Meet the Women Shaping Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at University Hospitals

Innovations in Orthopaedics | Summer 2023

As the national conversation about the need for more women to choose orthopaedic surgery continues, “University Hospitals has long been a place where female orthopaedic surgeons are integral to our department,” says James Voos, MD, Chair of University Hospitals Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Charles H. Herndon Professor and Chair at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and head team physician for the Cleveland Browns. “We are fortunate to attract some of the brightest medical students into orthopaedics and prove to the best female candidates that they can build a fulfilling practice here.”

While just 6.5 percent¹ of the country’s nearly 30,000 orthopaedic surgeons are female, the UH Orthopaedic Residency program matches women at rates higher than the national average. “If you look at recent demographics, females outpace males in most medical schools, but the percentage of females in orthopaedics has historically been extremely low,” says Michael Glotzbecker, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery and George H. Thompson Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and Clinical Associate Professor at School of Medicine. “However, nearly half of our pediatric orthopaedic surgeons are women. We have been fortunate to grow an accomplished and diverse team. Having people with different skill sets and ways of thinking enables us to learn from one another and, ultimately, makes us all better.”

Christina Cheng, MD, is an orthopaedic spine surgeon at UH Cleveland Medical Center and an Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine. She specializes in the treatment of disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine and utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to employ nonsurgical treatment options before offering surgery to her patients.  

Christina Cheng, MD

A first-generation Asian-American female spine surgeon, she is committed to encouraging other women to pursue the specialty. In 2022, she was recognized by the National Association of Spine Surgeons® (NASS) as a “20 Under 40” Award Recipient for her ongoing efforts to mentor the next generation of women in orthopaedic surgery. “Dr. Cheng is recognized on a national level as an up-and-coming leader in spine surgery,” says Dr. Voos.

Allison Gilmore, MD, is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor at the School of Medicine. She is an expert in the evaluation of the full spectrum of general pediatric orthopedic conditions and has a special interest in pediatric sports medicine surgery. She performs a large volume of arthroscopy, ACL reconstructions and patellofemoral joint replacement and is currently creating a registry of pediatric patients who are treated for kneecap dislocations.

 Alison Gilmore, MD

“Pediatrics requires a special skillset in interacting with kids, as well as parents who have concerns about their children’s welfare,” says Dr. Glotzbecker. “Dr. Gilmore has a tremendous rapport with her patients and develops relationships with families through the care and compassion she delivers.”

Christina Hardesty, MD, is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and Professor at the School of Medicine. Dr. Hardesty runs a complex practice, providing novel surgical corrections for spinal deformity and caring for children and young adults with neuromuscular disorders, including cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Dr. Hardesty also manages care for patients with baclofen pumps and has started a national baclofen pump multicenter registry. She has established herself nationally, gaining recognition for her surgical expertise and utilization of emerging technologies such as Firefly, a 3D-printed pinnacle screw guide.

Christina Hardesty, MD

“In addition to having one of the busiest clinical schedules in our group, Dr. Hardesty is bringing recognition to Rainbow through her academic publications and as a leader of collaborative study groups,” says Dr. Glotzbecker.

Shana Miskovsky, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon who “brings a unique talent in that she is both sports medicine and foot-and-ankle trained,” says Dr. Voos. Her interest in orthopaedics grew through her years as a competitive figure skater. In addition to taking care of athletes in Northeast Ohio, she travels the world with the U.S. Figure Skating and Paralympic teams. Dr. Miskovsky is committed to returning athletes to their high-level performance and reducing the risk of reinjury. An Assistant Professor at School of Medicine, she is also the head team physician for the Case Western Reserve University Spartans.

Shana Miskovsky, MD

UH Will Soon Welcome Three New Orthopaedic Surgeons

Katharine Hollnagel, MD, will join UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital this fall as a hip preservation specialist after completing fellowships in pediatric orthopaedics at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and hip preservation at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Not only will she be a national expert on taking care of young children with hip dysplasia or impingement, but she will also have the tools and knowledge to treat adolescents and young adults with an understanding that may save them from requiring joint replacement at a young age,” says Dr. Glotzbecker. “She will be our regional expert in this field, and we are excited about how her expertise will complement and round out our team.”

