Robert Walker, MD

Robert Walker, MD, is a physician at Desert Orthopedic Center, as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder surgery.

Dr. Walker completed his orthopedic surgery residency and internship at the University of Arizona - Phoenix, and a hand surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, in Columbus Ohio.

Dr. Walker's interests include hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder peripheral nerve surgery, along with arthroscopy, tendon and ligament injuries, arthritis, joint replacement/reconstruction, and fracture care.

Provider is now seeing patients at our North Scottsdale, Old Town Scottsdale and Arrowhead locations.

Physician's Website

Education And Training

2021 – 2022
Cleveland Clinic Hand Fellowship, Cleveland, Ohio
Hand Surgery Fellowship
2019
Galeazzi Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery, Milan, Italy
Hand and Upper Extremity Operating Experience International Bone and Research Association Scholarship Program
2016 - 2021
University of Arizona Phoenix College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ
Residency Training Program Orthopaedic Surgery
2012 - 2016
The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
M.D.
2007- 2011
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
BS, Cellular and Molecular Biology, President, Nanotechnology Club at the University of Michigan
2007
Cleveland Clinic School of EMS, Euclid, OH
EMT Basic Level

Peer Reviewed Research And Publications

Walker R, Castaneda P, Putnam JG, Schemitsch EH, McKee MD. A Biomechanical Study of Tuberosity-Based Locked Plate Fixation Compared to Standard Proximal Humeral Locking Plate Fixation for Three Part Proximal Humeral Fractures. J Orthop Trauma [Internet]. 2020 Apr 30 [cited 2020 May 2];Publish Ahead of Print. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/jorthotrauma/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=9000&issue=00000&article…
Walker R, Morrison Z, Campbell M. Trends in Orthopedic Surgery Reimbursement From 2000 to 2015. Orthopedics. 2020 Feb 20;43(3):187–90.
Chung, A. S.,Hustedt, J. W.,Walker, R.,Jones, C.,Lowe, J.,Russell, G. V. "Increasing Severity of Malnutrition Is Associated With Poorer 30-Day Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery." J Orthop Trauma
Lloyd Champagne,1,2 Joshua W. Hustedt,1 Robert Walker,1 JohnWiebelhaus,1 and N. Ake Nystrom1,3
"Digital Tip Amputations from the Prospective of the Nail" Advances in Orthopedics Volume 2016 (2016), Article ID 1967192, 6 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1967192
Walker, R. Phieffer, L, Bishop, JY. "Four successive years of Trauma Based Objective Structured Clinical Evaluations (OSCE): What have we learned?." Journal of Surgical Education. Vol. 73(4), (Aug 2016): 648-54.
Robert Walker , Zachary Morrison, Mark Campbell. “Orthopaedic Surgery Reimbursement Trends From 2000-2015” (Accepted for Publication)
Robert Walker, Ryan DiGiovanni, Lauren Nowak, Melanie Macnevin, Michael McKee, Emil Schemitsch“Early Mortality Triples in Atypical Femur Fractures” (Submitted for Publication)
Robert Walker, Ryan DiGiovanni, Lauren Nowak, Melanie Macnevin, Michael McKee, Emil Schemitsch“Surgical Delay Increases the Rate of 30 Day Complications and Mortality in Lower Energy Femoral Shaft Fractures ” (Submitted for Publication)

