Kirk L Scofield, MD

My practice has two focus areas. As a nonsurgical sports medicine physician, I treat athletes and non-athletes for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. The other part of my practice includes diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound, ultrasound-guided injections, and advanced interventional ultrasound techniques such as microsurgeries and procedures on nerves and tendons (like Tenex). I also do orthobiologics, including platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injections.

As a certified musculoskeletal ultrasound specialist, I’m proud to be part of the team at Summit offering diagnostic ultrasounds, which can be better than MRI in diagnosing certain conditions. We’re the only orthopedics practice in the Twin Cities that offers this close collaboration between orthopedics and musculoskeletal ultrasound-related medicine.

Experience from Alaska to Academic Teaching

After medical school and residency, I moved to Alaska for 12 years, eight of which were spent up in the tundra in Nome, Alaska. I also taught at a medical residency program in Anchorage before returning to the Lower 48 to complete my sports medicine fellowship. I continue to teach diagnostic ultrasound to sports medicine fellows as an adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota. I’m also active in teaching fellow physicians for the American Society for Sports Medicine.

Specialized Care for Endurance Athletes & Active Individuals

Within my sports medicine practice, I’m particularly adept at working with endurance athletes. I’m a long-distance runner and a former Ironman triathlete, so I understand the kinds of problems that endurance athletes face. I’m also a team physician for Concordia University, covering football games and helping college athletes. I’m also a former team physician for the Minnesota Swarm. I am a military veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force as a physician for four years.

In addition to endurance sports, I love any sport or activity that puts me on a trail in the mountains, from mountain climbing and both Nordic and downhill skiing to trail running and hiking.

A Nonsurgical Approach Focused on Education and Recovery

I want to provide the best nonsurgical care available and optimize results for people whose conditions can be treated nonsurgically. I view myself as a patient educator, and I have a lot of empathy for people who want to keep going with their sports or activities. Being kept from doing what you love by injuries or physical limitations can be heartbreaking, and I understand that. I truly enjoy connecting with people and learning about their lives — and I am honored that I get to be part of getting them back to the active lives they love.

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