In the News
40 Under 40 2023
A long educational journey led Travis J. Small, D.O., to his current position as an orthopedic surgeon. After getting his bachelor’s in zoology at OU, Small went to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to receive his D.O., followed by an M.S. in medical education. Now, he specializes in knee and hip replacements at Saint Francis Health System. “I love science and working with my hands,” he says. “While playing sports, I was exposed to orthopedic surgery at a young age.” What he most loves about his job is that he “gets to improve people’s quality of life almost immediately,” and says his greatest achievement in his job thus far is “fixing a patient’s knee that had eight previous procedures and had been turned down by multiple surgeons.” He says that if he weren’t a physician, he’d be using his talents as a teacher or a basketball coach. Small, who believes the secret to success is good, old-fashioned hard work, can be found outside the operating room spending time with his family, exercising, listening to music and spending time outdoors. “I grew up on a farm in western Oklahoma and love horses, outdoors and hunting,” he says. He also volunteers with the Knights of Columbus and Holland Hall.
