Ten Summit Physicians Named Top Doctors in 2019

Meet the 10 Summit physicians honored as Top Doctors this year.

Top Doctors

Every year, Mpls.St. Paul Magazine invites Minnesota physicians and registered nurses to recommend the medical experts they would trust to care for them. The providers they select are honored as Top Doctors. Summit Orthopedics is honored to have 10 physicians representing three medical areas of specialty among the 2019 Top Doctors. We are particularly proud that the majority of our 2019 Top Doctors have been recognized for multiple years. All of us at Summit join this year’s honorees in our commitment to provide our patients with the highest quality of orthopedic care.

Top Doctors in orthopedic surgery

Orthopedic surgical specialists focus on injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This system encompasses treatment for damaged bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.

Dr. Kristoffer Breien

Dr. Breien’s specialties are hip, knee, sports medicine, joint preservation and restoration, complex knee revision, hip replacement, arthroscopic procedures, and fracture care. He focuses mainly on lower extremity injuries and issues, and loves to engage patients, answer their questions, and help them get back to the activities they love.

Dr. Peter Daly

Dr. Daly’s specialties include knee, shoulder, hip, sports medicine, and joint preservation and restoration. Because shoulder arthritis has prompted him to adjust his own activities, he brings personal perspective as well as medical expertise to his patients who are dealing with the same kinds of issues.

Dr. Jack Drogt

Dr. Drogt’s specialties include knee, hip, joint preservation and restoration, arthroscopy, and knee and hip arthritis. His expertise lies in knee and hip reconstruction. Dr. Drogt is attentive to each patient’s goals and works with them to address their expectations and help them meet their individual objectives.

Dr. Michael Forseth

Dr. Forseth’s specialties include hand, wrist, and elbow, complex reconstructive surgery of upper extremities, and microsurgery. In addition to serving our Twin Cities community, Dr. Forseth has volunteered his medical services in Haiti, Colombia, and Honduras.

Dr. James Gannon

Dr. Gannon’s specialties include knee, shoulder, sports medicine, joint preservation and restoration, and arthroscopy. He has practiced in St. Paul for more than 20 years; in some cases, he has cared for three generations of the families who place their trust in us.

Dr. Peter Parten

Dr. Parten is a fellowship-trained surgeon specializing in shoulder injuries and arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery. His patients value him for his focused expertise and compassionate care. Dr. Parten understands that in our busy lives, there is never a good time to rest and recovery from an injury. He focuses on helping his patients return to their lives safely and quickly.

Dr. Edward Santos

Dr. Edward Santos’ surgical specialties encompass minimally invasive back, neck, and spine surgery. Before joining the Summit spine team, Dr. Santos educated medical residents for more than a decade as an associate professor at the University of Minnesota. He believes that patients’ concerns and expectations deserve to be heard, and is committed to providing the best possible care possible to all of his patients with spine disorders.

Dr. Andrew Derek Thomas

Dr. Thomas’s specialties include hand, wrist, elbow, carpal tunnel, and hand and wrist arthritis. He brings expertise from hand fellowships in Switzerland, Germany, and the Indiana Hand Center to his compassionate care of patients with hand diseases and injuries.

Top Doctors recognition in Physiatry

Physiatrists specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation. In their practices, they evaluate and treat patients with physical impairments and disabilities.

Dr. Erik Ekstrom

Dr. Ekstrom’s areas of expertise include physical medicine and rehabilitation, minimally invasive spine therapies, and sports-related injuries. The most gratifying part of his work is identifying and fixing patient problems, so they can return to the lifestyle they love.

Top Doctors recognition in Sports Medicine

Sports medicine physicians focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries and illnesses related to sports participation and exercise.

Dr. Amy Beacom

Dr. Beacom is a specialist in sports medicine. She treats injuries of the shoulder, ankle, foot, and knee. Her dedication to treating orthopedic injuries related to running and swimming is reflected in her service as a team physician for USA Swimming. She takes great pleasure in helping her patients maintain and reclaim a healthy, active life. 

Summit Orthopedics is proud that our Top Doctors have earned the confidence and high regard of their peers. It is our privilege to have these celebrated and respected physicians as members of our healthcare team.

Summit Orthopedics supports healthy communities

Community health flourishes when specialized orthopedic care is conveniently available close to home. Summit Orthopedics is proud of our fellowship-trained subspecialty teams offering the full spectrum of orthopedic expertise in bone, tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint conditions—in addition to our wellness, prevention, and rehabilitation services. We have the expertise to proactively improve fitness, evaluate discomfort, and deliver personalized treatment to quickly and safely return you to the lifestyle you love.

Start your journey to a healthier, more active self. Visit our Facebook page to learn about our wellness services and schedule a free wellness consultation online. Find your orthopedic expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968-5201 to schedule a consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MNPlymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota. 

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  • Kristoffer Breien, M.D.

    “I tend to be more conservative in my approach, reserving surgery as a last option. In essence, I strive to care for patients and their problems in the same manner my family and I expect to be treated when we seek medical attention.”

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  • Peter Daly, M.D.

    “I understand the concern of athletes to get back to their sport. And I work in combination with our therapists to get them fully active.”

    More about this expert

  • Jack Drogt, M.D.

    “As a hip and knee specialist, an orthopedic surgeon, and the President of Summit Orthopedics, I’m dedicated to providing patients with the highest level of care available. Our expertise extends beyond orthopedic care. We’re enabling people to live the lives they love.”

    More about this expert

  • Erik J. Ekstrom, M.D.

    “I believe in listening to patients and making them feel comfortable. For me, the most gratifying part of the work is finding the problem and fixing it so patients can return to their usual activities.”

    More about this expert

  • Michael Forseth

    Michael Forseth, M.D.

    “Volunteering overseas, in places like Haiti, Columbia, and Honduras, continues to be a positive influence on my practice. My experiences there have broadened my perspective about what I do here — personally and professionally.”

    More about this expert

  • James Gannon MD

    James Gannon, M.D.

    “Leading an active lifestyle provides an additional motivation to provide orthopedic care that will allow patients to return to the activities they enjoy.”

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  • Peter Parten, M.D.

    “Like most people, our family is always on the go between work, kids, school, and sports. There is never a good time to rest or recover from an injury. My challenge is to enable patients of all ages to return to sports, work, and life as soon as possible.”

    More about this expert

  • Edward Santos MD

    Edward Santos, M.D.

    “I am committed to providing the best care possible for all of my patients with spine disorders. I treat each and every patient as I would treat any member of my family. I believe that patients’ concerns and expectations deserve to be heard. I also believe in the importance of having a thorough discussion of both surgical and nonsurgical options, with the goal of relieving pain and restoring function.”

    More about this expert

  • Andrew Thomas MD

    Andrew Thomas, M.D.

    “I am continually amazed by the mixture of strength, elegance, and humanity that come together in my patients’ hands and feel fortunate to be able to play a role in helping them when they encounter disease or injury as they seek
    to return to strength and function.”

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