • Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

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Current Patients
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Contact and Location

Dr. Nelson sees patients at two locations.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Commack, NY
David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
530 East 74th Street New York NY 10021
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack Nonna’s Garden Foundation Center
650 Commack Road Commack NY 11725
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Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

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Clinical Trials

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Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

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Research and Publications

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Nelson’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Jonas A. Nelson discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • RTI Surgical
    Professional Services and Activities

If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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