Dr. Stephen S. Burkhart is a distinguished retired orthopedic surgeon renowned for his pioneering contributions to shoulder arthroscopy and surgical innovation. After graduating with honors in mechanical engineering from Rice University, he earned his Doctor of Medicine from UTMB Galveston and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Mayo Clinic followed by a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Oregon. He joined The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group in 1981, where he served as President and Managing Partner for nearly four decades before retiring from private practice in January 2020. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Burkhart maintained academic appointments as a clinical associate professor at both the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Burkhart dedicated nearly four decades to advancing shoulder arthroscopy, beginning his groundbreaking work in the 1980s when he was one of only three surgeons nationally performing shoulder arthroscopies. His revolutionary techniques transformed rotator cuff and instability repair, establishing new paradigms for conceptualizing shoulder disorders and biomechanics. With 75 US patents to his name, he developed numerous surgical instruments including innovative suture anchors, retrievers, and graft fixation devices that have become standard in orthopedic practice worldwide. His extensive scholarly contributions include 220 peer-reviewed publications and award-winning textbooks that have educated generations of surgeons and significantly advanced the field of orthopaedics.
As Chairman of the Burkhart Research Institute for Orthopaedics, Dr. Burkhart continues to shape the future of orthopaedic care through research and innovation despite his retirement from surgical practice. His educational legacy includes establishing an arthroscopic shoulder surgery fellowship and personally training thousands of surgeons globally through courses, demonstrations, and mentorship programs. In recognition of his transformative contributions, he received the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award in 2023 and the Arthroscopy Association of North America's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. Dr. Burkhart's enduring influence continues through BRIO's mission to develop innovative techniques, train physicians, and improve quality of life for patients suffering from orthopaedic conditions worldwide.
