Dr. David W. Altchek ’78, Orthopedic Surgeon and Mets Medical Director

Dr. David W. Altchek ’78, a pioneering orthopedic surgeon who was co-chief emeritus at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), and team physician and medical director for the New York Mets, died on July 17, 2025, at 68. He lived in New York City.

Altchek was an expert on Tommy John surgery, or ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. UCL injuries are particularly common among pitchers, and many pros, such as Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard and Johan Santana, entrusted their elbows to Altchek for repair. In a 2024 interview with the Associated Press, Altchek estimated he had performed more than 2,400 of these surgeries.

Altchek grew up in Middletown, N.Y., the son of local orthopedic surgeon Dr. Martin Altchek, and was a standout tennis player at Middletown H.S. He graduated from Cornell Medical School in 1982, interned at The New York Hospital and completed his residency and fellowship at HSS, joining the staff in 1987. His mentor, Dr. Russell Warren ’62, team physician for the New York Giants, gave Altchek a glimpse into the world of orthopedic surgery –– particularly for professional athletes.

“I saw through Dr. Warren’s eyes how it was just like the Wild West,” Altchek told the New York Daily News in 2013. “Everybody was afraid of operating on athletes’ shoulders because they seemed too complicated. I said to myself, ‘This is going to be my thing.’”

Altchek did go on to operate on a number of shoulders –– including Maria Sharapova’s –– and made a name for himself as the go-to physician for many professional athletes needing orthopedic surgery. But his most well-known procedure is Tommy John surgery, for which he developed a technique that led to more successful outcomes.

This new method, known as docking, slightly modified the original procedure developed by Frank Jobe in 1974. Altchek’s development more soundly anchored the replacement tendon into the bone so it could better withstand the demands of professional baseball after surgery. It also leaves less chance for fractures, and the updated procedure has a higher success rate than the original method.

Altchek’s expertise also made him a top choice for professional sports organizations. He was the head team physician for the Mets from 1991 to 2001, and rejoined the organization in 2005 as medical director. He also cared for tennis pros as the physician for the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1999 to 2003 and was the North American medical director for the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Altchek was co-chief of HSS’ sports medicine and shoulder service from 2005 to 2014.

Altchek was recognized by the College with a 2003 John Jay Award for distinguished professional achievement. He is survived by his wife, Anne BC’79 (née Salmson); children, Charles BUS’14, Christopher, Chloe and Sophie, and their spouses; and seven grandchildren.

— Emily Driehaus