Daniel O’Connor, MD

Daniel O’Connor, MD is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement and adult joint reconstruction. He joins ValleyOrtho from the University of Chicago, where he completed a fellowship in joint reconstruction after completing medical school at the University of California Davis.

Dr. O’Connor’s path to medicine was not linear. It was after time working as a volunteer wildland firefighter that he decided to pursue medicine. “I happened to be doing a search and rescue training with a FEMA team in Los Angeles and met a doctor there. After a lot of conversation, he convinced me to give medical school a shot. I applied, was accepted and everything fell into place from there. I found my calling.”

As a specialist in joint replacement and adult reconstruction, Dr. O’Connor has extensive experience on robotic revision hip and knee arthroplasty, muscle-sparing anterior and posterior approach total hip arthroplasty, extensor mechanism reconstruction, local rotation flap coverage, and mega prosthesis reconstruction. Dr. O’Connor is also accomplished in the orthopedic treatment of fractures, knee and shoulder arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, infection management, and arthritis management.

“Most of my patients tend to wear out their bodies right as they have the time to enjoy their lives more,” Dr. O’Connor says. “I like to help them get ready for and walk through that stage. When people have an active mindset, and are interested in their own recovery, they’re much more interesting to treat. Not to mention more successful in their healing and performance.”

In his free time, Dr. O’Connor enjoys fly fishing, hiking, skiing, reading, team sports, and spending time outdoors with his family. Additionally, he and his family have a passion for community service. “My wife and I did foster care during my residency at UC Davis,” he says. “We strive to serve those who need a helping hand.”

Patient Playbooks

These Patient Playbooks are custom guides developed by Dr. O’Connor and his team to provide his patients with evidence based tools to best prepare for and recover from surgery.