The Dallas County Hospital in Perry announced Monday that a new surgeon is joining the DCH team.
“Dallas County Hospital is excited to introduce our communities to Dr. Julie A. Dodds, MD,” the DCH announcement said. “The DCH team is incredibly excited to welcome Dr. Dodds and offer an additional service line in the portfolio of care services we coordinate to keep patients close to home.”
Dr. Dodds is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in arthroscopy and sports medicine, the statement said. She is originally from north-central Iowa and grew up on a dairy farm.
After her undergraduate training at Iowa State University in zoology, Dr. Dodds 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 at the University of Iowa.
Her service as a team physician for the Iowa Hawkeyes included being a physician at the Rose Bowl and mat-side physician for the NCAA wrestling championships.
Dr. Dodds believes in listening to patients and not simply looking at x-rays and MRI scans to make a diagnosis, according to the DCH statement. While being an orthopedic surgeon, she believes in trying non-operative treatment, if able, before considering surgery. She especially enjoys using her knowledge of caring for high-level athletes (college and professional) to treat high school and recreational athletes and get them back to their sport in an 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, a 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 and served as team physician for high schools in and around Lansing, Michigan. She continues to lecture and teach courses nationally and internationally on arthroscopic treatment of knees and shoulders.
“Dallas County is an area of full of action, especially when it comes to local sports,” Dr. Dodds said upon joining the DCH team. “My passion has been assisting athletes and their families with solutions following a sports injury and helping them safely return and perform at an optimal level. Sports injuries can be traumatic, and I am honored to walk through recovery options with families.”
In a joint statement, DCH’s Chief Executive Officer Angela Mortoza and Chief Clinical Officer Cindy Peeler said, “Local sports are the core of so many conversations and friendly rivalries in Dallas County. Dr. Dodds will be a terrific resource when athletes encounter an unexpected sports injury. Her solutions have been of great assistance and benefit to countless athletes and their families, as well as peers, throughout the country, and now we cannot wait to bring her to Perry.”
Dr. Dodds’ first day will be Thursday, Dec. 1. She will accept patients the first and third Thursday of each month.
