House Officers I

Abdi Abud, MD

Hometown:  St. Louis, Missouri

Medical School:  University of Missouri - Columbia School of Medicine

What inspired your interest in orthopaedic surgery?

The breadth and technical intricacies of orthopedics captivated me during my third year of medical school. I was particularly drawn to the tangible outcomes and profound impact on improving individuals' functionality.

What are three things people don't know about you?

• I am a big English Premier league fan, but supporting Manchester United has been painful the last 10 years.
• I worked as a Radiation Therapist prior to medical school.
• I have 7 other siblings. 

Nathan Davies, MD

Hometown:  Arco, Idaho

Medical School:  University of Washington 

What inspired your interest in orthopaedic surgery?

Orthopaedics offers tangible solutions for my patients and improves their quality of life in ways I didn’t see in other medical specialties. There is a wide spectrum of procedures that are mentally stimulating while also allowing me to strive for technical perfection. Ultimately, being able to help patients stay active and engaged in the activities they’re passionate about is extremely rewarding.

What are three things people don't know about you?

• My wife and I have a French Bulldog named Hank that I’m completely obsessed with.

• I’m secretly a closet nerd and love playing video games and reading fantasy novels.

• I’m 6’6’’ … and before you ask, I did play basketball.

Alex Gavia, MD

Hometown:  Granite Bay, California

Medical School:  Creighton University School of Medicine

What inspired your interest in orthopaedic surgery?

Orthopaedics is a specialty that connects me to some of my favorite pastimes, like home improvement projects and working with my hands. I also appreciate how patients can come into the operating room with a serious ailment and leave the same day seeing drastic changes

What are three things people don't know about you?

• I won a pie eating contest in medical school, during which I ate an entire cherry pie in around 2 minutes.
• My wife and I recently adopted two kittens named Patches and Smokey.
• I am an avid pickle-baller, a hobby that started during my middle school years.

Philip Holubeck, MD

Hometown:  Tucson, Arizona

Medical School:  University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Medicine

What inspired your interest in orthopaedic surgery?

I believe the foundations of our lives are built on the small moments: walking around a neighborhood with friends, playing in the yard with grandchildren, attending a niece’s dance recital.  It is our presence and engagement in these moments that cultivates our happiness – which is largely dependent on our ability to actively participate. I inevitably found myself drawn to orthopaedic surgery, viewing the field as a crucial avenue in providing patients with the capability and recovery to attain their desired life experiences. Yes, orthopaedics serves as a source of functional support for its patients, but it also brings forth the emotional support that people are not indefinitely bound by their physical challenges.

What are three things people don't know about you?

• Despite the flat plains that comprise most of Nebraska, my family fell in love with skiing and became avid travelers out to the Rocky Mountains each winter. Rumor has it that my parents taught me to ski around the same time they taught me to walk, and I still try to make it out each year to shred some powder with friends and family.
•  I’ve recently taken a deep dive into cooking, and now after a trip to Italy, I’m actively working to improve my homemade pasta… I think I’m only a few more overcooked batches away from really nailing it.
• I picked up tennis as a teenager and ended up playing throughout high school, eventually going on to join an intramural tennis league in college. You might even see me playing out on a court around Omaha (well, as often as the weather here in Nebraska allows).
  

Hunter O'Connor, MD

Hometown:  Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Medical School:  University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

What inspired your interest in orthopaedic surgery?

I grew up building houses with my dad and uncle who have a small custom home construction company in Sioux Falls called the Carpenter Company. I spent a lot of time throughout middle school, high school and college working with them building and fixing things. I love that orthopedics essentially involves using carpentry skills to treat injury/disease and improve peoples' function and quality of life.

What are three things people don't know about you?

• I like to rock climb and I climbed Devils Tower and the back of Mount Rushmore this summer
• I was a state champion wrestler in high school
• I operated heavy equipment at an excavating company as a summer job in college 

Nathanael Urban, MD

Hometown:  Omaha, Nebraska

Medical School:  University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Medicine

What inspired your interest in orthopaedic surgery?

My two favorite subjects in school have always been human anatomy and physics. Orthopaedic Surgery seems like the perfect combination of the two by modifying or repairing human anatomy to optimize the biomechanics and of body movement. Seeing more of these surgeries firsthand in medical school only solidified my passion by exposing me to the amazing advancements in techniques and technology being utilized to advance the field.

What are three things people don't know about you?

• I am an Advanced Open Water and Nitrox certified SCUBA diver and have dove with incredible animals like humpback whales and bull sharks.
• Before medical school I was a chemical engineering contractor for a small Colorado distillery making various gins and whiskeys while studying for my MCAT.
• My freshman year of college I tried out to be a “Ralphie Runner” to run the University of Colorado’s bison mascot onto the field before football games.