Robert Friedman, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon with Coordinated Health, part of Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Dr. Friedman received his Bachelor of Science with high honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara and his medical degree from the University of California at Los Angeles.  He completed his orthopedic residency at Duke University and a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Southern California Center for Sports Medicine under the tutelage of Dr. Douglas Jackson, a leader in the field.  During these training years, he cared for numerous high school, collegiate and professional athletes from the National Champion mens Duke Basketball team to the LA Kings and Lakers. Over 17 years he cared for the local high school athletes in Western New Jersey, helping these student athletes perform at their best.

Dr. Friedman is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Arthroscopy Association of North America, and past Chairman of the Piedmont Orthopedic Society.   He has held leadership positions at his hospital, including President of the medical staff, Chief of Orthopedics and served on the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Friedman’s area of expertise includes knee and shoulder disorders,  including sports injuries, instability, cartilage disruption, rotator cuff problems and joint replacement.

Robert Friedman, center in the bubble helmet, and others look at a computer screen during a knee replacement operation in 2006. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

He has two children who are accomplished as well. His daughter graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, where she was on the Equestrian team, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in global health at Duke University. Her proposed thesis work is on Tanzania, and she and her father hiked Mount Kilaminjaro in August of 2018. Dr. Friedman's son is a junior pitcher for the University of San Diego, where he is pursuing a degree in sports psychology. Similar to his son, Dr. Friedman has played sports all his life, and enjoys skiing, golfing, hiking and biking. He has helicopter skied in Canada and climbed Mt. Whitney with his daughter, the highest peak in the US.  He bungee jumped off of the highest jump in the world, in South Africa. 

Dr. Friedman on top of Mount Kilimanjaro in August 2018

In 2017, Dr. Friedman was inducted into the Warren County Hall of Fame in New Jersey, in recognition of his work in orthopedic surgery and his contributions to the Warren County community. 

Warren County's Hall of Fame Class of 2017 includes, from left, Robert Friedman, Sal Simonetti, Kathleen Halpin, John McCann and Tomas Gonzales. (Photo courtesy Cathy Miller)