Specialties: Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery, Arthroscopic Knee and Hip Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery
Named one of Baltimore Magazine’s Top Doctors, Dr. David Buchalter has established himself quickly as one of the region’s preeminent orthopaedic surgeons. He subspecializes in Sports Medicine and offers patients the most current minimally invasive surgical techniques. He takes particular pride in getting his patients back into their game both rapidly and safely. “I know how distressing it is to be injured or not to feel well. I really want each patient to return quickly to his or her full, active life,” responds Dr. Buchalter.
Dr. Buchalter’s surgical practice focuses on both arthroscopic and minimally invasive reconstructions of the shoulder, knee, and hip. Benefiting from his experiences at the nation’s premiere orthopaedic and sports medicine programs, he offers arthroscopic repair of the most massive rotator cuff tears, arthroscopic shoulder stabilizations and labral reconstructions, and knee ligament reconstructions, meniscal repairs, and cartilage restoration. Minimally invasive joint resurfacing and reconstructions are reserved for more arthritic patients who cannot achieve their goals through arthroscopic and/or non-operative treatment. Dr. Buchalter is one of the mid-Atlantic region’s few orthopaedic surgeons skilled in performing hip arthroscopy for labral tears and femoral acetabular impingement. He is the first and only surgeon to perform hip arthroscopy at Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), one of Dr. Buchalter’s preferred hospitals along with Northwest Hospital and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore.
Throughout his career, Dr. Buchalter has received numerous awards for his professional and academic achievements. However, he still maintains the highest regard for the prestigious Cannon Scholarship, presented to a graduating medical student exhibiting the greatest combination of scholarship with compassion, caring and empathy for his patients. Dr. Buchalter feels he can provide the best care for his patients only if he really understands them. According to one of his patients, “Dr. Buchalter listens well and is an excellent diagnostician. He presents all options rather than just jumping into surgery.” Another states “Dr. Buchalter communicates beautifully and spends time with you, the way doctors used to.”
While Dr. Buchalter provides all the personalized care associated with private practice, he remains academically involved. He was awarded a scholarship from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation to advance his knowledge of minimally invasive joint replacement. He teaches orthopaedic resident physicians his surgical techniques and educates medical resident physicians on the office musculoskeletal evaluation. Dr. Buchalter has presented research at national meetings of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Arthroscopy Association of North America, and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association. His work has been featured in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. His multiple suture technique for arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears was highlighted in the Arthroscopy Association of North America’s Pearls.
Dr. Buchalter strongly supports Baltimore area sports and athletic events. An avid tennis player, Dr. Buchalter provides sports medicine coverage to Pam Shriver’s Baltimore Community Foundation Tennis Challenge. Dr. Buchalter promotes youth injury prevention strongly and has appeared on Fox 45 News to discuss the STOP Sports Injury campaign. He has been on the sidelines for Crystal Palace USA’s professional soccer team and at the National Junior College Football Championships. Through LifeBridge Sports Medicine, Dr. Buchalter is a consultant to the Baltimore Bays soccer teams. He has served as a team physician for various professional, collegiate, and high school sports teams since 1999.
Dr. Buchalter resides in Baltimore with his wife, Allison, and their two sons, Zachary and Dylan. Outside of the operating room, Dr. Buchalter enjoys tennis, basketball, golf, running, hiking, and skiing. He likes to garden in the yard and even create a bowl or two on the pottery wheel.
Professional Associations
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- American Orthopedic Society of North America
- Arthroscopy Association of North America
- University of Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Alumni
- Alpha Omega Alpha
Major Accomplishments
- Top Doctor, Baltimore Magazine
- Cannon Scholarship Recipient
- Awarded scholarship from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
- Featured in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons
- Cannon Scholarship
Office Locations
