Richard Battista, MD - Hand & Upper Extremity Specialist

Dr. Battista is President of OAA Orthopaedic Specialists. Prior to joining the practice as a premier hand surgeon in 2004, he served with distinction achieved by the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. His career was marked by numerous personal, as well as unit awards & medals for meritorious service. He served as the Chief of Orthopedics/General Surgery while stationed at the Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Most recently, he served as the Assistant Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD – The President’s Hospital.
 
Dr. Battista's experience in caring for members of the Congress/Senate and military leadership, as well as combat casualties during Operation Iraqi Freedom, augmented his sincere appreciation for how precious and vital our arms and hands are in everyday life. Now, his practice focuses exclusively on the treatment of hand, finger, wrist, and upper extremity conditions.
 
Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, he attended Villanova University receiving a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Business Administration. Dr. Battista received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center, also in Philadelphia. After an active-duty tour as a general orthopedic surgeon, he added additional skills by completing a Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh in 2001. In the past, he has held academic appointments as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and as Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the Penn State College of Medicine. He is Board Certified in Orthopedic Surgery and holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Hand Surgery. Dr. Battista maintains a variety of memberships in related professional organizations.