An Interview with Dr. Timothy Trainor

About Dr. Trainor

Dr. Timothy Trainor is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon based in Las Vegas, NV. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame, IN, with a B.A. in Pre-Medicine & Communications. He continued his post-graduate work at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, and received his medical degree from the Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL. He completed his residency training at the Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Trainor focuses on various orthopedic conditions and performs several orthopedic procedures, such as arthroscopic surgery in the knees and shoulders, adult and pediatric orthopedic care, joint replacement, and fracture care.

Outside the operating room, Dr. Trainor maintains close ties with several institutions renowned in the orthopedic field, such as the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons and the Society of Military Orthopedic Surgeons. He has won multiple awards from Nevada-based journals, and he regularly publishes articles on the subject of sports medicine.

From an Athlete to an Orthopedic Surgeon

Born and raised in eastern Massachusetts, Dr. Trainor, taking his parents’ example, was all about sports – baseball and basketball, to name a few! – as a young man. However, after suffering from a boxing-related injury, he had to look for professional help. That’s when Dr. Trainor discovered the wonders of orthopedic surgery and began to dream about following the same career path. A simple idea took a turn towards reality, and Dr. Trainor has never looked back since:

“Right when I got into the medical school, I was certain that I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon.”

From an Athlete to an Orthopedic Surgeon

Although he doesn’t have to deal with life-and-death situations, Dr. Trainor is proud of his practice and how it helps patients whose hip or knee issues make their lives harder to bear. “What my surgeries do for a lot of people is just really increase their quality of life,” Dr. Trainor tells us, pointing out the fact that patients who have trouble walking are less likely to spend enough time with their families due to pain that prevents them from fun activities such as going to a restaurant together. However, after a knee or hip replacement, “the patient is given back that portion of their lives that they couldn’t do before.” That is why ecstatic patients go back to his office and shower him with hugs and honest gratitude, with these words on their lips: “I have my life back.” – enough of a reason for Dr. Trainor to return to the office every day.

Back to Normal or a “New” Normal?

The COVID-19 vaccines came as a miracle for medical practitioners and the general population alike. The same goes for Dr. Trainor, who firmly believes that we, as a community, should put our faith in science and be vaccinated unless medical contraindications say otherwise: “For the most part, vaccines are a vital part of medicine, in my opinion.” The vaccination campaign should be integrated with an effort to dispel misinformation and bring science and facts to social media.

When asked about a possible return to “normal” in the near future, Dr. Trainor shared his optimistic views with Top Doctor Magazine. He sees, for the most part, a return to the pre-COVID-19 world. However, with a few tweaks: the COVID-19 vaccine will be integrated into the yearly vaccination routine, and the medical world will look towards further developing telemedicine, with long-lasting benefits, for example, in the rural area, where the physician numbers are reduced.

Teaching Future Generations of Orthopedic Surgeons

Aside from his work, Dr. Trainor took it upon himself to prepare future generations of orthopedic surgeons. In association with institutions such as the Touro Medical School or the Roseman Medical School (both based in the Las Vegas area), Dr. Trainor mentors his students in the knowledge necessary for the operating room and outside of it.

Ever since they graduate, young practitioners have to deal with business management, insurance companies, and reduced reimbursement rates without any prior knowledge. Medical schools do not include these subjects in their curricula, leaving young practitioners exposed once they graduate. Fortunately, Dr. Trainor dedicated his past 15 years to business management and protection, learning how to keep his practice alive in a harsh environment. Now, he’s making sure that younger generations are equipped with the right tools to thrive in their practices as well.

“You Should Not Go Into Medicine for Money”

With vast loads of work and reduced reimbursements, Dr. Trainor advises those who want to pursue a career in the orthopedic field for financial reasons to reconsider their decision: “You should not go into medicine for money.” At the end of the day, the excitement of doing what you love and helping your patients is what makes a true orthopedic surgeon. And Dr. Trainor himself is a personal testament to that: a heart for his patients, and a passion for his practice.