He is best known as a skull base surgeon (acoustic tumors), and for his expertise in spine and pain. Dr. Long retired from Johns Hopkins and Johns Hopkins Medicine in 2010. He no longer does major surgery, but in July 2010 opened a private clinical practice with emphasis upon diagnosing spinal problems and treating them with non-operative measures. He also consults on issues of legal liability, product development and liability, medical education issues, neuroscience centers, and operating room design.