Thomas Fyda, M.D.

As far back as high school, Dr. Thomas Fyda knew he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. It was his years playing football, rowing crew and skiing that led him to his specialty.

Dr. Fyda’s passion for sports, and his own series of sports injuries, helped pique his interest in the field of orthopaedics in general and sports medicine in particular. He also recognized that orthopaedics offered him the opportunity to fix problems and see results, unlike the long-term wait-and-see approach that physicians are confronted with in many other areas of medicine.

Born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, Dr. Fyda earned an Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics at Dartmouth College before completing his medical degree at Duke University. He completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at the prestigious University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics and went on to do an Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital in Salt Lake City.

Dr. Fyda has spent the majority of his twenty-year orthopaedic career immersed in sports medicine, taking care of the shoulder, knee and elbow injuries that tend to plague athletes. He was the first Reno area physician to get board-certified in the subspecialty of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine the first year the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offered it in 2007.

Dr. Fyda has been told he’s a perfectionist. While he might argue for “conscientious and thorough,” perfectionism is not a bad characteristic to have in the person rebuilding your knee or repairing your shoulder. He recognizes the importance of communicating with patients and explaining any recommended course of action.

In his practice, Dr. Fyda has found that many of his patients can be managed with a conservative, non-surgical treatment plan. When he does recommend surgery, it is because it presents the patient with their best option for a positive outcome. Physical therapists throughout the community, who see the result of surgery first hand, regularly refer their patients to Dr. Fyda.

At the end of the day, Dr. Fyda measures his value as an orthopaedist by the satisfaction of his patients. Through their repeat referrals they have indicated that his care has enhanced their quality of life.

Still an avid athlete and outdoorsman, Dr. Fyda shares his love of the Sierras, skiing, mountain biking and hiking with his wife and their four children.