Dr Alex Gornitzky is a clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan in the division of Pediatric Orthopaedics. He specializes in treating all pediatric orthopaedic conditions, including trauma and fractures, congenital limb anomalies and limb length discrepancies, neuromuscular conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, and foot and ankle disorders such as clubfoot. He is particularly interested in complex hip problems in growing children, including hip dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, and Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis.
Dr Gornitzky grew up in New Jersey always dreaming of being a pediatric physician. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Yale University, where he was also a 4-year varsity swimmer. He then completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, including Alpha Omega Alpha honors. While at Penn he served as a Benjamin Fox Research Fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He then went on to orthopaedic residency at the University of California, San Francisco before returning to CHOP for a clinical fellowship in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr Gornitzky joined the clinical faculty at the University of Michigan in 2022.
Dr Gornitzky’s philosophy of care is to get to know each family as individuals, and then to develop a customized plan addressing their specific needs. His goal is to safely get every kid back to doing normal kid things, and to be there with them every step of the journey. For him, the greatest part of being a pediatric Orthopaedist is to see the smiles on kid’s faces when they get back to what they love.
In addition to his clinical role, Dr Gornitzky is involved with a variety of research projects looking at clinical outcomes following pediatric fracture and hip surgery. He is particularly interested in better understanding the individual psychosocial circumstances that impact a patient’s surgical experience, including how to use that knowledge to then customize treatment to their exact needs.
Outside of work, Dr Gornitzky enjoys hiking and exploring nature with his wife and dog, as well as woodworking, movies and watching basketball. He is very excited to explore all the cultural, food, sports and nature opportunities across Ann Arbor and the wider Michigan area.
Research Interests:
- Pain control after pediatric orthopaedic surgery, including alternative strategies to augment post-operative analgesia
- Clinical outcomes in pediatric hip conditions such hip dysplasia, SCFE and Perthes disease
- Psychosocial optimization and risk stratification prior to elective pediatric orthopaedic surgery
To learn more about Dr. Gornitzky’s research publications, please look at his bibliography in the National Library of Medicine.
Credentials
Medical School or Training
University of Pennsylvania, 2016
Residency
University of California, San Francisco, 2021
Fellowship
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, 2022
Board Certifications
Eligible in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America