He is the first and only fellowship trained joint replacement surgeon in Southeast Alaska. Dr. Woelber is a graduate of Yale University, where he was Executive Editor of the Yale Herald and a three-time varsity letter winner in Yale Crew. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he received the Arthur Schaible Award for Excellence in Human Anatomy and the School of
Medicine Service Award. He completed residency in orthopedic surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University, where he received the Resident Research Award. Dr. Woelber completed a fellowship in Adult Reconstructive Surgery at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, regarded as one of the top joint replacement training programs in the country. He performs a muscle sparing direct anterior approach to the hip to minimize pain and improve early postoperative function. He also offers unicompartmental (partial) knee arthroplasty, robotic total knee arthroplasty, and complex revision hip and knee arthroplasty. He performed over 500 joint replacements during his fellowship year. He has authored numerous peer reviewed publications on joint replacement, including studies on implant materials and minimizing the need for pain medications after joint replacement. He is the first and only surgeon in Alaska to present a podium at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the largest professional group of joint replacement surgeons in the United States. In addition to seeing patients with arthritis, Dr. Woelber treats general orthopedic conditions including orthopedic trauma, ankle fractures, hip fractures, upper extremity injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, meniscus injuries, and other pathology of the knee and hip. In his free time, Dr. Woelber enjoys trail running, hiking, ice hockey, and crossword puzzles.
“My goal is to get patients back to doing what they love, living a better, more active life in one of the greatest places on earth. A decision to have orthopedic surgery is a consequential one, and one we make together with each patient. My approach to orthopedic care—and joint care especially—is to listen to patients, understand their needs, and provide guidance on appropriate care, whether surgical or nonsurgical. I am thrilled to be back in Alaska.”
Dr. Woelber will be seeing new patients at Alaska Orthopedic Specialists in Anchorage, Alaska beginning July 1. To book an appointment, please call 907-771-3500 and ask for an appointment with Dr. Woelber. Appointments can be virtual and do not require an in-person visit to Anchorage.
