Kushal Patel, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand and upper extremity surgery with Endeavor Health, has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, marking his second consecutive year receiving this prestigious designation. Only 7 percent of the nation's licensed physicians are chosen annually as Castle Connolly Top Doctors for their specialties in their regions.
Dr. Patel is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery and holds a subspecialty certificate in surgery of the hand. 'Being recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor is a profound honor because it reflects the trust of my peers within the medical community,' says Dr. Patel. 'To me, this recognition isn't just about individual achievement; it's a testament to the high standard of specialized care we provide at Endeavor Health. It reinforces my commitment to bringing the latest advancements in hand and upper extremity surgery to our patients in our community, ensuring they receive the best possible outcomes.'
Dr. Patel evaluates and treats a wide range of conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and elbow, including traumatic injuries, degenerative conditions, and congenital anomalies. His surgical expertise encompasses hand and wrist fracture repair, trigger finger injection and release, anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion, tendon and nerve repair, joint reconstruction of the hand and wrist, management of deQuervain's disease, and surgical correction of syndactyly.
He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago and completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Illinois Hospital, where he was selected as Academic Chief Resident. Dr. Patel then pursued advanced fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Patel has contributed to orthopaedic research and global health. He served as the Morgan & Madison McClellan Research Fellow at the Institute for Global Orthopaedics & Traumatology (IGOT) at the University of California, San Francisco. His research includes peer-reviewed publications on topics such as anesthesia effectiveness in hand injections and global orthopaedic research gaps. Dr. Patel has also held leadership roles, including Chair of the AAOS Resident Assembly Education Committee.
Castle Connolly Top Doctors are nominated by peer physicians and selected by the physician-led Castle Connolly research team. The selection criteria include medical education, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary histories. Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected. More information about Castle Connolly Top Doctors can be found at castleconnolly.com.
