Dr. Melissa Boyette handles Coastal Orthopedics patients with care

Growing up, Dr. Melissa Boyette was a bit of a tomboy. In school, she played basketball and ran track.

She thought she might be interested in practicing sports medicine, so she shadowed a friend’s dad who was working in sports medicine as an orthopedic surgeon. But while Dr. Boyette was completing her orthopedic surgery residency at Orlando Health, she discovered a new passion – hands.

Today, she is a hand and wrist specialist with Coastal Orthopedics, where she’s worked for over three years helping patients who are struggling with carpal tunnel, trigger finger, wrist fractures and more.

A typical week for Dr. Boyette consists of three days working in the clinic and two days performing surgeries.

She sees close to 40 people on an average clinic day, giving some patients injections for trigger finger, casting and treating fractures for others, and determining other treatment options, including recommending hand therapy for some ailments.

After she sees her last clinic patient, Dr. Boyette reviews her notes from the day, fills out forms and adds information to patients’ digital records.

Before the 10 to 12 surgeries Dr. Boyette performs each week, she reviews the case and x-rays and makes sure she has all of the equipment she’ll need for the procedure, including backup equipment, just in case.

Most surgeries are outpatient procedures done at a surgery center, but some are done at area hospitals.

“I love operating,” Dr. Boyette said. “The cases are fun, especially the ones that are unusual. They force you to be creative and challenge yourself.”

When she’s not seeing patients, Dr. Boyette spends time with her husband, four-year-old son and three-year-old daughter.

Six months ago, she also started CrossFit training, an exercise program that includes pull ups, squats and weightlifting.