EDUCATION

• 1993 - 1997 Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia
  Bachelor of Science, Biology
• 1997 - 2001 Medical Education
  Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
• 2001 - 2006 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
  Residency, Orthopaedic Surgery
• 2006 - 2007 Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, Sports Medicine

EMPLOYMENT

• 2008 - present OrthoGeorgia
  Surgeon in Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine / Partner and Director of Sports Medicine
• 2006 - 2007 Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center
  Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellow Physician
• 2001 - 2006 University of Virginia Health Systems
  Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Physician
• 1998 - 1998 Macon Hand and Orthopaedic Center
  Surgeon’s Assistant
• 1995 - 1996 Hemlock Pain Center
  Anesthesia Tech (Summer Job)
• 1993 - 1994 The Hand Center
  Physical Therapy Aide (Summer Job)

HONORS / AWARDS

• 2005 - 2006 Administrative Chief Resident / Grand Rounds Chief Resident 
• 2004 Resident Research Award at the Eastern Orthopaedic Association Meeting, Baer G, Chhabra AB, Thomas RJ, Turner MA, Balian G.  GDF-5 augmentation of Achilles tendon repair in a rodent model
• 2003 - Nomination for Emergency Department Consultant of the Year
• 2003 - Junior Orthopaedic Resident of the Year Award
• 2003 - Highest OITE Class Score
• 2000 Senior-elected Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
• 1999 - 2001 Ty Cobb Educational Foundation Scholarship – annual merit and need-based scholarship
• 1998 - 2001 Regents’ Opportunity Grant – annual merit and need-based scholarship
• 1997 - 2001 Elected Member of Medical College of Georgia Honor Council
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude
• Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
• Alpha Epsilon Delta Premedical Honor Society

POSTERS

• Leach PB, Corpe RS, Young TR, Brooks JK, Steflik DE, Bradbury T, Thomas RJ.  Clinical outcome evaluations of an alternative thromboembolic disease prophylactic protocol in total joint replacement. Poster presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedics, 1999.
• Thomas RJ, Anderson MW, Degnan GG, Pannunzio ME, Khanna AJ, Chhabra AB. Magnetic resonance imaging of the hand and wrist. Scientific exhibit presented at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, 2004.
• Chhabra AB, Thomas RJ, Turner MA, Huang D, O’Neal BL, Balian G.  Extracellular matrix synthesis and gene expression increases in tendon fibroblasts treated with growth and development factor in vitro. Poster presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society, February 21,2005
• Thomas RJ, Anderson MW, Pannunzio ME, Brunton L, Khanna AJ, Chhabra AB. Magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow. Scientific exhibit presented at the Virginia Orthopaedic Society in May of 2005 and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, September 2005.
• Thomas RJ, Barrett GR.  Clinical timeline of failed versus successful anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. Poster presented at the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine in Calgary, Canada, July, 2007.

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Thomas RJ, Chhabra AB.  Arthroscopic management of osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow. In Textbook of Arthroscopy.  Eds. Miller, MD and Cole, BJ.  Philadelphia, Saunders, 2004, pp 307-311.
• Thomas RJ, Miller MD.  Repair and Reconstruction of the Posterolateral Corner of the Knee. In Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery.  Ed.  Miller, MD.  In press.
• Thomas RJ, Field LD.  Olecranon Bursitis. In Delee & Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Principles and Practice.  Eds. DeLee, JC, Drez, D Jr., and Miller, MD.  Philadelphia, Saunders, 2010, pp 1246-1249.
• Thomas RJ, Field LD, and Savoie FH.  Complications in Elbow Arthroscopy. In AANA Textbook of Arthroscopy.  In press.

PRESENTATIONS

• Baer G, Chhabra AB, Thomas RJ, Turner MA, Balian G.  GDF-5 augmentation of Achilles tendon repair in a rodent model. Paper presented at the Eastern Orthopaedic Association meeting in October, 2004
• Barrett GR, Thomas RJ.  Retrospective radiographic analysis of primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft failures. Paper presented at Mid-America Orthopaedic Association Meeting in Boca Raton, FL in April, 2007
• Thomas RJ, Spradlin K, Barrett A, Barrett GR.  Clinical timeline of failed versus successful anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. Paper presented at Mid-America Orthopaedic Association Meeting in Boca Raton, FL, April, 2007.
• Thomas RJ, Savoie FH, Field LD.  Complications in elbow arthroscopy. Paper presented at the Arthoscopic Association of North America in San Francisco, CA, April, 2007 and the Mississippi Orthopaedic Society / Alabama Orthopaedic Society Meeting in Pointe Clear, AL, May, 2007

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

• Thomas RJ, Pannunzio ME, Miller MD, Chhabra AB.  Locked metacarpophalangeal joint in 20-year-old football player. Am J Sports Med 2006: 34; 29-31.

PENDING PUBLICATIONS

• Thomas RJ, Degnan G.  Recognition and early management of complex regional pain syndrome, type I. Accepted to the Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine.
• Thomas RJ, Pannunzio ME.  Ulnocarpal Impaction Syndrome: Update. Accepted to the online version of Green’s Operative Hand Surgery.
• Thomas RJ, Savoie FH.  Subscapularis-sparing deltopectoral approach to the shoulder. Submitted to the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Resident Advisor for Medical Student Orthopaedic Surgery Club
  Member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity - undergraduate
  Secretary
• Intramural Sports Chairman
• 2010 - present Member of the Physicians Advisory Committee at the Medical Center of Central Georgia
• 2009 - present Team Doctor for First Presbyterian Day School
• 2008 - present Member of Communications Committee for the Arthroscopic Association of North America
• 2008 - present Medical Director for CareSouth Home Health Care
• Associate Master Instructor for AANA Knee Ligament Course
  Orthopaedic Learning Center – Rosemont, Illinois
  March 28-30, 2008 and April 16-18, 2010
• Associate Master Instructor for AANA Shoulder Arthroscopy Course
  Orthopaedic Learning Center – Rosemont, Illinois
  June 6-8, 2008 and October 2009
• 2006 - 2007 Team Doctor for Mississippi College Athletic Department
• 2006 - 2007 Team Doctor for Southwestern Mississippi Community College Athletic Department
• 2006 - 2007 Team Doctor for Clinton High School Athletic Department
• 2004 - 2006 Assistant Team Doctor for James Madison University Athletic Department
• 2002 - 2005 Team Doctor for Western Albemarle High School Football
• 1994 - 1999 Stratford Academy Summer Soccer Camp Assistant Coach