My commitment as a surgeon is to treat each patient as if he or she is a member of my own family. I have approached my training and practice in precisely that spirit. Once I chose orthopaedic surgery as my specialty, I sought the very best training possible. That goal took me to Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, all far from my roots and rearing in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Ultimately, I chose subspecialty training in Sports Medicine and shoulder injuries, because the challenge of taking people who are performing below potential due to injury and helping them regain peak performance is particularly satisfying to me. However, I also believe that a good surgeon needs a broad range of skills to offer patients. For instance, if a member of my own family came to me with an orthopaedic problem, I would never want to be unprepared to address it and thus have tailored my training and practice accordingly. I further believe that the best health care requires a team effort between patient and physician. When patients come to me with injuries, they first do their part by providing me with the most accurate possible description of their injuries. I then do my part by performing a thorough physical examination and ordering the appropriate tests to arrive at a diagnosis. Based on this diagnosis, the patient and I then enter into a collaborative effort to treat the condition using whatever means are required, whether that is supervised physical therapy, minor or major surgery, or other modalities. It has been my experience that the best results have come when the patient and I are able to work together with a strong mutual understanding and confidence. I am delighted to be returning to the Gulf Coast to practice, and I look forward to the rewards of developing each new healthy and successful physician-patient relationship.