Mai Nguyen, MD is a board-certified orthopedic trauma surgeon who has dedicated her career to improving care and outcomes for trauma patients. Her work aims to optimize patient outcomes by setting up standard of care and establishing the optimum treatment for injured patients. Her research projects have won multiple awards including NIH/NIAMS funding, and she has established herself as a research leader in the local trauma network.

With over 40 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Nguyen is nationally known for her orthopedic trauma expertise and her research works. She is an active reviewer for six peer-reviewed orthopedic journals, including the highest impact general orthopedic and orthopedic trauma journals. She was selected as a young clinician scholar for the Career Development Program in 2015 by the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation, and Orthopaedic Research Society, and in 2019 for the prestigious grant mentoring and career development program sponsored by the United States Bone & Joint Initiative. Her research has been consistently highlighted with posters and podium presentations at the annual Orthopaedic Trauma Association and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons meetings. In the metro Twin Cities area, Dr. Nguyen was instrumental in establishing the North Star Trauma Network which includes six trauma hospitals and 15 orthopedic trauma surgeons. She currently serves as the Research Director of the network which facilitates multi-center research across the sites.

Affiliations/other offices held: Assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Regions Hospital, University of Minnesota

Joined the Institute: 2019

Education and training: MD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; Residency, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics; Fellowship, Metro Health System.

Overview/research interests: Dr. Nguyen has dedicated her career to optimizing patient-centered outcomes in the field of trauma. Her research interests include trauma recovery, implementation of patient-reported-outcome-measures in clinical practice, utilization of orthopedic implants, geriatric fragility fractures, use of innovative surgical techniques in improving outcomes of articular fractures (such as knee/ tibial plateau), care for poly-traumatized patients, and gunshot related injuries. 

• Arthroscopic-assisted tibial plateau fixation (AATPF) vs Open reduction internal fixation (ORIF): A multicenter randomized controlled trial (R34AR082020). Source: NIAMS. 07/01/2023-06/30/2025. Role: co-PI.
• Percutaneous Sacral Screw Fixation for Operative Treatment of Geriatric Lateral Compression 1 Pelvic Fracture- A Randomized Controlled Trial. Source: Orthopaedic Trauma Association. 06/23/2022-06/22/2024. Role: PI.
• Management and Outcome of GSWs to Extremities (Nguyen). Source: Regions: Orthopaedic Surgery. 08/02/2022-08/31/2023. Role: PI. 
• Comparison of Operative and Non-Operative Management of Elderly Fragility Pelvic Ring Fractures (Nguyen). Source: Regions: Orthopaedic Surgery. 09/20/2022-09/19/2023. Role: PI.
• Comparison of Hardware Removal and Complication Rates between Mini and Small Fragment Implants for Lateral Malleolar Fixation. Source: Regions: Orthopaedic Surgery. 11/20/2022-11/21/2024. Role: PI. 
• Review of Postoperative Care for Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients (Nguyen). Source: Regions: Orthopaedic Surgery. 08/06/2020-09/09/2021. Role: PI.