The Yale Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation Division of Adult Reconstruction is pleased to welcome Andrzej Brzezinski, MD as the 2023-2024 Yale Arthroplasty Fellow. He was appointed as a Clinical Instructor of Orthopaedic Surgery and becomes just the third fellow in the fellowship program’s history, following Erik McDonald, MD (2021-2022) and Ansab Khwaja, MD (2022-2023).
Brzezinski is originally from Raciaz, Poland and is an orthopaedic surgeon with a strong interest in treating lower extremity conditions. His journey in medicine began at the Medical University of Warsaw, where he completed his undergraduate medical education. Driven by his passion for orthopaedics, he chose to further his training by undertaking a residency at the same institution.
Following his successful completion of residency, Brzezinski established himself as a certified general orthopedist in Poland. In two years of practice, he completed more than 500 surgeries, specializing in joint replacement, sports-related injuries, and trauma cases affecting the lower extremities. However, due to personal and family reasons, he made the life-changing decision to relocate to the United States.
Once in the U.S., Brzezinski worked to continue pursuing his career in orthopaedics. He initially dedicated time to voluntary work in a research laboratory at Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey where he contributed to numerous projects, notably in the realm of artificial meniscus device development.
Through hard work and perseverance, Brzezinski earned the respect of his mentors and matched into a coveted spot in the orthopedic surgery residency program at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS). Throughout his residency, he excelled and was honored with numerous awards including the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) 2018 Excellence in Research Award, Resident Research Award, and a Department Chair Award. He was also nominated to the American Orthopaedics Association’s (AOA) Virtual C. Mc Collister Evarts Resident Leadership Forum in 2021.
After completing his orthopaedic surgery residency at Rutgers RWJMS in 2022, he pursued further specialization with an Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Fellowship at the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts from 2022-2023. Brzezinski's dedication to academic excellence is evident in his impressive record of over 30 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and presentations. His professional affiliations include memberships in esteemed organizations such as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS), and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS).
Brzezinski's attraction to the Yale Arthroplasty Fellowship stemmed from its outstanding clinical exposure for both primary and revision cases, with an abundance of complex joint replacement surgeries. During his initial three months of the fellowship, he actively participated in more than 150 cases, including intricate reconstructions and revisions transferred urgently to Yale from other surrounding hospitals. Throughout his fellowship year at Yale, he will further hone his skills in hip and knee reconstructive surgeries, employing conventional techniques, image and computer assisted intra-operative navigation, and robotic assisted joint replacements.
“Dr. Brzezinski is a truly remarkable individual,” said Fellowship Program Director, Lee Rubin, MD. “He is trilingual, well-read with regard to the orthopaedic literature, and he immediately became an excellent teacher for the many students and residents rotating on our service. He is trustworthy and intuitive in the operating room and has been a model of kindness and compassion to the patients and staff around him.”
Brzezinski’s goals during the fellowship year are to master the Direct Anterior Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty (DAA THA) with and without specialized tables, as well as total knee replacements utilizing both imageless computer navigation and also with the MAKO robot.
The Yale Adult Reconstruction faculty members shared their sentiment after only spending a few months working alongside Brzezinski.
Daniel Wiznia, MD said, "Dr. Brzezinski has demonstrated a commitment to innovation in learning the targeted 3D surgical techniques we have developed to treat osteonecrosis within Yale's Avascular Necrosis Program.”
“Dr. Brzezinski arrived at Yale with a wealth of experience,” David Gibson, MD added. “Already an attending physician in his native Poland, he further honed his skills with a second residency in New Jersey as well as additional fellowship training in Boston. His technical skills are exemplary!”
Aidin Eslam-Pour, MD said, “Dr. Brzezinski combines a warm demeanor with deep knowledge and showcases a detail-oriented approach to joint replacement surgeries,” while Ilda Molloy, MD noted, “Andrzej is a compassionate clinician and a skilled surgeon who is has been a great addition to our Yale arthroplasty team.”
“My perseverance and passion for joint reconstruction are just as strong now as when I began my training,” Brzezinski said reflecting on his career. “I am excited to bring my pursuit of perfection to Yale and beyond as my training concludes and I begin my practice.”
Upon the conclusion of his fellowship, Brzezinski is set to join University Orthopedics Associates in Somerset, New Jersey as an attending surgeon. There, he will be an integral part of a dedicated joint replacement team. He will specialize in performing hip, knee, and ankle arthroplasties, which will help to establish his emerging reputation as a leading orthopedic surgeon.