Dr. Thomas Kelso practices at the Shallotte location and the Brunswick Forest Cutlar Crossing location of EmergeOrtho. He earned his undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech and completed his medical education at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA. He is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. He received his Fellowship from the American College of Sports Medicine. Prior to attending medical school, he studied the effects of exercise on muscle metabolism and received his Ph.D. from Washington State University School of Veterinary Medicine. He conducted research and authored or co-authored numerous research articles before entering orthopedic practice full time. Dr. Kelso received his orthopedic training at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. While in the Navy, he served for two years as the Medical Officer aboard the guided-missile cruiser, USS Virginia. After completing his orthopedic residency, he was a member of the teaching staff at the Naval Medical Center and Director of Orthopedic Residency Research. During this period he also served as the orthopedic surgeon for the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. Dr. Kelso left the Navy in 2000 and practiced for ten years in Springfield, Missouri at St. John’s Hospital, a level I trauma center. While practicing at St. John’s, Dr. Kelso received extensive experience in caring for orthopedic trauma patients. During this time he was also a team orthopedic surgeon for Missouri State University and the Springfield Cardinals baseball team (the AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals). In addition, he served as the chairman of the St. John’s orthopedic group. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. Kelso specializes in joint replacement and reconstructive surgery, and sports medicine. He has particular interests in shoulder, hip, and knee replacement surgeries, including direct anterior total hip replacement and reverse total shoulder surgery. He also has extensive experience in arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery and is certified in robotic total knee replacement surgery utilizing both the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery and ROSA Knee System. Dr. Kelso is affiliated and performs inpatient and outpatient surgery at Dosher Memorial Hospital and Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. Dr. Kelso is an owner of the Brunswick Surgery Center, LLC where he performs outpatient orthopedic surgery.