Presentations

“A Biomechanical Study of Tuberosity-Based Plate Fixation Compared to Standard Proximal Humeral Locking Plate Fixation for Three Part Proximal Humeral Fractures” September 2019 Podium Presentation at Orthopaedic Trauma Association
“Biomechanical Comparison of Flexor Digitorum Profundus Avulsion Repair” September 2019 Electronic Poster at ASSH
“Orthopaedic Surgery Reimbursement Trends From 2000-2015” September 2019 Electronic Poster at ASSH
“A Biomechanical Study of Tuberosity-Based Plate Fixation Compared to Standard Proximal Humeral Locking Plate Fixation for Three Part Proximal Humeral Fractures” August 2019 Presentation at Western Orthopaedic Association
“A Biomechanical Study of Tuberosity-Based Plate Fixation Compared to Standard Proximal Humeral Locking Plate Fixation for Three Part Proximal Humeral Fractures” March 2019 Resident Research Day University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
“Orthopaedic Surgery Reimbursement Trends From 2000-2015”August 2019 Presentation at Western Orthopaedic Association
“Early Mortality Triples in Atypical Femur Fractures” Presentation March 2019 AAOS
“Surgical Delay Increases the Rate of 30 Day Complications and Mortality in Lower Energy Femoral Shaft Fractures ” Poster March 2019 AAOS
“Early Mortality Triples in Atypical Femur Fractures” Presentation October 2018 Arizona Orthopaedic Society
“Early Mortality Triples in Atypical Femur Fractures” Poster October 2018 Orthopaedic Trauma Association
“Surgical Delay Increases the Rate of 30 Day Complications and Mortality in Lower Energy Femoral Shaft Fractures ” Poster October 2018 Orthopaedic Trauma Association
“Early Mortality Triples in Atypical Femur Fractures” Presentation August 2018 Western Orthopaedic Association
“Surgical Delay Increases the Rate of 30 Day Complications and Mortality in Lower Energy Femoral Shaft Fractures ” Presentation August 2018 Western Orthopaedic Association
“Development and Implementation of a Hand and Plastic Surgery Supply Cart” April 2018
Quality Improvement and Safety Poster Day Banner University Medical Center Phoenix
“Early Mortality Triples in Atypical Femur Fractures” May 2018 Resident Research Day University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
“Surgical Delay Increases the Rate of 30 Day Complications and Mortality in Lower Energy Femoral Shaft Fractures ”May 2018 Resident Research Day University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
"Digital Tip Amputations from the Perspective of the Nail" May 2017 Resident Research Day University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
“Four successive years of Trauma Based Objective Structured Clinical Evaluations: What have we learned?” June 2015 CORD Conference 128th Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Association Providence, Rhode Island
“Four successive years of Trauma Based Objective Structured Clinical Evaluations: What have we learned?” April 2015 The Ohio State Trainee Research Day Winner of Top 20 Poster Award
“Probe and Endoscope Based Confocal Laser Microscopy in Surveillance of Barrett’s Esophagus” April 2014 The Ohio State Trainee Research Day
“Nanovector Induced Apoptosis” University of Michigan Symposium April 2009: Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Ann Arbor, Michigan
“Nanovector Induced Apoptosis” University of Michigan Symposium April 2008: Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Ann Arbor, Michigan
Hiram College Azotobacter Genome Project March 2005-2007 Poster presentation on mapping process of Azotobacter genome

Conferences And Courses

2021
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
2019
Arizona Orthopaedic Society
2019
Orthopaedic Trauma Association
2019
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
2019
Western Orthopaedic Association
2019
Resident Research Day University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
2019
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
2018
Arizona Orthopaedic Society
2017
Resident Research Day University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
2015
The Ohio State Trainee Research Day Winner of Top 20 Poster Award
2015
CORD Conference
2014
The Ohio State Trainee Research Day Winner of Top 20 Poster Award
2014
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Ann Arbor, Michigan
2013
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Ann Arbor, Michigan

International Health

2007, 2008
Quito, Ecuador
2011-2016
Kani, Kenya
2016
Santa Cruz, Guatemala
2016
Milan, Italy

Volunteer Experience

March 2015
Arnold Classic, Medical Team: Columbus, OH.
2014
Emergency Disaster Drill: Columbus, OH
2012-2016
Columbus Free Clinic: Columbus, OH
2011-2016
Kani Africa, Sustainable education in rural African schools: Aurora, OH
2011
Robinson Memorial Hospital Patient Care Coordinator: Ravenna, OH
2008-2010
Delta Kappa Epsilon, Philanthropy Chair: Ann Arbor, MI
2008-2010
Nanotechnology Club Inner City Outreach: Ann Arbor, MI
June 2007, June 2008
Medical Mission Outreach, Translator and Triage: Quito, Ecuador
2006, 2007
AIDS Walk: New York, NY
2006
Genome Mapping Project at Hiram College, Student Instructor: Hiram, Ohio

Professional Memberships

2019
American Society for Surgery of the Hand - Resident Member

Languages

English Native Speaker
Spanish Conversational
Italian Basic

Professional Experience

2014-2016
Health Coach
2011-2016
MCAT and ACT Instructor, Kaplan Test Prep Services, Inc.
2008
EMT Team Leader, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

Awards And Honors

2019
ASSH Resident Scholar: Las Vegas, NV
2018
AOFAS Resident Scholar: Boston, MA
2015
Honors: Psychiatry
2015
Letters: Internal Medicine
2015
Letters: Neurology
2014
Nominated for Gold Humanism
2013
Intramural Research Scholarship (Rosselar)
2013
Letters: Endocrinology, Reproduction

Hobbies And Activities

Fly Fishing, Certified SCUBA Diver, Skiing, Avid Hockey Player, Guitar Player, Chess

Hip

Shoulder

Knee

Hand & Wrist

Foot/Ankle