Alexander Robertson, III, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and educator, passed away from brain cancer on May 24, 2023, at the age of 54.
Orthopedic Surgeon-Educator Alexander Robertson, III, Deceased
1 min read Premium comments
Remembrances#obituary#alexanderrobertson
Robertson, who lived in Barrington, Rhode Island, had been an orthopedic spine surgeon at University Orthopedics since 2004. He also taught at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
He was honored for his dedication to teaching and mentoring with the 2022 and 2015 Excellence in Teaching Award.
“He was a beloved and attentive doctor and took great pride in trying to restore a better quality of life to all of his patients,” his family wrote.
He earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia in 1997. Then he did his orthopedic surgery residency and Trauma Fellowship at Brown University in 2002. He also did a spine fellowship at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
Robertson was born on December 1, 1968, in Albany, New York, to Prudence Robertson and the late Russell W. Robertson, M.D.
He grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut and was inspired to become a doctor by watching his father take care of patients as an Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon at Hartford Hospital. He graduated from Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut, in 1987 and Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1991.
He loved being active, playing varsity soccer and lacrosse and squash while in school. He took a year off before starting medical school to work on the ski slopes in Telluride, Colorado.
He also enjoyed fishing, kayaking, mountain biking and hiking. He especially loved hiking with his wife Michelle and their dogs Clyde and Dublin.
Robertson leaves behind his wife Michelle Robertson and his three daughters, Anna S. Robertson of Mashpee, Massachusetts, Hope K. Robertson of Boston, Massachusetts, and Katherine T. Robertson of Barrington, Rhode Island.
He is also survived by his two sisters, Katherine R. Tarrant of Darien, Connecticut, and Elizabeth R. Sheehan of Fairfield, Connecticut, as well as his nieces and nephews.
React:
Discussion
This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
Join the conversation
Orthopedic professionals are discussing this. Sign in and upgrade to read every comment and add your voice.