37 Rothman Orthopaedics Surgeons Recognized by Avant-garde Health for Excellence in Research

Rothman Orthopaedics is proud to have 37 surgeons named as Avant-garde Health’s 2025 Healthcare Research All-Stars, recognizing outstanding achievement in clinical research. This year, the 37 All-Star Rothman surgeons from locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida received All-Star distinction, representing a 27.5 percent increase from 2024. This honor further strengthens Rothman Orthopaedics’ reputation for excellence in advancing clinical research.

Additionally, Rothman Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital was ranked in the Top 1% nationally for Orthopedic Surgery Research, one of only 29 hospitals in the country to earn this prestigious distinction.

“At Rothman Orthopaedics, our research is driven by a single goal: to enhance the quality of life for those living with musculoskeletal conditions,” said Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD, PhD, MBA, President of Rothman Orthopaedics. “This work is made possible through the collective dedication of our staff, trainees, and, most importantly, our patients. The significant increase in the number of our surgeons recognized for their research contributions further reinforces our commitment to advancing orthopedic care.”

The study, conducted by Avant-garde, evaluated the research contributions of over 4,700 hospitals and 424,000 physicians, recognizing only the top five percent based on the volume and impact of their published work.

The surgeons honored at Rothman Orthopaedics include:

• Dr. Michael G. Ciccotti., Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Steven Cohen, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. P. Maxwell Courtney, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Yale Fillingham, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Kevin Freedman, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Christopher Kepler, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Chad Krueger, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Jess Lonner, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Surena Namdari, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Gregory Schroeder, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Alexander Vaccaro, Top 1%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Joseph Abboud, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Pedro Beredjiklian, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Michael C. Ciccotti, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Daniel Davis, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Sommer Hammoud, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Alan Hilibrand, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. William Hozack, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Asif Ilyas, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. James Krieg, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Rachel Shakked, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Meghan Bishop, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Alvin Ong, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Michael Rivlin, Top 2–3%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Christopher Jones, Top 2–3%, Hand Surgery
• Dr. Scot Brown, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Carl Deirmengian, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Jeffrey Rihn, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. John Salvo, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Gerald Williams, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. I. David Kaye, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Danielle Ponzio, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Arjun Saxena, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Luke Oh, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Ram Yakkanti, Top 4–5%, Orthopedic Surgery
• Dr. Gregory Gallant, Top 4–5%, Hand Surgery
• Dr. Amir Kachooei, Top 4–5%, Hand Surgery

To determine the award winners, Avant-garde Health examined the quantity and quality of research by surgeons and hospitals. The study methodology, Key Findings from the study, and the full study results can be reviewed on Avant-garde’s website.

This marks the second annual release of the Research All-Stars, presented by Avant-garde, a leading provider of solutions to enhance perioperative quality and profitability.