Breana Siljander, MD, specializes in adult reconstruction and joint replacement and is joining UH Cleveland Medical Center in September. Dr. Siljander has contributed to academic publications on total hip and total knee replacement. She is currently completing a fellowship at the highly rated Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, New York. “Dr. Siljander has an engineering background and is coming in as our director of robotic surgery,” says Dr. Voos.

Erin Ohliger, MD, specializes in hand surgery, and will join University Hospitals/Center for Orthopedics in September of this year. Dr. Ohliger completed her Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the Cleveland Clinic, and a Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship at Rothman Institute/Jefferson Medical College.

Leading the Way in Sports Medicine

University Hospitals also has a talented group of female sports medicine physicians who treat the growing population of athletes and active individuals throughout Northeast Ohio. “High school and collegiate sports have changed dramatically over the last 15 to 20 years, and the competitiveness and skill level are remarkable,” says Dr. Glotzbecker. “The explosion of sports injuries in both females and males has increased significantly. Having physicians who connect with patients and understand what they are going through helps us provide the highest level of care.”

Susannah Briskin, MD, is a pediatric sports medicine specialist within the Division of Sports Medicine at University Hospitals and Professor at the School of Medicine. As a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, she advocates for athlete safety, physical fitness and disseminating musculoskeletal education to pediatricians nationwide. “Dr. Briskin also serves in a leadership role as Fellowship Director of our Sports Medicine Institute, which is the largest pediatric-based sports medicine fellowship in the country and the first to obtain ACGME Osteopathic Recognition,” says Dr. Voos.

Susannah Briskin, MD

Laura Goldberg, MD, is a specialist in pediatric sports medicine and Clinical Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine. As Medical Director for University Hospitals West Side Sports Medicine, she leads sports medicine outreach for Cleveland’s western suburbs. She is also the lead physician of the University Hospitals Running Program, which helps athletes identify, treat and prevent running injuries and enhance their performance. “An avid athlete, Dr. Goldberg is passionate about helping her patients stay healthy and active,” says Dr. Voos.

Laura Goldberg, MD

Allison Schroeder, MD, is trained in both physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine. She specializes in nonsurgical sports medicine and interventional sports ultrasound. An Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, she integrates orthobiologic injections and advanced ultrasound-guided procedures into her clinical practice. “Dr. Schroeder exemplifies the diversity of training among our sports medicine team,” says Dr. Voos. “Also, she is an accomplished endurance athlete who understands the goals and challenges of her patients.” In addition to providing expert care to Cleveland’s community of adult and high school runners, she has traveled as a team physician with Team USA Basketball.

Allison Schroeder, MD

Mary Solomon, DO, is a specialist in pediatric sports medicine and Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine. She has a special interest in concussion diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Currently, she serves as principal investigator for a study on the computerized reporting and treatment of concussions in high school athletes. A frequent presenter at regional and national sports medicine conferences, she provides expertise on injury prevention and concussion diagnosis and treatment in young athletes. “Dr. Solomon is also involved in taking care of our local high school teams and serves as head team physician for numerous schools in our area,” says Dr. Voos.

Mary Solomon, DO

Amanda Weiss Kelly, MD, is the Division Chief of Pediatric Sports Medicine at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and UH Cleveland Medical Center and Professor at the School of Medicine. With expertise in pediatrics and sports medicine, she is a national leader in advancing the understanding of sports training, preparation, safety and rehabilitation in children and teens. “Dr. Weiss Kelly was the first female sports medicine physician in our department and has been one of the central figures in furthering our academic research and community outreach programs for sports medicine,” says Dr. Voos.

Amanda Weiss Kelly, MD

“We want to continue recruiting the best people,” says Dr. Glotzbecker. “Having these incredibly talented leaders in academic medicine at the podium, on national committees and in our communities puts University Hospitals and Rainbow in the spotlight. It's exciting to have physicians with their level of expertise in our group.”

For more information or to refer a patient for orthopaedic care, call 216-844-7200.

¹https://www.aaos.org/aaosnow/2019/jun/youraaos/youraaos05/

Contributing Experts:
James Voos, MD
Chair
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Jack and Mary Herrick Distinguished Chair, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Charles H. Herndon Professor and Chair
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Head Team Physician, Cleveland Browns
Medical Director, Cleveland Ballet

Michael Glotzbecker, MD
Chief of the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
George H. Thompson Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
Clinical Associate Professor
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine