Physicians often pursue careers in the same medical specialty as family members before them. Here are six family teams that practice together in the fields of orthopedics and neurosurgery:
1. Orthopedic surgeon Thomas Florack, MD, was joined in September by his son Michael Florack, MD, at Green Bay, Wis.-based Prevea Health. Both physicians specialize in joint replacement and sports medicine, and have already collaborated in the operating room. Dr. Michael Florack completed a fellowship in orthopedic traumatology at Campbell Clinic in Memphis, Tenn., before linking up with his father.
2. Anchorage (Alaska) Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic features a husband-wife orthopedic surgery team. Patricia Fox, MD, and Rabun Fox, MD., joined the practice last year after completing fellowship training. Dr. Patricia Fox is a hand and upper extremity surgeon and Dr. Rabun Fox is a foot and ankle surgeon.
3. Leslie Vidal, MD, joined her husband Armando Vidal, MD, at Vail, Colo.-based The Steadman Clinic in August 2019. Dr. Leslie Vidal is the first female orthopedic surgeon to practice with The Steadman Clinic. She specializes in the arthroscopic management of complex shoulder, knee and hip disorders, while Dr. Armando Vidal is a sports medicine specialist.
4. Kenneth Foxx, MD, and Kate Czerniecka-Foxx, MD, brought 24-hour neurosurgery care back to Mercy Fort Smith, Ark., when they began practicing at the hospital in August 2019. The hospital had been without neurosurgery care since 2016. Both physicians completed a neurosurgery residency at the University of Rochester in Monroe County, N.Y.
5. Brothers Chris Varacallo, DO, and Matt Varacallo, MD, practice at Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in DuBois, Pa. Dr. Matt Varacallo is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist and Dr. Chris Varacello is a nonsurgical primary care sports medicine specialist.
6. Last year, orthopedic surgeon Ryan Lilly, MD, joined his father Charles Lilly, MD, at Central Michigan Orthopaedics in Union Charter Township. Before teaming up with his father, Dr. Ryan Lilly completed a residency at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Auburn Hills, Mich., and an adult reconstruction fellowship at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.