PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

TOTALLY HIP . . .
St. Mary's Total 1oint Center is renowned or its in-
novative approach to orthopedic services, which
makes it a perect t or the talents o Dr. 1ennier van
warmerdam.
The orthopedic surgeon is medical director o the
center, the rst hospital in Caliornia to perorm a total
hip replacement.
\an warmerdam
specializes in knee,
shoulder and hip re-
placement, and one
o the most current
procedures she ex-
cels at is anterior hip
replacement surgery.
This technique involves
making a small incision
in the ront o the hip,
rather than in back near the buttocks. Mobility is gen-
erally restored sooner and recovery time shorter than
with traditional hip replacement techniques.
\an warmerdam has two boys ages 5 and 1.
Thanks to her mother, who helps tend to her sons,
she is able to commute rom Marin County during
the week. 0n weekends, the busy surgeon travels to
Nicolaus, north o Sacramento, where her husband
operates a dairy arm, just as her amily did. There
she gets to unwind.
t's a good place or our sons, with the outdoors,"
says van warmerdam. 'm very close with my amily,
and we get to get away and recharge our batteries
every week."
\an warmerdam has been with St. Mary's or 10
years, completing her ve-year orthopedic residency
at the hospital, ollowed by a one-year adult recon-
structive ellowship program at Massachusetts 0en-
eral Hospital in Boston.
She did her undergraduate studies at the Uni-
versity o Caliornia at Davis, where she originally
planned to be a vet-
erinarian. Ultimately,
however, was con-
vinced had the ability
to help people instead
o animals. made the
right choice," she says.
\an warmerdam o-
cused on geriatrics be-
ore settling on a career
in orthopedic medi-
cine. women are still in the minority among orthope-
dic surgeons, representing only 8 percent. But 'm
seeing a lot more women apply (to become surgeons)
and that's wonderul," says van warmerdam, who
was undaunted by the male-dominated eld.
People saw me as a serious and dedicated
student," she says. worked hard the whole way
through my medical career. 0rowing up with a ranch-
ing background, have a strong work ethic."
\an warmerdam sees her youth as an advantage.
am three years out o ellowship, so am up to date
on current practice and recent technologies to oer
my patients," says the surgeon.
She also loves where she works. when came to
St. Mary's, it was home or me."
KNEE AND SHOULDER
Dr. Jennifer van Warmerdam
focuses on the latest
techniques in her role
as Medical Director of the
St. Marys Joint Center
By Linda Davis
For more inormation or to make an appointment, please call 866.466.1401.