James Robert Ficke, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgery
Highlights
Johns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About James Robert Ficke
Professional Titles
- Robert A. Robinson Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Director, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Orthopaedist-in-Chief, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Primary Academic Title
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Background
Colonel James Ficke, M.D., is Robert A. Robinson Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and director of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also orthopaedist-in-chief of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is nationally renowned as an expert on the treatment of complex foot and ankle patients, lower extremity trauma patients and amputees.
Dr. Ficke received his M.D. from Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in 1987. He completed a transitional internship at Madigan Army Medical Center, and finished his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Tripler Army Medical Center. He also completed an AO fellowship in Trauma in Munich Germany, and a foot and ankle fellowship in Dallas, Texas.
Prior to his current position, Dr. Ficke was chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. He also served the U.S. Army Surgeon General as the senior advisor on policy and personnel for orthopaedics and extremity injuries for seven years.
During his deployment as deputy commander of clinical services at the 228th Combat Support Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, from 2004 to 2005, he was the senior orthopedic surgeon, treating more than 600 U.S. soldiers and Iraqi patients for war injuries.
Dr. Ficke has received numerous awards for his skills as a surgeon and educator, as well as two dozen military decorations and awards including the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medals. His service earned him the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons’ prestigious 2010 Colonel Brian Allgood Memorial Leadership Award, and The Surgeon General's 2010 Major General Lewis Aspey Mologne Award.
He has served as the co-chair of the Extremity War Injury Symposium sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons since 2005.
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Videos
Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
Webinar: Seasonal Running and Injury Prevention | Johns Hopkins Medicine (October 2017)
Research Interests
Lower Extremity Trauma Outcomes, Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis
Research Summary
Over the course of his career, Dr. Ficke has focused much of his research and practice on amputation and limb salvage, and the treatment of foot and ankle trauma and post-traumatic arthritis.
Research Gate
Selected Publications
Genova RC, Box RL, Ficke JR. Accessibility, accountability, affordability: healthcare policy in orthopaedic trauma. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2017 Jun;10(2):258-264.PMID: 28417338
Khanuja HS, Naseer ZA, Jones LC, Ficke JR, Burney Iii DW. Implementation of TeamSTEPPS in Orthopaedic Surgery. Instr Course Lect. 2017 Feb 15;66:635-645. PMID: 28594533
Stinner DJ, Johnson AE, Pollak A, MacKenzie E, Ficke JR, Mabry RL, Czarnik J, Schmidt A. "Zero Preventable Deaths and Minimizing Disability"-The Challenge Set Forth by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. J Orthop Trauma. 2017 Apr;31(4):e110-e115. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000000806.
Stinner DJ, Wenke JC, Ficke JR, Gordon W, Toledano J, Carlini AR, Scharfstein DO, MacKenzie EJ, Bosse MJ, Hsu JR; Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium (METRC). Military and Civilian Collaboration: The Power of Numbers. Mil Med. 2017 Mar;182(S1):10-17. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-16-00138.
