Dr. Robert Mitchell, DO

Dr. Robert Mitchell, DO, is an accomplished orthopedic surgeon with OrthoIllinois, a division of OrthoMidwest, providing care to regional communities in the I-80 corridor of north central Illinois through OSF HealthCare.

Dr. Mitchell’s journey into medicine was shaped by the influences of his maternal grandfather and father. As a child, his grandfather recognized Dr. Mitchell’s natural curiosity and academic aptitude, comparing him to a nephew who was a Harvard orthopedic physician, and encouraged him to pursue a medical career. The decision to specialize in orthopedic surgery, however, was inspired by his father, a diesel mechanic with an exceptional ability to repair anything. Working alongside his father in the shop after school, Dr. Mitchell developed advanced skills with tools at a young age. He realized that orthopedic surgeons are, in many ways, the “mechanics” of the human body, which made the choice to apply those skills in medicine an easy one when he began medical school.

…Dr. Mitchell attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, where he majored in biology before entering Midwestern University Chicago, College of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree and completed surgical residency training. He is board certified in Orthopedic Surgery by the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

In his practice at OrthoIllinois, Dr. Mitchell offers comprehensive bone and joint care for knees, hips, shoulders, and upper extremities, as well as fracture management. His expertise includes arthroscopic surgeries such as labral and rotator cuff repair, and ACL and meniscal repair. He is also highly skilled in upper extremity treatments, including cubital and carpal tunnel surgery, and performs total joint replacement of the hip and knee. Dr. Mitchell has been utilizing robotic-assisted total joint replacement since 2019.

As a Doctor of Osteopathy, Dr. Mitchell adheres to the DO principle, “The body has an inherent ability to heal itself,” whenever possible. When additional assistance is needed, he is prepared to provide surgical interventions to help his patients achieve a more pain-free and active lifestyle.

Outside of his medical practice, Dr. Mitchell enjoys weightlifting, biking, and cardio exercise. He is an avid fisherman and hunter, pursuing pheasant and white-tailed deer locally, black bear in Minnesota, and traveling out west for elk hunting.