Meet the Doctor: James Stenson Jr., DO
James Stenson Jr., DO, is an orthopedic surgeon at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery. He sees patients at Einstein Orthopedics offices on West Germantown Pike in Norristown and on Mall Boulevard in King of Prussia.
Dr. Stenson belongs to many professional organizations, including the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Society, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics.
We recently spoke with Dr. Stenson about his career, his interests, and orthopedic surgery at Einstein.
Q: Why did you decide to become a doctor?
A: In high school, my friend’s father was an orthopedic surgeon and I really respected him. I first thought it would be too much schooling to become a doctor, so in college I was a finance major. After freshman year, I visited my cousin at Children’s Hospital Boston. After seeing the care his medical and surgical teams provided, I decided to change my major to kinesiology and focus on preparing for medical school.
Q: Tell us about your education background.
A: I received my medical degree from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, where I also completed a residency in orthopedic surgery. I then went on to complete a fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery at the University of Washington.
Q: Why did you choose your specialty?
A: During my first year of medical school, we had an anatomy class that I really enjoyed. You could say that I became obsessed with anatomy. I was also drawn to treating both athletic and traumatic injuries. Diagnosing a fracture, fixing the fracture, and then seeing someone’s life improve appealed to me. This specialty seemed to mesh with my personality.
Q: What are your clinical interests?
A: My practice is dedicated to the care of all shoulder- and elbow-related conditions. I have special interests in anatomic and reverse shoulder replacement surgery, rotator cuff surgery, shoulder instability, and fractures of the clavicle (collarbone), shoulder and elbow.
Q: What drew you to Einstein?
A: My wife is an OB/GYN who did her residency at Einstein. The chair of OB/GYN heard I was looking to come back to the East Coast after my fellowship and reached out to my current boss, Dr. James Raphael. After talking to Dr. Raphael and my current partner, Dr. Christopher Williamson, I thought the mix of academic medicine and working at Einstein Montgomery would be a great fit.
Q: Why should people choose Einstein for their orthopedic care?
A: First and foremost, the staff at Einstein has been providing care to the community around Einstein Montgomery for many years. I feel a great sense of community here, and so do our patients. On top of this, the operating room staff is amazing. I take great comfort that I am surrounded by an experienced team whenever I am taking care of patients.
Q: What are your interests outside of work?
A: I enjoy spending time with my friends, family and, most of all, my wife and two children (two boys, ages 3 years and 3 months). Additionally, I love to run (marathon No. 3 in June), hike, and do anything outdoors.
Q: Who was an early role model for you?
A: My role model is my father. He is a West Point graduate and retired Army colonel. He taught me everything I know about how to be a family man, how to treat people fairly and with dignity, and how to be a leader. He is still mentoring and fostering relationships with soldiers under his command, even after being retired from the military for more than five years.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: I love to read. It is hard to really pin down my favorite book, but a good one I recently read was Malcom Gladwell’s Talking with Strangers. It was a fascinating investigation into social interactions between people who do not know each other and come from different walks of life.
Q: What is your favorite sports team?
A: It’s complicated! I grew up all over the United States because of my father’s job, so we rooted for my dad’s hometown teams from Boston. It was great during the Patriot dynasty with Gronk, Brady and Edelman. But when Brady and Gronk left to go to Tampa, everything I knew was questioned. Right now, I have a bunch of teams I pull for, which include the Phillies, Bucs and Eagles. Hopefully, not too many people will judge me for that.
Q: What is your favorite vacation spot?
A: We did our honeymoon in Positano, Italy. Amazing and highly recommend.
Q: Is there a person you’d particularly like to meet?
A: I am drawn to thought leaders and trend setters. I would have loved to meet Steve Jobs when he was alive to pick his brain on how to pay attention to detail while still developing a leading tech company.
Q: What is an interesting fact about you?
A: My wife is first-generation Greek. Her family is very involved in the church, and we go to their festival every year. When I was a fourth-year resident, I was quite tired and did not feel like going to the festival after a long call shift. But we compromised, and I ended up going. At the festival, there was a $100 raffle for a brand-new Audi Q5, and I entered the raffle on a whim (I am not a gambler in any way shape or form). Well, one thing led to another, and I won the car! The timing was great, as we needed a new car. Lesson learned, always listen to your wife.
