Shriners Children’s Northern California helps children reach their potential and lead more fulfilling lives, regardless of the families’ ability to pay. The hospital provides the highest quality care from some of the world’s best surgeons and physicians. A core group of women–orthopedic surgeons and physicians at the top of their field–help make the Sacramento location a beacon of hope, healing and health for thousands of children every year.
Shriners Children’s Northern California is a subspecialty hospital with orthopedic surgery as their busiest service. “We see about 21,000 patients a year, and perform about 1,200 operations per year,” says Michelle A. James, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery and a professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at UC Davis and UC San Francisco. “Women are very well represented in orthopedics at Shriners Children’s, which is unusual as orthopedics is the specialty with the lowest percentage of women of all specialties. Nationwide, only about seven percent of orthopedic surgeons are women, but at our hospital, eight of 12 of us are women, two thirds of our total.”
“All of us are very proud that we can provide the absolute highest quality care possible and that Shriners supports us in that.” Michelle A. James, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery
Several specialties within orthopedics are represented by the women at Shriners Children’s Northern California. Nicole Friel is the Medical Director of Sports Medicine, Michelle A. James, MD and Claire Manske, MD are hand surgeons, Fatema Iqbal, MD is a musculoskeletal pediatrician, and Jenny Boakes, MD, Holly Leshikar, MD, Amanda Whitaker, MD and Debra Templeton, MD, are pediatric orthopedic surgeons focused on the entire child. This group represents a combined total of over 100 years in the field.
“When women see that other women can do this, they’re more inclined to pursue orthopedics,” says Dr. Leshikar. “Despite the increasing number of women entering medical and graduate school, only a small percentage of fully accredited practicing orthopedic surgeons are women. We continue to uphold Shriners Children’s mission of teaching and training the next generation of medical professionals – especially aspiring female physicians.”
“We continue to uphold Shriners Children’s mission of teaching and training the next generation of medical professionals – especially aspiring female physicians.” Holly Leshikar, Orthopedic Surgeon
The Shriners Children’s women make ideal examples, having achieved professional preeminence and worldwide rankings, and having journeyed around the globe to assist with and help establish quality orthopedic care in other nations.
The Shriners Children’s Northern California location is celebrating 100 years of providing specialty pediatric care in Northern California this year and was recently awarded as a Level I Specialty Children’s Surgery-Musculoskeletal Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons, only the second in the nation to earn this prestigious verification. The Sacramento hospital also ranks highly each year in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of pediatric orthopedics institutions.
“All children’s hospitals are mission-driven to help children, but Shriners Children’s is differentiated by enabling us to focus on clinical care, teaching, and research to an extent that is often not possible without the kind of support we receive through Shriners Children’s, donors and leadership,” says Dr. James. “For my colleagues as well as myself, our greatest professional joy is to help children accomplish things that are important to them. We feel privileged to work for an organization that supports us in treating kids who might not otherwise be able to receive care. All of us are very proud that we can provide the absolute highest quality care possible and that Shriners Children’s supports us in that.”
