Windward Orthopaedic Group, Inc.
Comprehensive Orthopaedic Care

Physicians Profiles



Robert Medoff, M.D.

Robert Medoff, M.D.

Practice Focus: Wrist/Hand, Arthroscopy

Clinical practice since: 1985
College: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, BA in physics 1976
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, MD 1979

Residencies:

  • University of Hawaii Integrated Surgical Residency, Honolulu, HI, 1979-81
  • Campbell Clinic, Univ of Tenn Orthopaedic Residency, Memphis, TN, 1982-85

Previous academic appointment:

  • Clinical faculty, Campbell Clinic, Univ of Tenn Orthopaedic Residency, Memphis, TN, 1986

Joined Windward Orthopaedic Group: 1990

Certification:

  • Board certified American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, 1987, 1997, 2007

Professional Societies:

  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Hawaii Orthopaedic Association

Hospital Privileges:

  • Castle Medical Center
  • Queens Hospital
  • Tripler Army Medical Center
  • Shriner’s Hospital

Faculty Appointment:

  • Asst Clin Professor Ortho Surgery, John A Burns School of Medicine

Professional Highlights:

  • Past president Hawaii Orthopaedic Association
  • Past Chief of Surgery Castle Medical Center
  • Course director for 9 international continuing medical education meetings
  • Teaches an average of 25 instructional courses per year for orthopaedic surgeons around the world.
  • Author of 11 book chapters for various orthopaedic textbooks
  • Multiple scientific articles
  • Designer of several various orthopaedic implants including 11 issued patents and 13 pending patent applications
  • Founder of TriMed, Inc

Interests:

  • Surfing

Linda Rasmussen, M.D.

Linda Rasmussen, M.D.

Practice Focus: Total Joint Surgeon

Clinical Practice since: 1994 with Windward Orthopedic Group, Inc.
College: Saint Marin's University Lacey, WA 1980-1984
Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine 1984-1988

Internship:

  • University of Washington General Surgery Program 1988-1989

Residency:

  • San Francisco Orthopedic Residency Training Program 1989-1994

Board Certification:

  • American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons 1996-current, Recertified until 2016.

Hospital Privileges:

  • Castle Medical Center
  • Shriners Hospital for Children

Professional Associations:

  • Board of Councilors Hawaii representative to the American Academy of Orthopedic surgeons 2009-2015
  • President, Western Orthopedic Association 2008-2009
  • First Vice President, WOA 2007-2008
  • Second Vice President, WOA 2006-2007
  • Secretary, WOA 2003-2006
  • Junior Board Member 2001-2003
  • President, Hawaii Medical Association 2006-2007
  • Secretary, Honolulu County Medical Association 2004
  • Legislative Co-chair, Hawaii Medical Association
  • Legislative liaison, Hawaii Orthopedic Association
  • President, Hawaii Orthopedic Association 2000
  • Vice President, HOA, 1999
  • Secretary, HOA 1998
  • Chair, Walk for Arthritis, 1998-2008

Interests:

  • Photography, horseback riding, exercise and wood working.

Personal:

  • Married 20 years. Three children, Janae, Zachary and Alyssa. Grew up on a 360 acre dairy farm in Eatonville, Washington. Oldest of 7 children (6 girls and 1 boy).

Press:

Stuart Wakatsuki, M.D.

Stuart Wakatsuki, M.D.

Practice focus: Foot and Ankle

High School: Punahou High School, 1983
College: University of California, San Diego, B.A., 1987
Medical School: St. Louis University School of Medicine, MD, 1991

Internship:

  • University of California, Davis Medical Center (General Surgery), 1992

Residency:

  • University of Missouri, Kansas City (Orthopaedic Surgery), 1996

Fellowship:

  • Allegheny University, Philadelphia (Foot and Ankle Surgery), 1997

Employment:

  • Windward Orthopaedic Group, Partner, 1997 – present
  • Kaneohe State Hospital, Consulting Physician, 1997 – present

Associations: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery

  • Hawaii Orthopaedic Association
  • Western Orthopaedic Association
  • American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society

Positions Held:

  • Secretary/Treasurer, Hawaii Orthopaedic Association, 2000
  • Vice President, Hawaii Orthopaedic Association, 2001
  • President, Hawaii Orthopaedic Association, 2002
  • Chairman, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Castle Medical Center, 2000 and 01
  • Chairman, Credentials Committee, Castle Medical Center, 2007 and 08
  • Chairman, Dept. of Surgery, Castle Medical Center, 2009-present
  • Young Board Member, Western Orthopaedic Assoc., 2004 and 05
  • Board of Directors, Windward Surgery Center, 2008 - present
  • Assistant Clinical Professor, U. of Hawaii Orthopaedic ResidencyTraining Program, 1998 – present
  • Volunteer Physician, Kailua High School, 1997 – present

Interests:

  • Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach, Maryknoll High School, 2004 and 2005
  • Golf
  • Basketball
  • Attending sporting events
  • Spending time with wife and kids

Galen Kam, M.D.

Practice Focus: Upper Extremity, Shoulder and Elbow Reconstruction

Clinical practice since: 2007
High School: Punahou School, 1991
College: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, BA in Biology 1995
Graduate School: The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, MS in Physiology 1997
Medical School: Creighton University, Omaha, NE, MD 2001

Residency:

  • Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Los Angeles, CA 2001-2006

Fellowship:

  • Upper extremity with focus on shoulder reconstruction San Francisco Shoulder, Elbow, and Hand Clinic, San Francisco, CA, 2006-2007

Joined Windward Orthopaedic Group: 2007

Certification:

  • Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Certified as an Upper Extremity Specialist.

