Phoenix Orthopedic Surgeon at OrthoArizona – Arizona Orthopaedic Associates Inspires Patient to Apply for Medical School
Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) August 31, 2015 -- When Zack St. Peter came to OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates in 2004 with a severely broken leg, he not only received excellent orthopedic treatment, he also found the inspiration to dedicate his future to medicine.
As a competitive dirt bike racer, St. Peter was no stranger to injuries, but a serious wreck during a practice session had resulted in three complete breaks to his left leg, leaving his foot at a 90-degree angle relative to his knee.
Dr. Michael A. Wilmink, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates specializing in trauma, arthroscopy and reconstruction, proposed internal fixation using a plate and screws to treat the injury. This type of procedure encourages proper healing and alignment of the fractured bones as well as a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery period.
“Dr. Wilmink was confident that this would secure my leg,” St. Peter said. “Due to his confidence, I had complete trust in his decision. It also sparked my interest in orthopedic surgery.”
Today, St. Peter says his leg is good as new, and he’s able to lead a very active lifestyle lifting weights six times per week, mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, wakeboarding and riding dirt bikes.
“Injuries are very common among the dirt bike crowd,” he said. ”Most of my friends have all broken bones. Some were completely fine after their treatment, and others experienced difficulties, so I was slightly skeptical of the quality of treatment I would receive. After my experience, I know that choosing the correct physician makes a huge difference. Today I am good as new with zero issues regarding my leg.”
St. Peter began his undergraduate degree at ASU in 2010, applied to medical school in August and hopes to begin classes this time next year with a focus on orthopedic surgery, specifically working with activity-induced injuries.
He recently shadowed his inspiration for pursuing medical school, observing Dr. Wilmink performing total knee and hip replacement surgeries as well practice testing patients for osteoarthritis.
“Dr. Wilmink is a very busy man in the office and there's a reason for that; he's one of the best,” St. Peter said. “He handles all of his patients with care and gets the job done. He really cares about aspiring physicians. I really appreciate the time and knowledge that Dr. Wilmink put aside for me. It really secured my decision to pursue this career.”
For more information on OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, please call (602) 631-3161 or visit http://www.aoa.md. Find out more on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/aoaatgateway and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aoaatgateway.
About OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates
OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates strives to improve the quality of life of its patients and their families through outstanding orthopedic care. OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality of orthopedic care possible. Along with the treatment of immediate or chronic problems, top-rated and board-certified orthopedic surgeons strive to integrate the doctrine of prevention in all treatment plans as a way to alleviate possible future difficulties.
Al Stevens, The SPR Agency, http://thespragency.com/, +1 (480) 648-1770, [email protected]
Share this article