Dr. Stephanie Boden

Dr. Stephanie Boden, M.D. is a fellowship-trained orthopedic sports medicine and shoulder surgeon based in Louisville, Kentucky. She specializes in minimally invasive arthroscopic and advanced open reconstruction procedures of the shoulder, knee, elbow, and hip including shoulder arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair, labral repair, shoulder replacement, ACL reconstruction, meniscus surgery, tendon and ligament repair and reconstruction, and joint preservation techniques such as cartilage restoration and meniscus transplantation. She is a team physician for the University of Louisville and is an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Louisville.

Training & Education

Dr. Boden grew up in Atlanta, Georgia with her family including her triplet sisters, younger sister and younger brother. She graduated from Pomona College where she played varsity softball and golf. She earned her medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine and went on to complete her Orthopaedic Surgery residency at one of the top residencies in the country at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where she received multiple awards for clinical research and had the honor of being selected as the Journal Club Chief Resident. She then went on to complete her sports medicine fellowship at the world-renowned Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, which is one of the top fellowships in the world. During this time, Dr. Boden served as an Assistant Team Physician for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, and the Team Physician for DuPaul University Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams, gaining experience treating a wide range of patients from high school students to professional athletes. During her time in Louisville she has served as one of the team physicians for the University of Louisville, she has taken care of athletes from Racing Louisville Football Club, and served as the Orthopedic surgeon for the 2025 League One Volleyball (LOVB) Finals.

Approach to Care

As a highly trained specialist in sports medicine and shoulder surgery, Dr. Boden’s philosophy is to provide the best possible care to all of her patients using the most up-to-date evidence-based medicine, clear and timely communication and a shared decision-making model for individualized and patient-specific surgical and non-surgical treatment. As a former athlete, she understands the need and drive to get back to sports and activities and strives to help get her patients back to their desired activities so they can continue to do what they love. Dr. Boden feels that in order to truly help patients, you need to understand them and listen to them. She and her team pride themselves on taking time with patients and customizing care to meet the individual needs of each patient. She uses minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques when appropriate to minimize recovery time and works closely with physical therapists, coaches, and athletic trainers to ensure the best care translates to the best outcomes.

Research and Awards

In addition to her accomplishments as a team physician and surgeon, Dr. Boden is an award-winning researcher and is passionate about conducting clinical research to help optimize patient outcomes and impact patient lives beyond those she can treat with her own hands. She has authored over 40 peer reviewed journal publications and abstracts and has presented her work nationally and internationally. She and her co-authors won the William A. Grana Award for Best Original Research in 2019, the AANA 2023 Diversity Research Award, the AOSSM 2023 Excellence in Research Award, the Richard J. O’Conner, M.D. Research Award in 2024, the Hawkin’s Award 2024, and the EOEF’s Fellow Travel Grant for the Eastern Orthopedic Society in 2024. She was one of three orthopedic sports medicine surgeons selected from across the country as a Herodicus Travelling Fellow (2024-2025), which is a prestigious honor that allowed her to travel to work with some of the top sports medicine surgeons from across the globe to enhance her skills and witness cutting edge surgical techniques. She has been recognized as an emerging leader in the field of Orthopedics by the American Orthopedic Association.

Service to Community

Dr. Boden cares deeply about the Louisville community and looks for ways to help outside of her position at the University of Louisville. She serves as the team physician for the Seneca High School Football Team, and has taken a position at the Veterans Health Administration (VA) Hospital. She is passionate about education and mentorship and serves as a mentor for medical students and residents across the country. She is an active member of the Arthroscopic Association of North America (AANA), the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Orthopedic Association (AOA), the Eastern Orthopedic Association (EOA), and the Ruth Jackson Orthopedic Society (RJOS). She serves on the Team Physician and Athlete Advisory Committee (TPAAC) for AOSSM, which helps develop policies, positions, programs, and activities related to the responsibilities of team physicians. She also serves as the Faculty Advisor for the UofL Orthopedic Surgery Medical Student Interest Group.