Dr. Ralph Frank (Tad) Gunkelman grew up in an agricultural family in the American state of North Dakota. He received his first bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology / Biochemistry from Vermont’s Middlebury College in 1997. He subsequently migrated to Wall Street, working as an Investment Banker for Lehman Brothers until 2000. He was selected for early promotion and transfer to London, but sometime during the transatlantic delivery of a 57’ yacht he had a change of heart and decided to return to his Life Sciences roots.

Dr. Gunkelman matriculated at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2002, graduating with honours in 2007. He then commenced Basic Surgical Training in Dublin hospitals, emigrating to Australia during the Global Financial Crisis in 2009. After naturalising as an Australian citizen in 2014, Dr. Gunkelman was selected to the Australian Orthopaedic Association’s training program in Sydney, completing this training and further sub-specialisation in lower limb reconstruction and arthroplasty in 2019.

Dr. Gunkelman migrated to the Wollongong area in 2020 and currently serves residents of the South Coast & Southern Highlands through his private practice locations in Thirroul, Bowral and Shellharbour.

BA Molecular Biology / Biochemistry (Hons)
Middlebury College
1998

MB BCh BAO (Hons)
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
2007

FRACS (Ortho)
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
2019

FAOrthA
Australian Orthopaedic Association
2019

Sub-specialisation, Lower limb reconstruction & Arthroplasty
OrthoCentre & Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science
2019

Ecology, 2001; 82(1):18-32
Bret-Harte MS, Shaver GR, Zoerner JP, Johnstone JF, Wagner JL, Chavez AS, Gunkelman RF, Lippert SC, Laundre JA.
Developmental plasticity allows Betula nana to dominate tundra subjected to an altered environment

Ecology, 2001; 82(11):3163-3181
Shaver GR, Bret-Harte MS, Jones MH, et al.
Species composition interacts with fertilizer to control long-term change in tundra productivity

Journal of Ecology, 2002; 90(2):251-267
Bret-Harte MS, Shaver G, Chapin FS, et al.
Primary and secondary stem growth in arctic shrubs: implications for community response to environmental change

Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2006; 108(2):427
Gunkelman, RF.
The Labourers’ Rest

Irish Journal of Medical Science, 2009; 178(Supp 7): 199-206
Gunkelman RF, Walsh J, Boran S, Reidy D.
HSE Closure of a Regional Orthopaedic Unit: detrimental impact on services and training with no net compensatory cost savings

Orthopaedic Proceedings, 2018; 94-B, No. SUPP_XVII
Molloy AP, Keeling P, Almanasra A, Gunkelman T, Kenny P, O’Flanagan S, Eustace S, Keogh P.
Osteochondral lesions following ankle fractures

“All Around the Joint” - Ramsay Hospital GP/Physio Education Series
Wollongong 2021
“Soft Tissue Knee Injuries & Knee Osteoarthritis in the Young(er) Patient”

World Congress of Orthopaedics
Milan 2018
“Clinical Performance of Palacos & Simplex Bone Cements in Total Knee Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis: a registry study of 58,684 TKA between 1999 and 2016”

AOA State Scientific Meeting
Canberra 2015
“Reconstruction Outcomes in Lower Limb Trauma: a 5yr retrospective comparison study of two tertiary referral trauma centres”

AOA Annual Scientific Meeting
Brisbane 2015
“Reconstruction Outcomes in Lower Limb Trauma: a 5yr retrospective comparison study of two tertiary referral trauma centres”

34th Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture & Surgical Symposium
Galway 2009
“HSE Closure of a Regional Orthopaedic Unit: detrimental impact on services and training with no net compensatory cost savings”

Sylvester O’Halloran Surgical Scientific Meeting
Limerick 2009
“HSE Closure of a Regional Orthopaedic Unit: detrimental impact on services and training with no net compensatory cost savings”

Arctic Long-Term Ecological Research & National Science Foundation
Toolik Lake, Alaska 1995
“Growth Characteristics of Betula Nana as Affected by Treatment Manipulations Simulating Environmental Change”

Sylvester O’Halloran Surgical Scientific Meeting
Limerick
2009

34th Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture and Surgical Symposium
Galway
2009

72nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Australian Orthopaedic Association
Sydney
2012

75th Annual Scientific Meeting, Australian Orthopaedic Association
Brisbane
2015

AOA ACT Branch Annual Scientific Meeting
Canberra
2015

“Bones on the Beach” Nursing Conference
Wollongong
2016

BIT’s 5th Annual World Congress of Orthopaedics
Milan
2018

AOA NSW Branch Annual Scientific Meeting
Sydney
2020

Basic Surgical Skills
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Dublin
2008

Basic Life Support
Blanchardstown Hospital
Dublin
2008

Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient (CCrISP)
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Dublin
2008

Advanced Life Support
St. George Hospital
Kogarah
2010

Advanced Trauma & Life Support (ATLS)
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Singapore
2010

AO Spine Principles, Spinal Trauma & Lumbar Degeneration
Adelaide
2011

Advanced Anatomy Workshop Series on Musculoskeletal Anatomy
UNSW School of Medical Sciences
Sydney
2012

MABEL: Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life
University of Melbourne, Faculty of Business & Economics
Melbourne
2012

AO Trauma, Principles in Operative Fracture Management
Auckland
2012

Australian Paediatric Orthopaedics Instructional Course
Sydney
2014

Australian Paediatric Orthopaedics Instructional Course
Noosa
2018

RADSMART: Radiation Safety for use of Medical Fluoroscopy Equipment
Sydney
2018

AO Foundation

AO Spine

AO Trauma Asia-Pacific

American Mensa

Australasian Trauma Society

Australian Medical Association

Australian Orthopaedic Association

Australian Orthopaedic Association Medico-Legal Society

Australian Orthopaedic Research Foundation

Australian Orthopaedic Trauma Society

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Australian Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Irish American Orthopaedic Society

Irish Institute of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery

Irish Medical Council

Irish Orthopaedic Association

Orthopaedic Outreach

Orthopaedic Trauma Association (North America)

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland