Partial Removal of Leg Bone

Welcome to OrthoIllinois! I look forward to treating your joint pain and helping you to lead a more pain free and active life! I’d like to share a little about my background, training, and how I came to be a total joint specialist.

I was born and raised in Tremont, Illinois, a small town of 2,500 people just southeast of Peoria in central Illinois. My interest in medicine began through observing my father, uncle, and grandfather who were all physicians specializing in treating kidney disease. Their example made me desire a similar experience for my own career.

I grew up maintaining my family’s small ranch, where I learned the value of hard work and a love for completing projects with my hands. This interest would later lead me to surgery, where I can identify a problem with a patient and address it with a tangible, hands-on operation. I also competed in track and basketball through high school and went on to pursue my undergraduate degree in Biology at Wheaton College on a basketball scholarship. Competing in NCAA basketball taught me to appreciate the intricate mechanics of the human body. I learned that pain free performance can easily be derailed by conditions as simple as an ankle sprain or plantar fasciitis.

After graduating from Wheaton with Highest Honors I entered medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine where I earned my medical degree as a graduate of distinction. I moved from the Midwest for the first time when I was accepted to the Emory University Orthopedic Surgery Residency program and completed 5 years of residency training in Atlanta, Georgia. I then went on to complete a year of specialized training by completing an Adult Reconstruction Hip and Knee Fellowship at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

My interest in the subspecialty of hip and knee replacement developed in residency. I believe there is a strong argument that joint replacement is the most successful procedure in all of surgery. Anyone with a friend or relative who had the surgery knows how dramatically a hip or knee replacement can reduce pain and improve function. As a joints surgeon, I find it incredibly rewarding to care for a patient and see them return to an active life without pain.

Today, my practice at OrthoIllinois focuses on hip and knee replacement, including partial, total, and complex revision hip and knee surgery. I have a special interest in outpatient surgery, minimally invasive surgical techniques such as direct anterior approach total hip replacement, robotic and navigated total knee replacement, and rapid recovery protocols that improve my patient’s outcomes and surgical experience. It is my mission to provide my patients with highly-skilled, respectful, and compassionate care.

When I am not caring for patients, I spend most of my time with my golden retriever, Bodhi. I enjoy being active with him outside and also riding my Peloton for exercise. I also have a large family and enjoy spending any free time with family and friends.