A little nudge can go a long way in life. For Dr. Michael Frierson of the Bone and Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge, it was actually multiple little nudges that migrated him from the frigid winters of Detroit to the humid summers of Baton Rouge. During his undergraduate years at the University of Michigan, Dr. Frierson had his sights set on a career in pharmacy. He had an interest in chemical properties and how to apply them to make people better. Dr. Frierson would still be calculating proportions and rations in a pharmacy lab today if it wasn't for a little nudge.

A trusted friend told Dr. Frierson that he had the ideal personality and disposition to work with children. This recommendation threw Dr. Frierson for a loop, because comparing a career in pharmacy to an occupation in pediatrics is sort of like comparing chocolate ice cream and onions. A seemingly inconsequential piece of advice at the time, this comment turned out to be the linchpin for Dr. Michael Frierson's trajectory into pediatric orthopedics.

How Did Baton Rouge Become Home for Dr. Michael Frierson 

From this point forward, Dr. Michael Frierson never looked back. He knew whatever he did with his medical education, it would be for kids. The further his mind wandered away from pharmacology, the faster it ran towards pediatrics. By the time he received his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, this small nudge had developed his passion for pediatrics from a spark into a burning flame.

The second nudge came several years after he started his career in pediatric orthopedics. He was already in Baton Rouge, working at a hospital, when a healthcare firm in Atlanta made him an offer. Having only envisioned himself in Baton Rouge for 4-5 years anyway, it seemed like a perfect opportunity. Before Dr. Frierson could zip up his suitcase and head east on I-12, the next nudge interrupted his course. It came from a colleague at the Bone and Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge. A position in the pediatric orthopedic department had opened, and for all intents and purposes, it had Dr. Michael Frierson's name on it. Once again, a small, unforeseen nudge changed Dr. Frierson’s course. While it may have prevented him from experiencing life in the Big Peach, it opened his eyes to the beauty of the Red Stick.

A Pediatric Orthopedic Specialist Focused on Scoliosis in Baton Rouge 

Today, those many nudges along his career have all led Dr. Michael Frierson to become one of Baton Rouge's premier pediatric orthopedic specialists, diagnosing and treating spinal deformities such as scoliosis, along with congenital deformities, adolescent sports injuries, and other general orthopedic conditions. Drawing on his many years of experience, education, and a Fellowship at the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Tampa Bay, Florida, Dr. Frierson uses his advanced knowledge in treating children with bone and joint issues to help families across the state.

Of course, Dr. Frierson’s career path has never followed a straight line, and one element that many find surprising is that he also treats adults as a general orthopedist. Unsurprisingly, this subset of Dr. Frierson’s practice came from even more little nudges. As he treated his pediatric patients, their parents would discuss their own, nagging orthopedic issues. The more children he treated, the more parents who nudged him to care for their aches and breaks as well. Today, Dr. Frierson humorously refers to his pediatric patients as his "day job" and their respective parents as his "night job."

As a pediatric orthopedic specialist in high demand, Dr. Michael Frierson stays booked and busy with patients. On rare occasions, when he has an opening in his schedule, you may find him refueling with a cup of mud at Starbucks – his guilty pleasure. Catch him after his first few sips of espresso, and you may be able to sit down and converse with him. It just takes a nudge or two.