Michael Purnell, MD

Dr. Purnell completed his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1983 and a residency in Orthopedic Surgery from Boston University Affiliated Hospitals Program in 1988. He followed that up with the internationally acclaimed AO Fellowship in Munich, Germany for advanced orthopedic techniques and a Sports Fellowship from North Sydney Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Centre, New South Wales, Australia. He set up his private practice with the OrthoMed Center in Modesto in 1989.

With more than 30 years in his chosen field, Dr. Purnell is a renowned orthopedic surgeon who sits on the surgical advisory board of various organizations and participates in the design and development of knee and shoulder prostheses, as well as sports medicine devices. Known for his focus on shoulder and knee conditions along with his passion for Sports Medicine, Dr. Purnell also has the distinction of having a design patent to his name–The Beach Chair Lateral Traction device. This device is an apparatus for positioning a human arm in space for arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Dr. Purnell is trusted by multiple college sports teams for his knowledge and experience with sports medicine and founded Sports Medicine Modesto – a non-profit athletic training program and educational foundation in Modesto, California.

Dr. Purnell is also listed in Becker’s 25 Knee Surgeons to Know, highlighting his clinical practice expertise in Sports Medicine with a focus on the knee and shoulder. Additionally, Dr. Purnell is one of only 2500 orthopedic surgeons in the country, and the only one in Stanislaus County to have earned the distinguished certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.