Hometown: I am originally from Wheeling, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
Training: I completed my undergraduate training at Illinois Wesleyan University and medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I then moved to Los Angeles, California, where I completed my internship and residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the Los Angeles County Hospital / University of Southern California medical center. Finally, I completed my training with a foot and ankle surgery fellowship at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Of note, I am moving here after practicing in private practice in Orange County for the past eight years.
Q: What brings you joy personally?
A: Most importantly, my wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, Sebastian and Nicolas, bring me true joy. I am particularly excited to spend time with them and watch them grow up here in North Carolina. As a family, we love going to children's museums, finding new parks to play at, and looking forward to exploring all the great outdoor activities here. Aside from spending time with family, I enjoy spending time on the golf course in the rare free time that I otherwise have.
Q: What brings you joy professionally?
A: From a professional standpoint, I am grateful for patients entrusting me with their care. I chose the field of orthopaedic surgery to help get patients back to activities and enjoying life. I am particularly passionate about minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery, including percutaneous (key hole incisions) and arthroscopic techniques. I have not only been at the forefront of bringing these procedures to our patients here in the United States but have also completed numerous research projects on these techniques. I serve as an instructor on the regional, national, and international scales. I look forward to bringing this expertise to teach Duke medical students, residents, and fellows these techniques. My official title at Duke is Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Associate Chief of the Foot and Ankle Division, and Director of Minimally Invasive Foot & Ankle Surgery.
Q: Where do you see your specialty in the next five years?
A: Regarding orthopaedics, particularly foot and ankle surgery, we will see exponential growth in innovation in the technology used to care for our patients and the surgical techniques we implement. I believe we will see continued growth in implementing artificial intelligence in all aspects of patient care and expand our use of various materials in surgery, such as 3D printing, osseointegration type materials, and advancements in our understanding of the hardware we use.
Additionally, I am optimistic that we will continue to advance the field of minimally invasive surgery in the subspecialty of foot and ankle surgery, as I genuinely believe that most foot and ankle surgeries can be done either percutaneously, arthroscopically, or in a combined fashion.
Q: What excites you about Duke Orthopaedics?
A: I want to help Duke be at the forefront of these advancements in our field and ability to provide for our patients and our community.