Professional Societies:

  • Hawaii Orthopaedic Association
  • Western Orthopaedic Association
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery

Hospital Privileges:

  • Castle Medical Center
  • Queens Medical Center

Professional Highlights:

  • Presented results of the reverse shoulder arthroplasty at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Annual Meeting 2008
  • Co-author on shoulder reconstruction journal articles.

Interests:

  • Golf, fitness, travel

Kevin H. Higashigawa, M.D.

Stuart Wakatsuki, M.D.

“I strive to be the best doctor that I can.  I am not a salesman.  My job is to give you the best possible medical advice.  It is the same advice that I would give to my own family and friends.  In most cases, I will exhaust all conservative measures first, and recommend surgery last.  I promise to always do the best job that I can.”

Practice focus: Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Shoulder Reconstructive Surgery, Arthroscopic Knee Reconstructive Surgery

High School: Iolani School c/o 1991
College: University of California at Berkeley, Business Administration, BS 1991-1995
Medical School: John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai’i, MD 1999-2003

Residency:

  • University of Hawaii, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, 2003-2009

Fellowship:

  • University of California at Los Angeles, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery, 2009-2010

Honors:

  • Alpha Omega Alpha, Medical School Honor Society
    Frank and Mary McDowell Award for Surgery
    Graduated from UC Berkeley with Honors
    Phi Beta Kappa, Honor Society

Research Experience:

  • Research Fellow, University of Hawaii Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program: 7/05-7/06
    Honolulu, HI. Designed a biomechanical study investigating the contribution of the deltoid and the coracoacromial arch in providing glenohumeral stability against anterior dislocation. Submitted IRB proposals for projects involving DNA microarrays and differential gene expression of osteoarthritic cartilage.

    Research with Dr. Linda Wong, Dept of Surgery, Institute of Transplantation, St. Francis Medical Center: 7/00-1/01
    Honolulu, HI. Analyzed data collected from retrospective chart review of 9,427 deaths in Hawaii in 1999 and 2000. Assessed Hawaii’s performance in organ procurement using hospital identification and referral rates of potential organ donors as performance indicators

    Laboratory Manager/Researcher, Prof. Paola S. Timiras, Molecular and Cell Biology Dept, University of California at Berkeley: 11/97-8/99
    Berkeley, CA. Supervised research of ten undergraduates, helping them to develop their research protocols and training them in various laboratory procedures and techniques. Performed duties as lab safety officer, maintained lab equipment, purchased supplies, and controlled budget. Conducted research on the effects of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators on C-6 glioma cell activity, maturation, and differentiation.

    Staff Research Associate, BioTime, Inc.: 6/95-12/96
    Berkeley, CA. Researched the possibilities of organ and tissue preservation at sub-zero temperatures. Performed low-temperature microsurgery on rodents, perfusing their organs and tissues with a cryo-preservative, and assessed their level of function following various periods of anoxia at sub-zero temperatures. Actively aided in developing the research protocol.

Abstracts, Publications, Presentations:

  • Poster Presentation, The Stabilizing Effect of the Deltoid via Coracoacromial Arch Concavity Compression, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009 Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV.

    Parsa A, Higashigawa KH, Parsa DF.  Arterial Aneurysms of the Hand. Hawaii Medical Journal  2008;67(2):37-40.

    Oral Presentation, “Posterior Capsular Contracture and Non-Outlet Impingement Syndrome”, Hawaii Orthopaedic Association 2007 Annual Symposium.

    Orthopaedic Grand Rounds, “Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty”, Queen’s Medical Center, April 25, 2007, Honolulu, HI.

    1st Place Winner of Resident Research Competition, “The Stabilizing Effect of the Deltoid Against Anterior Humeral Head Dislocation via Coracoacromial Arch Concavity Compression”, American College of Surgeons Hawaii Chapter 2005 Summer Meeting.

    Oral Presentation, “The Stabilizing Effect of the Deltoid Against Anterior Humeral Head Dislocation via Coracoacromial Arch Concavity Compression”, Hawaii Orthopaedic Association 2005 Annual Symposium.

    Higashigawa KH. Chapter X: Surgery, Section 8 – Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis. In: Yamamoto LG,  Patrinos ME, Okamoto JK, Inaba AS, Yamashiroya VK (eds).  Case Based Pediatrics for Medical  Students and Residents.  2004, Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse Publishing, pp. 394-395.

    Higashigawa KH, Carroll C, Wong LL, Wong LM.  Organ Donation in Hawaii: Impact of the Final Rule. Clin Transplant 2002;16(3): 180-184.

    Oral presentation, “Organ Donation in Hawaii: Impact of the Final Rule”, 20th North American Symposium for Dialysis and Transplantation, Jul 2001.

    Higashigawa KH, Carroll C, Wong LL.  Organ Procurement 1999-2000: How is Hawaii Doing?  Hawaii Medical Journal 2001;60(12): 314-317.

    Higashigawa K, Seo A, Sheth N, Tsianos G, Shy H, et al. Chapter 13 – Effects of Estrogens and Thyroid Hormone on Development and Aging of Astrocytes and Oligodendrocytes.  In: de Vellis JS (ed). Neuroglia in the Aging Brain. 2002, Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, pp. 245-256.

    Higashigawa K, Shy H, Malaiyandi L, Sheth N, Seo A, Timiras PS.  Glial Cells: New Partners in Brain-Estrogen Interactions.  Journal of Neurochemistry 1999;73(Supplement): 870. 

    Poster presentation, “Effects of Estradiol and Tamoxifen on Growth & Enzyme Activity of Glioma Cells”, 12th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience, Aug 1998.

    Sternberg H, Higashigawa K, Kaneshiro A, Waitz HD, Segall PE.  Reviving Partially Frozen Hamsters.  Experimental Biology 1997, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) abstract.

Rehabilitation Protocols:

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