Dr. Patrick Connor of OrthoCarolina’s Sports Medicine Center spends his days helping people get back to the activities they love, whether that’s returning to a sport, getting through a workday without pain, or simply being able to move comfortably again.
His dedication was recently recognized when Dr. Connor was named one of Newsweek and Statista’s America’s Leading Doctors 2025.
For Dr. Connor, the recognition is more than a professional achievement. This national honor speaks to his years of commitment to patient care and sports medicine, and research.
As a sports medicine physician and former All-American tennis player at Oklahoma State University, Dr. Connor understands how much movement matters. He sees firsthand how deeply an injury can impact one’s life.
That’s why his work focuses on helping patients recover from shoulder and elbow injuries and return to the activities that matter most to them.
Through the OrthoCarolina Research Institute, Dr. Connor advances research aimed at improving care for patients with shoulder injuries. One of Dr. Connor’s current studies with Integrity Orthopaedics evaluates innovative repair technology for full-thickness rotator cuff tendon tears. The study focuses on an important question: how well does the tendon heal after surgery?
Asking these questions makes a real difference for patients. Rotator cuff repairs can prove to be challenging to heal. Research like this helps physicians better understand what is working and what could be improved to provide better patient care.
At OCRI, research is about impact, helping patients move better, heal better, and return to the everyday moments that matter most, from getting back to a favorite sport to hugging the people they love without pain.
Dr. Connor’s recognition as one of America’s Leading Doctors is a meaningful honor and reflects something patients and colleagues have long seen in his work: a deep commitment to helping people get back to living fully.
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