Michael Kelly, M.D. Joins Rady Children’s Hospital

One of the country’s leaders in pediatric care, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, has appointed Michael Kelly, M.D. to serve as its new Director of Scoliosis and Spinal Deformities.

Dr. Kelly, who will be collaborating with renowned orthopedic surgeon Peter Newton, M.D., Rady Children’s surgeon-in-chief and Chief of the Division of Orthopedics & Scoliosis, will oversee the orthopedics practice development at Rady Children’s.

Drs. Kelly and Newton will focus on integrating new, cutting edge technology like artificial intelligence (AI) into pediatric ortho care. They will also aim to increase access to advanced pediatric medical care for those with limited resources.

Dr. Kelly's career’s research has been primarily concerned with improving clinical quality of care in spinal deformity treatment, for both adults and children. He studied medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and completed a residency at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Kelly subsequently completed two fellowships in complex adult and pediatric deformities at Washington University in St. Louis, while simultaneously earning a master’s degree in clinical research.

“Rady Children’s is a dream come true for a physician like me who values providing the best care possible while propelling the standards of care forward through extensive research and use of innovative technology,” said Dr. Kelly. “I’m delighted to bring my unique expertise to such an accomplished team that cares so deeply about improving the lives of their patients.”

Dr. Kelly told OTW, “I am most excited for the opportunity to focus my research and practice on a subset of spinal deformity. My experience with complex adult deformity has taught me many pearls which I hope to translate to the pediatric realm. The same is true for research, as the relative homogeneity of the procedures (versus adults) will offer more datapoints as we develop a personalized approach to pediatric spinal deformity surgery.”

Rady Children’s is a donation-supported non-profit and is the leading national pediatric health care system. It has over 40 locations and the biggest children’s hospital on the West Coast. It’s the largest pediatric healthcare provider in San Diego, Imperial Counties, and southern Riverside, featuring the only pediatric trauma center. The hospital attracts pediatric patients from across the nation and the globe.

“Welcoming a surgeon as meticulous, skilled and dedicated as Dr. Kelly to Rady Children’s is very exciting for our orthopedic team and the patients and parents who depend on us for optimal care,” said Dr. Newton. “His track record and remarkable understanding of spinal deformities combined with his inquisitive, research-oriented approach will further solidify Rady Children’s as a leader in orthopedic medicine.”