Meet Dr. Joel Williams

Dr. Williams has a unique expertise that encompasses all hip problems.

He offers state of the art treatments including hip preservation (open and minimally invasive), cartilage restoration/transplantation, labral and tendon tear surgery, periacetabular and/or femoral osteotomy, minimally invasive direct anterior hip replacement, surgical hip dislocation, hip/pelvis fracture/injury/trauma care in addition to offering multiple options for hip osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis or AVN), hip impingement and hip dysplasia. He works at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago’s premier orthopaedic program (US News and World Report ranked #1 in Chicago, #2 in Midwest and #8 nationally).

In addition to treating the full range of hip problems, Dr. Williams has two other areas of expertise:

1. Leg alignment problems that have resulted from birth (congenital) or developmental issues.

2. Fractures that did not heal properly (malunion and/or nonunion).

Dr. Joel Williams examining a patient

Dr. Williams' path to medicine initially was sparked by his parents that worked in Orthontics.

He was fascinated my musculoskeletal medicine and decided on medical school. He attended medical school at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. There, he was awarded a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship and spent a year doing basic science research. Dr. Williams did his orthopaedic surgery residency at the UC Davis, Sacramento, CA. As a resident, he did a research fellowship and was awarded several grants including one from the Orthopaedic Trauma Association to investigate fracture healing. His research has earned several awards including best paper at 3 meetings. Additionally, he was awarded a traveling fellowship from the AO Foundation to study hip and orthopedic trauma surgery in Chur, Switzerland.

After residency, he sub-specialized in orthopaedic surgery by completing two fellowships. The first fellowship was in orthopaedic trauma at UC Davis; it covered treatment of trauma (fractures) of the hip/pelvis and leg, as well as osteotomy and leg re-alignment techniques. The second fellowship was in hip surgery in Seattle, WA and was focused on highly specialized hip procedures.

Dr. Williams is an active member of the academic hip and orthopaedic trauma communities. He is a member of the AO Trauma North America, Orthopaedic Trauma Association, Anterior Hip Foundation, and AOA. He has given numerous lectures and presentations regionally, nationally, and internationally, and has been published in many prestigious journals. In his spare time, Dr. Williams enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, traveling, and reading.

Professional Experience

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Stroger Cook County Hospital

Chicago, Illinois

Associate Professor

Rush University Medical Center

Chicago, Illinois

Education

Medical School

Medical Degree with Distinction in Research

Mount Sinai School of Medicine - New York, NY

Residency

Orthopaedic Surgery

University of California Davis - Sacramento, CA

Fellowship

Orthopaedic Trauma

University of California Davis - Sacramento, CA

Fellowship

Hip Surgery

Swedish Medical Center - Seattle, WA

Certifications & Licensure

ABOS Certified

2018

Media Coverage

Hip Preservation Surgery Benefits

Dr. Williams gives perspective on how hip preservation surgeries can provide benefits that outweigh full hip replacements.

Dot, an active mother of 3, overcomes hip displaysia

Dr. Williams provides an overview of PAO and how this procedure helped Dot return to her active lifestyle.

Dr. Williams weighs-in on Tiger Woods injury

Dr. Williams did not treat Tiger Woods, but talks with the Today Show about what he expects Tiger's road to recovery may look like.

Dr. Williams on preventing skateboarding injuries

Dr. Williams gives parents and kids some great advice on how to prevent injuries while participating in a popular sport.

Let's work together.

If you've ever been told that you need hip treatment, get a second opinion and explore an option that works best for you.

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