Dr. Courtney Valko

I chose orthopedics because the complexity of bones and muscles and how the body moves and works as a whole interconnected unit fascinates me. I was an avid athlete growing up, so I love the idea of helping kids get back to being healthy and return to all of their activities once treated. Because kids are so fun to work with! As a fifth grader I was treated for a blood disorder, and just how caring and compassionate the staff were still resonates with me to this day. I want to try and be that type of provider to the children at Nemours. I’m passionate about medicine and health in general. I try to encourage my patients (and their families) to be active and eat healthy, regardless of their diagnosis at that specific visit. I don’t care how they are active — whether it is team sports, running, rock climbing, hiking, etc., as long as they are moving. By treating the patients and their families as an important part of the medical process. Along with listening to the family, I try to speak directly to the kids during the visit so I can understand their concerns. When possible I let the family help with deciding on course of treatment, as they know their child and what may work best. I attempt to take my time in explaining everything thoroughly so they leave with a good understanding of what the problem is and how it can be solved.