FAIRMONT — The Center for Specialty Care in Fairmont recently welcomed Julie Dodds, MD to their practice. She is a board-certified, fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon with expertise in Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine.

Originally from a farm in northern Iowa, she attended high school in Algona, Iowa. After her undergraduate training at Iowa State University in zoology, she attended the University of Iowa Medical School. Her residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was followed by an arthroscopy and sports medicine fellowship back at the University of Iowa, serving as a team physician for the Hawkeyes, which included being a sideline physician at the Rose Bowl and mat-side physician for the NCAA wrestling championships.

“It’s exciting to be back caring for the people of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota”, said Dodds. “I always knew I would be back to live on the family farm; it was a promise I made to may father before he died. As far as my profession, I believe in listening to patients and not just looking at x-rays and MRI scans to make a diagnosis. While being an orthopedic surgeon, I believe in trying non-operative treatment, if able, before considering surgery. I have a lot of tools in my toolbox! I especially love using my knowledge of taking care of high-level athletes (college and professional) in treating the high school and recreational athletes to get them back to their sport in the most efficient and safe manner.”

Dr. Dodds started her career at Michigan State University, where she was an assistant clinical professor and a team physician for the Spartans.She spent 25 years as the head team physician for the Lansing Lugnuts, minor league baseball team, and has been an orthopedic consultant for both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Oakland Athletics professional baseball teams. She has also worked at the USA Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She served as the team physician for multiple high schools in and around Lansing, Michigan. She continues to lecture and teach courses nationally and internationally on arthroscopic treatment of knees and shoulders.

Dr. Dodds will be seeing patients in the Center for Specialty Care locations in Fairmont and Blue Earth, Minnesota and soon in their new north central Iowa location.