MBChB FRACS MD
Dr Simon W Young
Simon Young is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, Associate Professor Specialist at Auckland University, and a Consultant Surgeon at North Shore Hospital. Specialising in surgery of the knee and sports injuries, Simon sees both private and ACC patients at Axis Sports Medicine on the North Shore, and operates out of Southern Cross Hospital Wairau and the North Shore Surgical Centre in Milford.
Qualifications
Doctoral Postgraduate Studies
Thesis - Preventing infection in Total Knee Arthroplasty
University of Auckland
Fellowship
Adult Joint Reconstruction
Mayo Clinic, AZ
Fellowship
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
Stanford University, CA
Fellowship
Hip and Knee Arthroplasty,
North Shore Hospital, Auckland
FRACS
Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Bachelor of Medicine
University of Otago Medical School
With a focus on research to enhance surgical techniques and patient outcomes Simon brings leading edge, advanced techniques to patients seeking treatment for their arthritic and sports related conditions. Simon sees patients of all ages and athletes at every level of sport, both amateur and professional.
Simon, a best in class orthopaedic surgeon, graduated from the University of Otago Medical School in 2001 being awarded the Mary Shaw Prize for Surgery for his Graduating Class. After two years of post-graduate experience at Royal National Orthopaedic and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals in London, he returned to New Zealand to undertake his orthopaedic surgical training for which he was awarded the two major graduating recognitions from the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association - Best Overall Graduating Trainee and Best Research Award.
Simon furthered his orthopaedic specialization in the USA, completing a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Stanford University, and an Arthroplasty Fellowship at Mayo Clinic – ranked the #1 hospital overall by the U.S. News & World Report rankings of top hospitals.
While at Stanford, he served as Team Physician at Stanford Sports Medicine Clinic, and provided orthopaedic care to elite athletes, including the San Francisco 49ers NFL team and the Stanford College Football team. Mr. Young was an attending physician at the Rose Bowl Final.
Continued research and improving outcomes for his patients is a crucial focus of his work. His doctoral thesis is based on a surgical technique he developed here in Auckland to prevent infection in knee replacement surgery, which is now utilised by knee surgeons around the world. His research has been recognized internationally, winning the all three North American Knee Society Awards, the Mark Coventry Award in 2013, the Chitranjan Ranawat Award in 2016, and the John Insall Award in 2017. He also won the AAHKS Clinical research award in Dallas in 2017, and in 2020 he was asked to join the North American Knee Society, one of only 17 international surgeons invited.
His appointment as a John Insall Knee Fellow was a true highlight in his career. Simon is the only New Zealand surgeon to receive this award, an accolade granted to just four knee surgeons worldwide each year.
Simon is a Senior Lecturer at Auckland University and a Consultant Surgeon at North Shore Hospital, where he serves as Director of Research. He is regularly invited to speak nationally and internationally on knee and shoulder topics, and has more than 90 research publications in the orthopaedic literature. He is heavily involved in researching new technologies in knee replacement, performing the first robotic total knee joint replacements in New Zealand. He currently leads the largest trial of robotic-assisted knee replacement in the world at North Shore Hospital.
Simon is married to Maria, a human rights lawyer, and together they enjoy a full and vibrant life with their two young daughters. Simon is fluent in Spanish and holds a keen interest in squash, golf and skiing, which takes him regularly back to Southland and Otago where he grew up.