About
Dr. Clark maintains a busy orthopedic practice focused on enabling patients to overcome their physical challenges—whether they are related to injury or the aging process. In private practice since 2000, Dr. Clark has been at the forefront of adopting hip and knee arthroplasty innovations. One of the first adopters of the direct anterior approach to total hip replacement in the Midwest, he has focused on less-invasive surgical techniques, as well as robotic knee replacement. Among the first to perform MAKOplasty, a partial knee replacement technique that involves a robotic arm, in his home state of Iowa, Dr. Clark has extensive experience in joint care. With a special interest in advanced surgical outcome metrics and rapid recovery protocols, Dr. Clark has become a leader in the UnityPoint Health system in patient length-of-stay, typically discharging his joint patients either same-day or next-day following surgery.
Beginning with his residency at Michigan State University and continuing at the University of Northern Iowa, Dr. Clark has been treating Division I athletes for over two decades, including numerous All-Americans and some who compete currently at the professional level in football and basketball. An expert in sports-related injuries, Dr. Clark has been on the sidelines for more than 500 Division I football, basketball, and wrestling competitions, serving as the Team Physician for the University of Northern Iowa and Wartburg College since 2000.
Highly competitive by nature, Dr. Clark has an intense passion for helping his patients to overcome their injuries or impairments and reach their individual victories.
A former college athlete, Dr. Clark knows what it is like to compete in sports at a high level. After sports, he channeled that drive into the field of orthopedic surgery. For Dr. Clark, surgery is an opportunity to pursue victory for his patients. He encourages every patient, regardless of age or circumstance, to adopt that same competitive approach—to ambitiously pursue victory over injury and the physical effects of aging.
Dr. Clark has served as the Team Physician for UNI athletics since 2000. In that role, he has attended more than 400 football and basketball games, including the 2005 Division I FCS National Championship game and UNI Basketball’s 2010 appearance in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. As the physician for collegiate wrestling’s National Dual Meet Championship from 2005-2011, Dr. Clark treated elite wrestlers from around the country. Additionally, Dr. Clark cares for Wartburg College and Upper Iowa University athletes as Team Physician.
EDUCATION
Fellowship A.O. International Trauma Fellowship; Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
2000 Residency (Orthopedic Surgery) – Michigan State University
Garden City Hospital, Lansing, MI
(Pediatric Orthopedics) Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
(Trauma and Joint Arthroplasty) Florida Orthopedic Institute, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL
1996 Internship (Rotating) – Michigan Capital Regional Medical Center
1995 D.O. Des Moines University
1989 B.A. Beta Beta Beta, Mortar Board Society, Football Letter-winner (Economics & Business), Cornell College
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
2013 Recertified American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery (Passed first examination)
2003 Clinical A.O.B.O.S. – Passed first examination
2001 Oral A.O.B.O.S. – Passed first examination
2000 Written A.O.B.O.S. – Passed first examination
PUBLICATIONS
2002 – Clark, J.A. and Bremner, B.R.B.; “Fatal Warfarin-Induced Skin Necrosis After Total Hip Arthroplasty.” Journal of Arthroplasty.
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS AND APPOINTMENTS
Chief of Surgery UnityPoint-Allen Hospital
Chief of Orthopedics UnityPoint-Allen Hospital
Head Team Orthopedic Surgeon Wartburg College
Orthopedic Surgeon, All Sports University of Northern Iowa
Oral Examiner American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery
TEACHING
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthopedics Des Moines University
1995-2000 – Clinical Instructor, Orthopedics Michigan State University
Guest Lecturer University of Northern Iowa Athletic Training
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopaedics (A.O.A.O.)
American Osteopathic Association (A.O.A.)
AO Alumni Association (A.O.A.A.)
Iowa Orthopaedic Society
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Direct anterior approach to total hip replacement
Less-invasive knee replacement surgery
Rapid recovery protocols
Orthopedic sports medicine
Knee and shoulder arthroscopy
PRACTICING SINCE
2000
BRENDA L. COOPER, ARNP
Practicing clinical orthopedics since 2001, Brenda is a licensed nurse practitioner with more than 17 years of experience in the field. Brenda graduated in 1995 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing in 2005, both from Allen College. Working closely with Dr. Clark, she provides treatment and sideline care for athletes from the University of Northern Iowa and Wartburg College. Brenda brings clinical expertise, comprehensive knowledge, and a friendly smile to the clinic!
EDUCATION
08/03 – 05/05 — Allen College of Nursing, Waterloo, IA — MSN
08/92 – 05/95 — Allen College of Nursing, Waterloo, IA — BSN
08/88 – 05/92 — University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA — B.A. in Biology
CERTIFICATIONS
2005 — ARNP
LICENSURE
1994 — Iowa RN
2005 — Iowa ARNP
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
01/08 – present — Cedar Valley Medical Specialists, P.C., Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Cedar Falls, IA — Staff ARNP
10/05 – 01/08 — Cedar Valley Medical Specialists, P.C., Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Waterloo, IA — Staff ARNP
08/01 – 10/05 — Cedar Valley Medical Specialists, P.C., Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Waterloo, IA — Staff RN
06/95 – 07/01 — Allen Memorial Hospital, Waterloo, IA — Staff RN
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ORTHOPEDIC EXCELLENCE
To date, patients from 25 states have trusted Dr. Clark to provide orthopedic surgical services that are less-invasive, feature lower pain scores, and are treated with limited opiate multimodal pain management.
Facilities
UNI-Dome
The UNI Human Performance Complex is adjacent to the UNI Dome, allowing Dr. Clark to work closely with many UNI athletes.
UNI-Dome
The UNI Human Performance Complex is adjacent to the UNI Dome, allowing Dr. Clark to work closely with many UNI athletes.
The UNI Human Performance Complex is adjacent to the UNI Dome, allowing Dr. Clark to work closely with many UNI athletes.
The UNI Human Performance Complex is adjacent to the UNI Dome, allowing Dr. Clark to work closely with many UNI athletes.
The UNI Human Performance Complex is adjacent to the UNI Dome, allowing Dr. Clark to work closely with many UNI athletes.
