For Dr. Carl DiRaimondo, pursuing a career in orthopedics was second nature. After all, his father was an orthopedic surgeon and growing up in a house stacked with medical textbooks and old orthopedic implants served as a regular reminder as to where his future career path could lead.
Following his father’s footsteps wasn’t the only reason DiRaimondo became an orthopedic surgeon. His love for sports also influenced his decision.
“My background and my passion has always been sports and sports-related activities,” DiRaimondo says. “When I went to high school in Manitowoc, we had a very good group of athletes around. When I played varsity football in ’84, ’85 and ’86, the varsity football team didn’t lose a single game and we won three state championships. Two of which I was a quarterback on. It was a fun time to be a football player in Manitowoc. It is still talked about and is historical.”
That love of sports and growing up with an orthopedic surgeon father made it an easy decision to pursue a career in orthopedics, DiRaimondo says.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Lawrence University in Appleton and received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
“I found that I liked a lot of things, but it was always orthopedics that really excited me,” DiRaimondo says. “But I understood that orthopedics is competitive to get into, so it requires you to really stay on top of your academics.”
DiRaimondo completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Northwestern University in Chicago. He then completed a year-long fellowship in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Following his fellowship, DiRaimondo found himself at a crossroads. He had opportunities to practice at Northwestern and move to Chicago or stay in Houston, but both he and his wife Sue were from Wisconsin and didn’t relish the thought of leaving the state.
Things fell into place, though, when DiRaimondo was given the opportunity to practice with his father in Manitowoc.
By 2001, DiRaimondo was practicing with his father. The duo worked together for more than four years. The new techniques DiRaimondo learned through his education and training, combined with his father’s years of experience and medical knowledge, opened the door to a world full of new solutions and treatments for their patients. Their time practicing together is a fond memory for DiRaimondo.
“I think having your father talk to you saying, ‘Hey, Carl, that’s not a good idea or that is a good idea’ was beneficial,” DiRaimondo says. “But even so, it was exciting to see him get excited about what I could do that he couldn’t because he was trained in a different era. It was a great opportunity to spend time together in that environment.”
Twelve years later, DiRaimondo and his partners merged their practice with BayCare Clinic. He continues to practice in Manitowoc and strives to provide the best possible patient care by always learning and evolving.
“The field of orthopedics continues to evolve from a knowledge, technique and technology standpoint,” he says. “I pride myself, and so do my partners, on figuring out how to meld new ideas and new technology into what we are currently practicing so that we can provide our patients with the best quality care.”
His Manitowoc practice includes fellow orthopedic specialists Drs. Jon Henry, Craig Olson and Brian Klika, and foot-and-ankle surgeon Jason George DeVries.
DiRaimondo enjoys performing surgeries and continuously improving his skills and techniques.
“There is nothing better than that. It continues to challenge. It’s a chance to use your hands and your brain. I often tell patients that some of the problems we are dealing with, especially some of the more complex issues, is like doing a jigsaw puzzle without a cover and you figure it out. It’s that ongoing challenge and how you can continue to better yourself by bringing these qualities and technical skills to patients in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.”
DiRaimondo’s days are busy but fulfilling.
“My life has been centered for the last 18 years around my children. I have a son in college who is a sophomore and a daughter who recently graduated (from high school). My daughter is going to be moving on to Tennessee Tech because she has a Division 1 volleyball scholarship. My wife and I will be spending a lot of time in Cookeville, Tennessee. We are excited. It’s great, it’s wonderful.”