Robert Cates, MD
Robert grew up in Houston, Texas. He received his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas and completed additional pre-medical work at the University of Houston. He completed his medical training in Fort Worth at the University of North Texas. He then headed north to Rochester, Minnesota for his Orthopedic training at Mayo Clinic. He is currently finishing his Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Iowa and is extremely grateful for all of the outstanding training and mentoring he has received. He is joined by his wife and two children who are now Hawkeye fans for life!
Elizabeth Weldin, MD
Elizabeth Weldin is the current hand surgery fellow. She was thrilled to stay on for the year after completing her residency at the University of Iowa. She is a proud wife to a fireman and mother of a one year old boy. Elizabeth and her family will be moving to Reno, Nevada for new adventures in the mountains after fellowship training is complete. Elizabeth hopes to focus on many types of upper extremity ailments, but has a particular interest in pediatric conditions and elbow pathology.
Elizabeth is grateful to all her mentors at the University of Iowa who have helped shape her into an orthopedic hand surgeon over the past 6 years. In particular, Dr Ericka Lawler has been a consistent source of support, mentor-ship and an excellent role model for women in orthopedics. Elizabeth aspires to provide mentorship to young people in the future and provide an example of work-life balance for mothers in medicine and women in orthopedic surgery.
Benjamin Jong, MD
Dr. Benjamin Jong is an orthopaedic surgeon who is the current fellow in foot and ankle surgery. Ben was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He earned his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby in 2008. He then moved on to medical school at the University of British Columbia, graduating with his MD in 2013, and then finished his residency in orthopaedic surgery, also at UBC, in 2018.
Ben would like to thank Dr. Femino for his guidance throughout the year. He is also grateful to the entire Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Iowa for making his time in Iowa both educational and enjoyable. Ben will be heading back to Canada for a second fellowship in sports in Winnipeg, Manitoba.