Dr. Connolly serves as the Byron Stookey Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University and the Surgeon-in-Chief of the New York Neurological Institute and the New York Presbyterian Hospital - Columbia Irving Medical Center. He is also the Surgical Director of the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit, caring for patients suffering from the acute effects of both hemorrhagic as well as ischemic stroke.

Working as part of an extremely experienced and world-renowned team of critical care and stroke neurologists, as well as interventional radiologists, endovascular neurosurgeons, neuroanesthesiologists, and specialized nurse practitioners, he provides highly personalized, state of the art care for patients with brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, spontaneous hemorrhages, as well as for those patients with carotid stenosis, moyamoya disease, and cerebral ischemia due to atherosclerosis and other vasculopathies. In addition, he serves as the Director of the Cerebrovascular Research laboratory which continues to be at the forefront of biomedical science, bringing the latest discoveries to the operating room and the patient bedside to not only treat but also prevent stroke.

Dr. Connolly's special interests include Brain Aneurysms, Arteriovenous Malformations, Carotid Stenosis, EC-IC Bypass for Atheroocclusive disease and moyamoya, and Surgical management of acute cerebrovascular emergencies.