Finding Beauty in the Medical Arts
Chris Chiodo ’89, MD, met with Fairfield University Magazine over Zoom this past spring from his home office outside Boston. Dr. Chiodo — chiodo means “nail” or “nail maker” in Italian — is a Harvard-trained orthopedic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience treating patients with foot and ankle problems.
The intersection of science and the ability to help people called the Class of ’89 alumnus to the medical field. “It’s kind of canned, but I just wanted to use knowledge to help others,” Dr. Chiodo said with an easy smile. “That’s really what it was.”
“At the end of the day, you realize what a privilege it is to be able to open the human body, to make it better, and to be trusted with that – I don’t take that for granted,” he added. “To me the interworking and bio mechanics of the human body and skeleton system are a beautiful thing.”
Originally from New York, Dr. Chiodo, a hobby pianist with an interest in science, had a “wonderful experience” at Fairfield, calling his years on campus “the four best of my life.” He fondly remembers the influences of the College of Arts and Sciences’ R. James Long, PhD, professor emeritus of philosophy, and the late Donald J. Ross, PhD, professor emeritus of biology.
“I really enjoyed sitting in Dr. Ross’s office and chatting about life. His door was always open, he was always there, and we’d talk about everything from piano to biology to philosophy. It was great,” Dr. Chiodo recalled. “Dr. Long created an intimate sense of community and offered a real cultural immersion within the honors program.”
Among many accolades during his career, Dr. Chiodo has been named among the best doctors of Boston by Boston Magazine, one of the top 26 foot and ankle surgeons in North America by Orthopedics Weekly, and has received an achievement award from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
A leader in the field of orthopedics, he serves as the delegate for the Foot and Ankle Society to the American Medical Association (AMA), recently working around the scheduling of their Chicago conference in order to at tend his 35th Fairfield Reunion this past June.