Home >> My Practice >> Myself

Myself

Dr Michael Bellemore M.B., B.S., FRACS.

Michael Bellemore is Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. He studied Medicine at the University of New South Wales graduating in 1977. He trained to be an orthopaedic surgeon in Sydney 1980 – 1984. Part of this training was at The Children’s Hospital (then at Camperdown) where he was inspired to pursue a career in paediatric orthopaedic surgery. To achieve this goal he spent 2 years overseas undertaking further training. In 1985 he was a Clinical Fellow at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. He was privileged to work with Professor Robert Salter developing expertise in the treatment of many paediatric musculo-skeletal disorders, especially developmental dysplasia of the hip. In 1986 he was a Clinical Fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children in Bristol, UK. Whilst in Bristol he learnt further techniques including hip ultrasonography which he introduced as a screening tool for babies when he returned to Sydney in 1987.

He has been a specialist orthopaedic surgeon on the staff of The Children’s Hospital from 1987 till the present time. He also works at Westmead Private Hospital and Strathfield Private Hospital.

In addition to treating children with hip dysplasia, his major clinical interests include limb lengthening, deformity correction, osteogenesis imperfecta, metabolic bone disease (Rickets) and clubfeet (congenital talipes equinovarus). He was the first orthopaedic surgeon to use the Ponseti technique in Australia.

Dr Bellemore enjoys teaching. He is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at The University of Sydney. He has been teaching medical students and trainee orthopaedic surgeons for more than 20 years. Other teaching roles include: The Diploma of Child Health course, GP seminars, national and international conferences and occasionally a high school science class.

Dr Bellemore finds working with children and their parents a very rewarding experience. With many children he has been involved in their care from infancy up till adulthood. Now, in some cases he is treating the children of the children he treated early in his career.