Kushal Patel, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand and upper extremity surgery at Endeavor Health, has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor. This marks the second year Dr. Patel has received this prestigious designation, which recognizes only 7 percent of the nation's licensed physicians for their specialties in their regions. The selection process involves peer nominations and evaluation by the physician-led Castle Connolly research team.
Dr. Patel is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery and holds a subspecialty certificate in surgery of the hand. He evaluates and treats a wide range of primary conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and elbow, including traumatic injuries, degenerative conditions, and congenital anomalies of the upper limb. His surgical expertise includes hand and wrist fracture repair, trigger finger injection and release, anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion, tendon and nerve repair, joint reconstruction of the hand and wrist, management of deQuervain's disease, and surgical correction of syndactyly.
Dr. Patel earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Illinois Hospital, where he was selected as Academic Chief Resident. He then pursued advanced subspecialty fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Patel has contributed to orthopaedic research and global health, serving as the Morgan & Madison McClellan Research Fellow at the Institute for Global Orthopaedics & Traumatology (IGOT) at the University of California, San Francisco. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and chaired the AAOS Resident Assembly Education Committee.
"Being recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor is a profound honor because it reflects the trust of my peers within the medical community," says Dr. Patel. "To me, this recognition isn't just about individual achievement; it's a testament to the high standard of specialized care we provide at Endeavor Health. It reinforces my commitment to bringing the latest advancements in hand and upper extremity surgery to our patients in our community, ensuring they receive the best possible outcomes."
Castle Connolly publishes its Top Doctors list at castleconnolly.com and in various print and online partner publications. Nominations are open to all board-certified MDs, DOs, and DPMs. The selection criteria include medical education, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary histories. Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor.
