Excela Health Orthopedic Surgeons Named Among Nation’s ‘Rising Stars’ and Top Doctors

GREENSBURG, PA, May 23, 2022 … Two members of the Excela Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team have received national and regional honors within their specialty, as ranked by Castle Connolly, a leading national organization that bases its recognition on peer nominations, research, review and screening.

For the second year in a row, Excela Health orthopedic surgeon Daniel F. Leigey, MD, has been named among the Castle Connolly Rising Stars™ -- described as early career doctors recognized for their outstanding accomplishments and dedication to the field of medicine. These doctors are considered emerging leaders in the medical field, with clear contributions to the advancement of healthcare in their communities through clinical care, research and educational leadership.

In 2022, Castle Connolly Rising Stars include 665 doctors across 60 specialties, with the highest concentrations in dermatology, obstetrics & gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery and family medicine. Dr. Leigey was one of 41 rising stars within his specialty.

Separately, fellow Excela Health orthopedic surgeon Lance Brunton, MD, has been named among Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors in the Pittsburgh metro market. Both Dr. Leigey and Dr. Brunton are recognized publicly in Pittsburgh Magazine, which showcases the Castle Connolly regional listings annually.

While the Rising Stars recognition is more recent, Castle Connolly has been compiling a roster of Top Doctors for more than 25 years. Its 2022 Top Doctors represent the top seven percent of doctors in the nation. Like the Rising Stars, these notable doctors also were nominated by their peers and thoroughly validated by Castle Connolly's research team to ensure that they deliver the highest quality patient care. The 2022 list is the largest list ever, with more than 61,000 physicians named across all specialties in every major metropolitan market.

Dr. Leigey joined the Excela Health Medical Group in 2017. Board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Dr. Leigey specializes in sports medicine and knee and shoulder surgery. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh when he received his undergraduate and medical degrees and orthopedic residency training through UPMC. While at Pitt, he provided care to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Duquesne University men’s and women’s soccer teams as part of his program, and served as team physician for Serra Catholic and Mount Lebanon high school football teams.
Specializing in sports medicine injuries along with knee and shoulder replacement, Dr. Leigey attended the Lake Tahoe Orthopedic Institute in Zephyr Cove, Nevada, where he completed his fellowship in Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. During that fellowship he provided care to the U.S. Ski Team.
His professional memberships include the Arthroscopy Association of North America, American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Dr. Brunton joined the Excela Health Medical Group in 2012. A summa cum laude graduate in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, he earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and a hand, upper extremity and microsurgery fellowship at the Curtis National Hand Center at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. He also trained in pediatrics with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is a board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, and holds additional certification in surgery of the hand. He has been involved in extensive volunteer efforts locally and nationally through the Albert Schweitzer Fellows Program, AmeriCorps and Special Olympics.

Excela Health also is represented in the Top Doctors listing by Internal medicine specialist Christopher Rihn, MD, thoracic surgeon Michael Szwerc, MD and weight management surgeon Mark Zelkovic, MD. All three were included in both the 2021 and 2022 publication.

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