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| SPECIALTY PIECES |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 9
| Issue : 1 | Page : 0 |
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Chief Autobiographies
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| Date of Web Publication | 28-Feb-2020 |
Correspondence Address:
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
How to cite this article:
.... Chief Autobiographies. Duke Orthop J 2019;9:0 |
| Rita Baumgartner | |  |
I was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, with my parents, Ron and JoAnne Baumgartner. My father is a retired pediatrician and my mother is a physical therapist. I am the oldest of four siblings: Grace (30), Billy (27), and Tommy (22). I loved growing up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains and spent many wonderful weekends camping, hiking, and skiing. My parents instilled in myself and my siblings the values of dedication, humility, and courage. I attended Duke University for my undergraduate education where I was inspired to push boundaries and leave an impact on my community. After completing my ( first) time at Duke, I spent a year living in rural Haiti and coordinating public health projects with a local NGO.
After returning from Haiti, I moved to sunny southern California to attend medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. At UCLA, I found my initial interest in orthopaedics; however, it was during a research year spent at UCSF working with the orthopaedic trauma faculty there that I truly discovered what an incredible and fulfilling specialty orthopaedic surgery is.
My love for Duke brought me back as a rotating medical student and I will never forget the feeling of opening my envelope on match day and realizing I was returning to an institution that meant so much to me. At the time, I could not understand how much more I was to get from Duke Orthopaedics and I am eternally grateful to Dr. Hardaker for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to train at Duke Orthopaedics. Duke Orthopaedics has provided me with 5 years of incomparable mentoring, teaching, and friendship and I am proud to have trained alongside my co-residents.
Training at Duke also brought me to North Carolina where I met and fell in love with my partner, Evan Smith. Next year, I am excited to be heading to Washington University in St. Louis to complete a fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery.
I am so appreciative of Dr. Hardaker, Dr. Urbaniak, and the Piedmont Society for the unparalleled training of the residency program and the close-knit culture of Duke Orthopaedics. I look forward to many Piedmont Meetings in the future!
| Andrew Federer | | |
I was born the fourth of five kids in an Irish Catholic family. My dad was the oldest boy of 11 children and in turn, I have over 70 first cousins and counting. I was born outside of Columbus, OH which is where I developed my college football allegiance but soon thereafter moved to the Northwest suburbs of Chicago which is where I call home. Like all Federer boys I played football, wrestled and ran track. In search of something to write about in future personal statements, I had an allograft surgery for an OCD lesion in my left knee during my sophomore year of high school. This gave me appreciation for the art of medicine and likely set my pursuit of orthopaedics in motion.
I rowed on the Potomac river for four years while at Georgetown and then returned to the Chicagoland area where I was fortunate enough to work with great Orthopaedic department at Rush, which is where I met Dr. Chad Mather, a fellow at the time. Dr. Mather and I worked in the lab together and it was here that I was introduced to the core values of Duke that would become so dear to me in the ensuing years. Three years later Dr. Hardaker gave me the great honor and opportunity to train within the Duke Orthopaedic Surgery residency program.
Everyday at Duke I was inspired by the relentless work ethic and boundless camaraderie of the attendings and residents alike. I loved coming to work everyday knowing my 39 best friends were inside the hallowed halls of Duke.
Nowhere else can you work with world-renowned faculty and have a truly comprehensive clinical and surgical training experience all in an environment that feels and functions as a family. It has been the greatest honor of my life working alongside the men and women of Duke Orthopaedics and I am humbled and grateful to call the Piedmont home.
Thank you to my parents Rich and Margaret, and my siblings Rich, Tess, Rob and Caroline for supporting and encouraging me along this beautiful journey.
And thank you to Danny, Beau, Nate, Ben, David, Kojo and Rita for being my family here in Durham for the past 5 years and the future to come.
| Nathan Grimm | | |
I grew up in the small, rural town of Lewiston, ID. I have three brothers – Justin, Danny, and Chanler. My father was a carpenter and my mother was a stay-at-home mother raising four very rowdy boys! Part of my adolescent up bringing was living with my Grandfather (Lewis) and my grandmother (Wanda) as job opportunities were scarce for a carpenter, at that time. My Grandfather was a Golden Gloves boxer in the Navy and a Washington state boxing champion.
As such we grew up watching boxing. The big fights were like the Super Bowl for our family. Coming from a state with no team sports we didn't care much for team sports – football, basketball, baseball, etc.
Due to the small town and my father's work, my parents decided to home school us children so that we could work with our father. This was probably the most valuable experience of my life as it instilled life values such as hard work, responsibility, and perseverance. As I got older I found the value in an education and decided to go to college – something no one in my family had done before. I worked full-time in a Physical therapy clinic to put myself through school. I got my degree in Health Science and Chemistry from Boise State University. I did clinical research for a few years after graduation and then decided to go to medical school after that, which was at University of Utah School of Medicine.
I knew prior to entering medical school that I was destined to be an Orthopaedic Surgeon. My clinical research was in Orthopaedic Surgery with a group called the ROCK (Research in OsteoChondritis dissecans of the Knee) Group and my mentor was Dr. Kevin G. Shea who impressed on me that I should be an Orthopaedic Surgeon. During my time interviewing I had never been so impressed as I was by the Duke Faculty, Residents, and especially Dr. William Hardaker. Prior to my rank list Dr. Hardaker had called me and I will never forget that conversation we had. He will forever have a special place in my heart as will all of the faculty and residents at Duke. I am very grateful and feel so lucky to call Duke my family!
| Beau Kildow | | |
I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, as the fourth of six children. My father works for the post office and my mother (now retired) worked as a care provider and later as a mail delivery woman. Growing up playing sports, like many, sparked my interest in orthopaedics. The facility where I trained in high school had subscriptions to strength and conditioning journals as well as AJSM. I always thought I could get an edge by following the recommendations out of these journals but quickly realized I just loved orthopaedic surgery. I ultimately accepted a scholarship to play football at Morningside College (Sioux City, Iowa). I then completed medical school at the University of Nebraska and luckily had the opportunity to play arena football for the Omaha Beef during my final two years.
