About Maryland Orthopedic Specialists

In 2009, Dr. Christopher Raffo and Dr. James Gardiner opened Maryland Orthopedic Specialists with a simple premise: Montgomery County deserved orthopedic care that treated every patient — from a teenager with a sprained ankle to a weekend hiker with a torn meniscus — like an athlete with a season to get back to. That premise hasn't changed. We built this practice on the belief that good orthopedic care starts with listening, favors the least invasive path first, and never depends on the kind of insurance card you carry.

Maryland Orthopedic Specialists opened its doors in Montgomery County in 2009, founded by Dr. Christopher Raffo and Dr. James Gardiner. It started small and local — two doctors who wanted to practice medicine the way they'd want it practiced on their own families, with same-day answers for urgent injuries and a real relationship between doctor and patient.

Dr. Gary Feldman joined the founding team in 2009, initially part-time, and became a full-time member of the practice in 2018. In 2013, the practice joined The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (CAO), becoming Division 09 of what is now the largest independent orthopedic practice in the greater Washington, D.C. area. That affiliation brought the infrastructure, technology, and specialist network of a much larger organization — but the day-to-day experience for patients stayed the same: the same doctors, the same focus on Montgomery County, the same commitment to treating people, not just injuries.

The team has continued to grow with intention. PA Jessica O'Keefe joined in 2014. Dr. Peter FitzGibbons joined in 2015. Dr. John Christoforetti came on board in 2023, significantly expanding the sports medicine program; his subspecialty focus includes high-level hip arthroscopy, bringing a surgical capability to the practice that few orthopedic groups in the region can offer. PA Brian Long joined in 2025. In August 2026, the practice will welcome Dr. Brian McCormick, an adult reconstruction and arthroplasty specialist completing his fellowship at New England Baptist Hospital — widely regarded as the premier joint replacement hospital in the world. His addition brings a dedicated joint replacement subspecialist to the practice for the first time, rounding out a team that will include six physicians, two physician assistants, and a full complement of physical and occupational therapists.

Today, Maryland Orthopedic Specialists represents more than 30 years of combined orthopedic care rooted in Montgomery County. We've grown to three locations — Bethesda, Germantown, and a physical therapy site in Rockville — but growth was never the point. The point was always to be the orthopedic practice this community could count on, and to have the resources to do it well.

Some of what defines Maryland Orthopedic Specialists doesn't show up on a services page. It shows up in decisions we've made about who we serve and how.

We participate in select Medicaid products. That's a deliberate choice — many orthopedic practices don't accept Medicaid at all, and we do, because we believe a torn rotator cuff or a fractured wrist deserves the same standard of care regardless of what insurance a patient carries. Alongside Medicaid, we're in-network with most major commercial insurance plans, so access isn't a barrier for the vast majority of patients who come to us.

That same philosophy drives our approach to urgent care. When an acute injury happens, patients don't want to wait two weeks for an appointment — so we offer same-day scheduling for acute injuries, at our Bethesda and Germantown locations.

Our commitment to this community also shows up on the sidelines. Dr. Raffo served as team physician for Quince Orchard High School from 2009 to 2019. Dr. Gardiner has provided sports medicine coverage for Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, along with several other local schools, for many years. Neither of these commitments is something we advertise heavily — they're simply what it looks like to practice orthopedic medicine in the community where you live and where your patients' kids play sports. We show up because the same young athletes we treat on Friday nights are the ones who might end up in our exam rooms on Monday, and we'd rather know them first as people than as patients.

Orthopedic care shouldn't be a privilege reserved for those with premium coverage. It should be available to every patient in Montgomery County — and that belief shapes every decision we make about access, scheduling, and who we choose to treat.

We start with the least invasive option that will get you better, not the most aggressive one. Surgery is a tool we use when it's the right tool — not a default. Before recommending an operation, we exhaust the non-surgical paths available: physical therapy, targeted injections, bracing, activity modification, and time. Many patients never need surgery at all; the ones who do arrive at that decision only after we've ruled out what doesn't require it.

We also built this practice so patients don't have to piece together their own care. Diagnosis, non-surgical treatment, injections, physical and occupational therapy, durable medical equipment, and surgery when it's necessary all happen under one roof, coordinated by people who already know your case. And when you come in, you see a physician — not a handoff to a physician assistant for anything that matters. Our physicians and PAs work as a team, but the treatment plan for your shoulder, knee, or spine comes from a fellowship-trained doctor who's accountable for the outcome. The goal, every time, is the same: get you back to the life you're missing, whether that's a competitive season, a weekly tennis match, or a walk around the block with the dog.