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Robert P. Wessel, MD

Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma Surgery

505 Ratings

LVPG Cliniciani

Overview

Area of focus i

Orthopaedic Trauma

Languages spoken

English
Spanish

Affiliated with

About

Philosophy of care

As an orthopedic trauma surgeon, I understand that most of my patients meet me shortly after an unanticipated injury. Acutely injured patients are unable to selectively choose their orthopedic trauma physician, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I will take time to understand the your history and goals of care, clearly explain your injury, discuss treatment options, rehabilitation and post-operative expectations. Orthopedic trauma is a team sport and I want you to rest assured my team and I are here to expedite your recovery

Why I entered medicine

I chose to apply to medical school for many reasons including to better understand how our bodies function and what can cause things to malfunction. My passion for orthopedics was solidified as a third-year medical student on an orthopedic rotation in my hometown of Louisville, Ky. I woke up eager to come to work and came home happy every day. I knew this was the career for me. Along the way, I have been fortunate to have passionate mentors who pushed me to succeed as an orthopedic trauma surgeon.

Community involvement

My wife and I have been graciously welcomed into the Lehigh Valley community and are eager to give back to our fellow citizens. I enjoy volunteering at Habitat for Humanity building sites and will continue to pursue this in Lehigh Valley. In the recent past, I traveled to Eldoret, Kenya, primarily to educate Kenyan orthopedic surgery residents, but I learned as much from them as they did from me. Furthermore, I am privileged to be able to mentor students interested in orthopedic surgery. Ultimately, we have been welcomed into LVHN and are excited to give back to the Lehigh Valley community.

Personal interests

I enjoy do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects, skiing and snowboarding, grilling, outdoor activities, taking walks with my family and our two dachshunds.

U.S. News & World Report ranks Lehigh Valley Hospital 25th in the country for orthopedic care

Lehigh Valley Hospital is ranked 25th in the country for orthopedic care on the 2025-2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals list. Our team of more than 200 orthopedic specialists provide award-winning, nationally-recognized care with experience, expertise and leading-edge technology.

Education

Undergraduate
Miami University, Bachelor of Arts (BA), 2010

Medical School
University of Louisville, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2014

Training

Residency 2019
Orthopaedic Surgery, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN

Fellowship 2020
Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN

Certifications

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery - Orthopaedic Surgery

Ratings & Reviews

4.65 out of 5 — 505 Ratings

Explains (471)4.63
Listens (472)4.71
Knows Medical History (471)4.49
Patient Rating of Doctor (499)4.77
Trust Provider (467)4.73
Gave Enough Information (3)5
Timely Manner (0)0

About Our Ratings and Reviews

About our Survey

Our physicians and advanced practice clinicians (CRNPs and PA-Cs) are among the nation's best. That's why we show you patient satisfaction ratings and comments so you can read about and get to know our clinicians through the eyes of their patients.

To ensure our ratings and comments come only from verified patients, we work with NRC Health, a third-party organization. NRC Health sends patient satisfaction surveys on LVPG's behalf following an office visit or procedure. They ask patients about their impression of the health care provider and the doctor's or advanced practice clinician's communication skills.

What is included in the star rating?

Star ratings are based on a scale of 1-5 stars, 5 being the best. The rating includes responses to these clinician-related questions:

Physician Communication Questions
1. Did this clinician give you easy to understand information about your health questions and concerns?
2. Did this clinician listen carefully to you?
3. Did this clinician seem to know your medical history?
4. Did you trust this clinician with your care?
Overall Clinician Rating Question
1. Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst clinician possible and 10 is the best clinician possible, what number would you use to rate this clinician?

Why don't all doctors or advanced practice clinicians have a rating?

In order to have enough data to measure and compare, a health care clinician must have at least 30 completed patient satisfaction surveys. Surveys are included for a period of 12 months from submission.

Comments

"Dr. Wessel is a wonderful and very skilled orthopedic surgeon. My hip was shattered in a motorcycle accident and he put all the pieces back together and I'm playing golf , running with my grandkids , and preparing for ski season . He listened intently to my questions and understood my desire with some further PT for my muscle recovery. I am very impressed with the results of the operation, post op, rehab , and PT at station circle within the LVHC system . I feel very fortunate to be doing my daily routine again . I hope Dr Wessel gets some time off to play golf more , he will enjoy it ."

Sep 18, 2025

"Dr. Russell did a great job and the whole team over there is really great."

Sep 4, 2025

"Dr Wessel seemed concerned in my recovery. I would definitely go back to him and I have a follow-up appt. With him."

Sep 4, 2025