Abdul Foad MD, FAAOS

Dr. Abdul Foad’s goal has always been to continue a lifelong process of learning to provide evidence-based orthopaedic care for all of his patients while also being a true advocate for them. After graduating from medical school at Penn State University College of Medicine, he completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Foad then entered private practice primarily serving Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. It was after sustaining an intercollegiate sports injury himself that he became passionate about treating sports injuries.

Although Dr. Foad has always been commited to excellence within general orthopaedic care, he saw a lack of world-class level expertise in sports medicine in his area. After recognizing this need and due to a growing demand within arthroscopy and sports medicine, in 2007 Dr. Foad chose to stop his busy solo private practice after ten years and pursue a Sports and Arthroscopy Fellowship. He decided to pursue this fellowship at one of the most prestigious programs in the world: The International Olympic Trauma and Research Center in Oslo, Norway.

Throughout the program, Dr. Foad refined his knowledge and skills under the tutelage of world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon Lars Engebretsen, MD, PhD and his team. Dr. Engebretsen is the Professor and Chairman of the Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery at Oslo University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo, Co-Chair of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, and Chair and Head of Scientific Activities and Research for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Requirements of the program combined with family obligations (and a pregnant wife) made the experience particularly challenging, however Dr. Foad found it to be very rewarding. The specialized and specific training he received helped him further refine his surgical and clinical skills used to treat knees and shoulders. Dr. Foad treated athletes at all levels from Olympic to professional sports to the occasional weekend athlete. Through his expertise the athletes he treated were able to return to their pre-injury level of participation.

Since that time, Dr. Foad has remained actively involved in clinical research and teaching. He has a strong belief that a practicing surgeon (whether in academics or private practice) has a responsibility to contribute to the acquisition of better evidence and to participate in committees to not only benefit the orthopaedic community as a whole, but most importantly to benefit their patients. It is this belief that drove Dr. Foad to accept an active position on the Board of the University of Iowa Orthopaedic Research Foundation (IORF). Througout his tenure within this position, Dr. Foad has published peer-reviewed clinical research in addition to a successful two-year follow-up paper on a simpler and less invasive surgical technique for the biceps tendon. He was also the 2015 President of the Iowa Orthopaedic Society (IOS) and continues to serve on its board.

In 2013, Dr. Foad was given the honor of being accepted to the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) Traveling Fellowship. This fellowship was under the leadership of world-renowned shoulder surgeon Stephen S. Burkhart, MD. Many of the arthroscopic shoulder surgeries that are performed worldwide and considered the “Gold Standard” were invented by Dr. Burkhart.

Despite spending very valuable time under a variety of world-renowned orthopaedic physicians, Dr. Foad obtained most of his orthopaedic education during residency under Robert F. LaPrade, MD, PhD. Dr. LaPrade is recognized as one of the “Top Knee Surgeons in the World” and often referred to as the “Doctors’ doctor”. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and won countless awards including the OREF Clinical Research Award, which is considered the Nobel Prize of Orthopaedics. It was during his time with Dr. LaParade that Dr. Foad acquired the foundation of his sports medicine surgical skills and knowledge of the treatment and rehabilitation of various musculoskeletal diseases and injuries (surgical and non-surgical). Dr. Foad continues to collaborate on clinical and biomechanical research with Dr. LaPrade and his team at the Steadman-Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. In 2015, Dr. Foad was the co-author of the Achilles Award Paper by the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) for the publication of “Biomechanical Consequences of a Nonanatomic Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Repair After a Root Avulsion.” within the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE. “The Achilles Orthopedic Sports Medicine Award was created in 1995 to recognize the researchers who have performed the most outstanding clinical or laboratory research in the field of sports medicine, such as the care and prevention of injuries.”

With regards to his journey in becoming the orthopaedic surgeon he is today, Dr. Foad stated “although the people and mentors that helped mold my professional career have different interests and have taken different paths, the relationships I formed are the product of a bond formed in the crucible of orthopaedic education that leaves me indebted to them as educators, innovators, role models, and friends. These great scientists and ambassadors to orthopaedics continue to be a great resource for me to provide world-class orthopaedic care in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.”

Dr. Foad learned early on to not simply be an orthopaedic surgeon who goes through the motions, but to also encourage and mentor younger peers through life lessons. “While I have been blessed to have accomplished a great deal in my years of private practice, I feel my success was a combination of opportunity, ability, hard work, and most of all, good fortune” said Dr. Foad. “I have been blessed by outstanding mentors and mentees, a great education, and many loving patients, friends and family” he continued. Dr. Foad gives back to his community and profession by providing sound advice and guidance with evidence-based practice management. He enhances different learning styles for his patients, students, residents and colleagues. His motto is: “Service with Science.” Every patient will be seen and followed by Dr. Foad.