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Sarah Obudzinski, MD

Education

Medical School: University of Rochester

Residency: University of North Carolina

Fellowship: Nemours Children's Hospital

Personal Statement

For me, the decision to come to CHKD was all about the people. I immediately felt a sense of community here, where everyone respected one another and wanted to come together to provide the best care possible. I'm honored to be a part of this incredible team!

Bio

Dr. Sarah Obudzinski grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, though her medical training took her to several locations across the country. She completed both her undergraduate and medical education at the University of Rochester in upstate New York, followed by an orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then completed a pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

Inspired by her parents, who both work in healthcare, Dr. Obudzinski pursued a career in medicine with a passion for helping children. She is committed to providing high-quality orthopaedic care to all children, with particular interests in hip disorders, sports medicine, limb deformity, neuromuscular conditions, and trauma. She was drawn to CHKD because of its strong sense of community and the passion she saw in every provider she met.

Outside of work, Dr. Obudzinski enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and their two dogs. As a family, they love hiking, cooking, traveling, and spending time outdoors. She is also an avid runner, often accompanied by a dog on a leash or a child in a jogging stroller.

Additional Information

Research Area

  • Skeletal maturity
  • Healthcare disparities in orthopaedics

Clinical Interests

  • Hip
  • Trauma
  • Neuromuscular
  • Limb Deformity
  • Sports

Awards and Honors

  • Baltimore Limb Deformity Course Scholarship Recipient (August 2026)
  • WakeMed Resident of the Year (2022-2023)
  • Dahners Research Grant recipient (July 2022, April 2023)
  • IPOS 2023 Scholarship Recipient (December 2023)
  • Recipient of: Peter J. Armstrong, MD Shriners Hospital for Children Award for Best Quality, Safety, and Value Paper, POSNA 2020

Community Involvement and Memberships

  • POSNA
  • AAOS
  • AOA Emerging Leaders

Publications

  • Sanders JO, Obudzinski SE, Karbach LE, Qiu X, Liu RW. Human spinal height growth: a description of normal spine growth patterns and adult spine height prediction from a longitudinal cohort. Spine Deform. 2025 Mar;13(2):519-528. doi: 10.1007/s43390-024-01011-w. Epub 2024 Nov 25. PMID: 39585607; PMCID: PMC11893645.
  • Zaidi ZS, Mauffrey O, Jeffs AD, Allen AD, Wellborn PK, Obudzinski SE, Luther GA. Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release after Prior Distal Radius Fixation: Clinical Outcomes and Intraoperative Findings. J Hand Surg Glob Online. 2024 Dec 4;7(2):135-138. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2024.10.008. PMID: 40182882; PMCID: PMC11963104.
  • Lisee C, Obudzinski S, Pietrosimone BG, Alexander Creighton R, Kamath G, Longobardi L, Loeser R, Schwartz TA, Spang JT. Association of Serum Biochemical Biomarker Profiles of Joint Tissue Inflammation and Cartilage Metabolism With Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis-Related Symptoms at 12 Months After ACLR. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Aug;52(10):2503-2511. doi: 10.1177/03635465241262797. Epub 2024 Aug 11. PMID: 39129267; PMCID: PMC11344971.
  • Moreno-Diaz AF, Morris CA, Obudzinski S, Taylor PR, Pazik M, Kakalecik J, Talerico M, Lins L, Kuhn G, Whiting P, Chen A, Tyler AF, Mitchell PM, Obremskey WT; Southeastern Fracture Consortium. Management of Femoral and Tibial Shaft Fractures in Patients With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury. J Orthop Trauma. 2024 Nov 1;38(11):592-595. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000002902. PMID: 39133522.
  • Lander S, Obudzinski S, Michels JA, Brayer A, D’Amore T, Chess M, Wakeman D, Cook PC, Sanders J. “Safely reducing unnecessary radiographs in suspected pediatric musculoskeletal injuries: A Multidisciplinary Developed Algorithm.” Pediatric Emergency Care. 2023 Aug. Doi: 10.1097/PEC.00000000000003004. PMID: 37391193.
  • Ossendorff R, Walter SG, Schildberg FA, Spang J, Obudzinski S, Preiss S, Schneider S, Salzmann GM. “Biologic principles of minced cartilage implantation: a narrative review.” Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2023 Jun; 143(6): 3259-3269. Doi: 10.1007/s00402-022-04692-y. Epub2022 Nov 16. PMID: 36385655; PMCID: PMC 10191961.
  • Cai X, Gao S, Obudzinski S, Sanders J. “Dynamic Panel Estimation in Prediction of Child Growth.” Biostatistics and Biometrics. 2022 Nov; 11(1): 555803. Doi: 10.19030/BBOAJ.2022.10.555803.
  • Vokes J, Obudzinski S, Knapp E, O’Malley S, Awad H, O’Malley N. “The Effects of Splitting an Above Elbow Cast: A biomechanical study.” Injury. 2020 Aug; 51(8): 1759-1762. Doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2020.05.027. Epub 2020 May 23. PMID: 32536528.

Refer to Orthopedic Surgery/Sports Medicine

CHKD Surgical Group's Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeons provide diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical care for children from birth to age 18.