|
My road to becoming an orthopedic surgeon was certainly not a straight path. I entered college with the intent on becoming an architect; however, I soon realized that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. Orthopedics appealed to me the most: the surgeries were fascinating and it was gratifying to see patients get back to an active lifestyle.
I was fortunate to do my orthopedic training in San Francisco. It was an incredible place to live and experience different cultures as well as a stimulating place to learn orthopedic surgery. During my four years, I learned from some of the most prestigious surgeons in the field. But what I found most interesting was that my teachers were themselves constantly learning and improving their skills. In other words, they had a passion for orthopedics – one that I try to cultivate in my practice every day.
After my orthopedic training, I entered the Army Medical Corp. I spent three wonderful years providing orthopedic care to our active duty troops in Ft. Stewart, GA, home of the 3rd Infantry Division. One of the most gratifying experiences was being deployed with the 249th Combat Support Hospital to Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom IV. My time in the military was truly a rewarding experience.
Sports Medicine was a natural choice for me as far as specialties go. To hone my skills even further, I completed the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine Fellowship because of the skilled faculty, high volume of sports medicine, and because I grew up in Lake Tahoe. My time as a fellow enhanced my skills and also gave me the opportunity to rediscover Lake Tahoe and all it has to offer.
I am currently a partner with the Tahoe Orthopedics and Sports Medicine group and am a faculty member of the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine Fellowship. We have a dynamic group of physicians that provide cutting-edge treatment for our patients. My focus is on sports medicine and I perform arthroscopy of the shoulder, knee and ankle. I also enjoy doing replacement surgery for the hip, knee and shoulder. I am one of only a handful of surgeons in the region who performs reverse-total shoulders.
My free time is spent with my wife, Britta, and our two boys. I enjoy doing triathlons, skiing, hiking and mountain biking. Coming back to the place I grew up has been a great experience.
Mako SmartRobotics™
Dr. Swanson is certified in Makoplasty for Knee and Hip Replacement—using the Mako SmartRobotics™ system for for total knee, total hip, and partial knee joint replacement procedures. Learn more about Mako SmartRobotics™ >
Patient Resources
|