Tom Novack, MD

 

“Sometimes you have to be able to reconstruct things in ways that are a little bit creative, a little bit different.”

Solving complex problems with precision and compassion

Tom Novack, MD has always been drawn to solving complex problems.

“I was always the kid that liked to figure things out,” says Dr. Novack, an orthopedic surgeon who joined Advocare South Jersey Orthopedic Associates last month. “I liked to take things apart and put them back together. I just wanted to know how things worked.”

This inquisitive nature, combined with his love for sports, naturally led him to a career in orthopedics. Today, he covers a wide range of orthopedic issues, from sprains and strains to fractures, cartilage issues and arthritis. He takes particular pride in his ability to handle complex cases involving primary joint replacements or hip and knee reconstructions as well as robotic-assisted surgeries.

“These are patients who may have had prior injuries that didn’t heal the way they originally intended or people who have had a prior hip or knee replacement already and it didn’t turn out the way they wanted,” says Dr. Novack. “Sometimes you have to be able to reconstruct things in ways that are a little bit creative, a little bit different.”

For example, Dr. Novack developed protocols for same-day outpatient and overnight-stay joint replacement surgeries and was part of the team that performed one of the first robotic-assisted total knee replacements in Baltimore.

“I get the opportunity to not only help people get back to their normal lives but to learn about their lives,” he says. “Everyone has a story that goes far deeper than the injury itself, which means my work is more than just healing.”

Younger patients may aim to get back into a sport or activity they love and see a future in, while an older patient may want to stay active so they can go on bike rides down the Shore with their grandchildren, he says.

His journey in medicine began with earning his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, and received additional training in complex hip and knee reconstruction at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics in Baltimore.

While his enthusiasm for finding new solutions started in school, it continues through his research today.

Dr. Novack has contributed significantly to the field of orthopedics through his research and publications. His work has been published in peer-reviewed

journals, he has given lectures on multiple orthopedic topics at local, state, national and international levels, and he serves as an editor for several major orthopedic journals.

“Doing the research means you’re asking the question to try to figure out the best answers for your patients,” says Dr. Novack.

And, he says, you have to ask those questions beforehand. How long will my knee replacement last? How long will this take to heal? What are the bad things that could happen?

“Because at the end of the day, it’s all about providing the best care you can,” he adds. “The more you know, the better job you can do.”

Regardless of the approach, it all comes down to one mission: to give patients back the quality of life they had before the injury.

“I love operating, but I also get equal joy treating patients non-operatively,” he says. “Being able to manage somebody without surgery successfully is just as rewarding.”

Any approach that brings a long-term solution is worthwhile, he says. Once he helps patients become active again, he encourages them to stay active.

“Your body is like a car. If you use it regularly and take care of it, it’s going to run for years. But if you put it in the garage and let it get sedentary, things aren’t going to work as well,” says Dr. Novack. “The wheels aren’t going to spin as well, and the engine is going to dry out.”

“I always tell patients, ‘I look forward to seeing you again, but at ShopRite and not in the office,’” he adds.

Dr. Tom Novack is now seeing
new patients at South Jersey
Orthopedic Associates

 

502 Centennial Blvd, Suite 6
Voorhees | 856-424-8866

901 Route 168, Suite 307
Turnersville | 856-227-7566

advocaresjorthopedicassoc.com