Thanks to Dr. Hardaker and the incredible faculty I was fortunate enough to match at Duke for Orthopaedic surgery. This was a life changing event for me as I knew this was not only the best place to train under the best faculty, but was also a program that truly embodied the meaning of team and family. Of the many memories I will take away a few that stand out include driving down to Lumberton in the King Ranch with Dr. Hardaker for the outreach clinic, enjoying Denny's breakfast and the claw machine prior to seeing patients. Additionally, driving out to Goldsboro for an outreach clinic with Dr. Fitch and ending the day off in Kinston, NC for some oysters. Lastly, I will never forget this stretch of many fond memories at the VA with Doc, valuable lessons learned while being on call, and the good times in the OR/replant/ball courts/conferences with 'the Boyz' (all inclusive).
Thankfully throughout all these years I have had an amazing wife, Chelsea, for being so supportive, understanding, and fully embracing our time here in Durham, North Carolina. We recently welcomed our first child, Quinn Rosalee, into the family. Next year I will be pursuing a fellowship in Adult Reconstruction at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, NC. I want to thank all the faculty and residents for this amazing experience here at Duke especially the faculty in the Adult Reconstruction Division for paving the way to my career.
| Kwadwo Owusu-akyaw | | |
I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Ghana, West Africa. Our family moved around a few times, ultimately ending up in Southlake, Texas, where I spent the largest part of childhood. I am fortunate to have four younger siblings who were my constant companions while growing up.
As I approached the end of high school, I developed a fascination with Duke University. The reputation of the institute is far-reaching and managed to touch me, even as far away as the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. My pre-application college visit cemented this in my mind. Little did I know the life-altering effect that attending Duke and living in Durham would have on me.
In many ways, the city of Durham has been as much a training ground for me as my childhood home. I spent the first thirteen years of my adult life in Durham (age 18-31). I met my wife Noelle in Durham. I first found out that I would be a father in Durham. The people of the community and my mentors throughout college, medical school and residency all played a pivotal role in the man I have become. In Durham, I fully realized the joy, privilege and the responsibility of being a black man with access to opportunity. This realization manifested in my relationship to Duke, as I grew from a student into a contributor to the institutional culture.
This time I have spent at Duke has altered the course of my life for the better. I will be forever grateful for the time I have spent here. While I can never pay the community back for everything I have received, I do hope to pay it forward and carry the lessons learned here into the world.
| Daniel Scott | | |
Dr. Daniel Scott graduated cum laude from the University of Florida. He went on to graduate with a combined MD and MBA from the Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke University Fuqua School of Business. While at Fuqua, he also obtained a certificate in health sector management.
Dr. Scott went on to residency in orthopaedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center. While at Duke, he was a resident team physician for Duke University athletics, as well as North Carolina Central and Northern High School. Next year, Dr. Scott will enter a clinical foot and ankle surgery fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, under the leadership of Dr. James Brodsky.
Throughout his training, Dr. Scott has received awards for leadership and research. He has been published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals and review articles, in journals such as the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Foot and Ankle International, and the Journal of Arthroplasty in addition to many other. He has also been a reviewer for multiple journals. His work has been presented at numerous local, regional, national, and international meetings.
When not at work, Dr. Scott enjoys spending time with his wife Maria, and their sons Andrew and Shane, as well as fishing, hiking, and grilling.
| Benjamin Wooster | | |
I was born in a small town in Southern California to my loving and supportive parents, Edward and Lisa Wooster. I spent the majority of my youth and adolescence in the Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale, Arizona, where my only sister Hope (28) was born. As a rising junior in high school, my family moved across the country to Suwanee, Georgia where I soon found myself in surprising territory as an NCAA Division IA football recruit despite only playing football for a single year prior in high school.
I matriculated at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, North Carolina in 2005 on a full grant-in-aid athletic scholarship to play tight end for the Demon Deacon football team. While at Wake Forest, I was a member of the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Team and played in three bowl games including the 2007 FedEx Bowl Championship Series Orange Bowl. After five incredibly formative years as a collegiate student-athlete, I graduated from Wake Forest in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Health and Exercise Science.
I began my medical education at Wake Forest School of Medicine with a concentrated interest in orthopedic surgery. My interest was largely motivated by multiple musculoskeletal injuries I sustained on the field, some of which were successfully treated with surgery. During medical school, I met my exceptionally beautiful and talented wife, Tracey, a Charlotte, North Carolina native who was completing her undergraduate education at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. We were wedded at our home in Durham, NC in June 2014 just prior to beginning my orthopaedic training at Duke University. She accepted a position as a sales representative with Avanir Pharmaceutical Company and was quickly promoted to Neuroscience Area Manager. We welcomed our first son, Winston, a 100lb black Labrador Retriever, into our family in March 2015 and we are excited for our first human son to arrive in August 2019.
While at Duke University, my interest in total joint arthroplasty has been fostered by outstanding mentorship. Although I am honored to have had the opportunity to train with every single faculty member at Duke, I am particularly thankful for the surgeons in the Adult Reconstruction Division. These men have inspired me to grow as a surgeon not only in the operating room, but also in the larger orthopaedic community. They have helped pave a solid foundation on which I am excited to build upon next year as I complete an Adult Reconstruction fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Although I will always bleed black and gold, I am and will forever be grateful for the exceptional surgical training I received just up Tobacco Road at Duke University and sincerely look forward to becoming a member of the Piedmont Society.
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