HAMDEN, Conn. — Quinnipiac University Athletics and Connecticut Orthopaedics partnered for the 2nd year in a row to benefit the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) on Friday, Dec. 6th during the Bobcats’ men’s ice hockey contest against RPI.

The  teddy bear toss took place during the game’s second intermission, and all being donated to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Fans and employees were encouraged to bring new or recently purchased teddy bears to be thrown on to the M&T Bank Arena ice. They also had the chance to purchase a teddy to toss at the game with proceeds being donated to CCMC.

“We were delighted to sponsor this heart-warming initiative for a second year in a row and provide an opportunity in a fun way to collect teddy bears for sick children and bring a bit of joy when they may not be feeling their best, especially right before the holidays.” Susan Bader, Connecticut Orthopaedics Chief Executive Officer said. ”  We started this initiative in 2023 for two of our treasured colleagues whose son continues to bravely battle Leukemia. Our hearts and best wishes go out to all families facing the difficult journey of caring for a sick child.”

The teddy bear toss collected 700 bears and raised over $1,500 for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Congratulations to this years Top Docs

In 2023, we had 17 doctors named to the list, and this year we are proud to announce that we have 43. We are proud to have the most doctors named to Top Docs in Orthopaedics in CT. This remarkable increase is a true testament to the exceptional caliber of our doctors and their unwavering commitment to patient care.

Castle Connolly Top Doctors represent the top 7% of all U.S. practicing physicians.

Castle Connolly Top Doctors are peer-nominated, and thoroughly vetted by our physician-led research team. These doctors are best-in-class healthcare providers, embodying excellence in clinical care as well as interpersonal skills.

Joint Replacement Specialists

Kenoma Anighoro, MD 

Jenna Bernstein, MD

Curtis Campbell, MD

John McCallum, MD

Philip Minotti, MD

Stephen Nelson, MD

Spine, Back, and Neck Specialists

John Beiner, MD, FAAOS, EMT/DMT

Glenn Russo, MD

James Yue, MD

Hand, Wrist, and Elbow Specialists 

Richard Bernstein, MD

Thomas Moran, MD

Kristin Sandrowski, MD

Tedd Weisman, MD 

Foot and Ankle Specialists 

David Caminear, DPM

Jeffrey DeLott, DPM

Allen Ferrucci, MD

Sanda Tomak, MD

Sports Medicine Specialists 

Stephanie Arlis-Mayor, MD, FAAFP

David Cohen, MD, FAAOS

John Daigneault, MD

Richard Diana, MD

Jordan Gruskay, MD

John Kelley, MD

Jeffrey Klauser, MD

David Martin, MD

Rowland Mayor, MD

Michael Redler, MD

Alan Reznik, MD, FAAOS

Patrick Ruwe, MD

Aaron Schachter, MD

James Spak, MD

Mark Wilchinsky, MD

Physiatry Specialists 

Isaac Cohen, MD 

Charles Kent, DO

Daniel Kline, MD

John Marino, MD

Pediatric Specialist

Peter DeLuca, MD

Pain Management Specialist 

Rakesh Patel, MD

Shoulder Specialist

Eric Padegimas, MD

General Orthopaedics 

Martin White, MD

Radiology Specialist

Joseph Gagliardi, MD

We are excited to announce another milestone in the evolution of medical education provided by Connecticut Orthopedics: the successful completion of its first annual orthopaedic training component of the new Rural Family Medicine Residency Program (RFMRP) of the Quinnipiac University-Netter School of Medicine. Launched in July 2024, the RFMRP represents Netter’s first family medicine residency program, with its mission in place to train medical school graduates to become family physicians with the skills necessary to thrive in rural healthcare settings. These residents spent the months of July through October learning orthopaedics and sports medicine in our offices.

Bridging Gaps in Orthopaedic Care

Rural areas often face specific healthcare challenges when it comes to providing easily available access to specialty care, and this is certainly true in the field of orthopaedics. With this in mind, and recognizing the need for their future family physicians to be comfortable with the delivery of first-line orthopaedic care for their patients, Dr. Traci Marquis, Program Director, and Dr. Stephanie Morton, Associate Program Director – reached out to Dr. Kenneth Kramer, our Director of Medical Education at Connecticut Orthopaedics who has been overseeing a comprehensive program of medical student orthopaedic education provided by our CO physicians to the Netter school in recent years. Working with Drs. Marquis and Morton, Dr. Kramer developed and supervised an orthopaedic educational program for the Netter residents, drawing upon the breadth of our capable physicians to provide them with a comprehensive exposure to outpatient orthopaedics.

Running from July through October, the curriculum saw each of the four family medicine residents spend a full immersive month at Connecticut Orthopaedics. Their schedule included daily rotations in our offices where they gained hands-on exposure to patient care in our various subspecialties, in addition to receiving didactic lectures given by our physicians. Says Dr. Kramer, “Sixteen of our partners graciously gave of their time, talent and knowledge in educating the Netter residents in the various fields of orthopaedics that will serve them well in their futures. It was enthusiastically received by both the residents and their dedicated faculty, and we look forward to our continued participation as an important component of the Netter RFMRP.”

A Collaborative Educational and Societal Effort

“This inaugural clinical partnership between CO and the QU RFMRP is more than just a curriculum”, continues Dr. Kramer, “it’s a commitment by CO to the educational needs of physicians-in-training and the communities which they will serve, as well as to the needs of such a fine medical institution as the QU-Netter School of Medicine and its students, residents, and forward-thinking faculty.” Says Dr. Marquis, “The QU Rural Family Medicine Program leadership and residents are incredibly grateful for this partnership with Connecticut Orthopaedics. A strong set of orthopaedic knowledge and skills will play a fundamental role in the residents’ future practice as community primary care doctors, and will help us fulfill our mission of increasing access to care for all, especially in rural areas.”

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Dr. Stephen Maier, Orthopedic Surgeon, on Treatment Options with an ACL Injury