Tintle SM, LeBrun C, Ficke JR, Potter BK. What Is New in Trauma-Related Amputations.J Orthop Trauma. 2016 Oct;30 Suppl 3:S16-S20. PMID: 27661421
Honors
- 2017 Baltimore Magazine Top Doctor
- COL Brian Allgood Award for Military Orthopaedic Leadership, 1/1/10
- MG Louis A. Mologne Award, US Army Surgeon General, 1/1/10
- Order of St Maurice - Legionaire #02018, 1/1/07
- Order of Military Medical Merit #6921, 1/1/04
- Outstanding Outside Faculty Educator, 1/1/03
- Outstanding Outside Faculty Educator, 1/1/01
- Outstanding Resident Educator, 1/1/94
Memberships
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- American College of Surgeons
- American Orthopaedic Association
- American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
- AO Alumni Association
- Orthopaedic Trauma Association
- Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons
Professional Activities
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Board of Directors, 3/15/19
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Central Program Committee
- American Orthopaedic Association, Leadership Development Committee
Locations
- Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
- 601 North Caroline Street, Suite 5009, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 443-997-2663
- fax: 410-614-1451
Expertise
Education
Baylor University Medical Center
Fellowship, 2000Tripler Army Medical Center
Residency, Orthopaedic Surgery, 1994Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
Fellowship, 1993Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Medical Education, MD, 1987Board Certifications
Orthopaedic Surgery
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, 1996Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- UnitedHealthcare
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)
Ratings & Reviews
4.9 out of 5
75 ratings, 30 reviewsThe Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/31/2025
Dr. Ficke provided great care and performed surgery successfully. His team was informative, attentive, and caring.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/28/2025
Dr Ficke was professional in all aspects. He genuinely listened and addressed areas of need in addition to anything affecting the condition. I would not hesitate to recommend him.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/27/2025
Dr. Ficke is excellent - he listens, he provides helpful and detailed information, and he cares about the outcome.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/13/2025
Dr. Ficke was a very caring and thorough Dr. I appreciated how well he explained my condition to my son's who are having to be my caretakers somewhat. I have hard time explaining so really helps when Dr takes the time to. I just liked Dr. Ficke demeanor. Felt very confident with his knowledge of problem.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/23/2024
He was outstanding. My concerns were addressed.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/9/2024
I am so fortunate to be working with him.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/11/2024
Excellent physician and great all-around person. Committed to patient care and overall satisfaction
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/14/2024
Dr Ficke is wonderful. His skills and his bedside manner are both outstanding.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/14/2024
Excellent communicator
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/23/2024
Dr. Ficke is very thorough. He explains in great detail. He listens and offers advice. He is very compassionate and very professional!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/18/2024
Dr. Is an outstanding physician. Thorough, patient, friendly, helpful. I recommend him without reservation.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/16/2024
Dr Ficke is an outstanding physician.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/9/2024
Very caring and responsive
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 9/9/2024
Provides an excellent medical advice and consultations, and his sweet smile is enough when meeting the patient.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/30/2024
Dr. Ficke could not have been more gracious. He gave unstintingly of his time.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/26/2024
Dr. Ficke takes his time with me and explains what is being done or what should be done. He's very understanding.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/26/2024
Dr. Ficke and his students are always professional, friendly, speak at level that is respectful and informative and clear.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/19/2024
I appreciated the orthopedic medical resident fellow that came in to look at my injury and looked at my foot in detail. The fellow asked me some questions and answered my questions. When Dr Ficke came In I appreciated his patience and answering all my questions and checking my foot. He acknowledged that he checked my x-rays and explained the image results and gave his medical opinion. My son is in the military and Dr Ficke expressed gratitude for my son's service and it was comforting to hear this from Dr Ficke / medical military veteran.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/12/2024
Very professional and very thorough
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/15/2024
Dr Ficke is second to none!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/1/2024
Dr. Ficke is awesome, and I really appreciate his through conversations, his listening skills, and his respect for patient choice and decisions.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/24/2024
WONDERFUL!!! RESPECTFUL!! Truly cares about his patients and the outcomes!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/10/2024
He is one of the most concerned, informative, and sincere doctors that I have ever met. I didn't feel that I was being rushed or that he even had a limit on the time he spent explaining my condition and the options that were available to me.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/3/2024
Extremely knowledgeable
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 5/20/2024
Exceptional in every way.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 5/20/2024
Dr. Ficke and his residents are very professional, talk to me in a friendly and non-condescending way and answer all my questions
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 5/6/2024
I had a great visit with Dr. Ficke and the team.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/29/2024
Dr. Ficke was very pleasant and explained what he was checking up on the procedure that he did. Made me feel very comfortable with the visit.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/8/2024
Dr. Ficke will take time to listen to concerns and answer questions to help with making the best medical decisions to ensure the best outcome for the patient.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/1/2024
Dr. Ficke is / was amazing! I'm gratefulI had the opportunity to meet with him. He was thorough, pleasant, kind and very knowledgeable-which is why I came to see him!