Ten AOS Physicians Voted 2026 Coastal Virginia Top Docs

 

Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists is proud to announce that ten of our physicians have been named 2026 Coastal Virginia Magazine’s Top Docs. This peer-nominated recognition honors physicians throughout Hampton Roads who have earned the confidence and respect of their medical colleagues.

Our 2026 honorees represent several areas of specialized orthopaedic care, including joint replacement, orthopaedic oncology, foot and ankle care, sports medicine, hand and upper extremity care, and hand-to-shoulder care.

How Are Coastal Virginia Top Docs Chosen?

Each year, Coastal Virginia Magazine conducts an annual Top Docs peer-to-peer survey to identify the physicians other local healthcare professionals trust most.

The survey effectively asks one important question: “If you or a loved one needed a physician, to whom would you refer?”

The selection process includes:

• Peer nominations: Physicians throughout the Hampton Roads region nominate their colleagues in a variety of medical specialties.
• Peer voting: Doctors evaluate fellow physicians based on qualities such as clinical excellence and bedside manner.
• Trust-based recognition: The survey is designed to identify the physicians local medical professionals would trust to care for their own patients, families and loved ones.

Because the results are determined through peer-to-peer voting, being named a Coastal Virginia Magazine’s Top Doc is a meaningful reflection of the professional trust each physician has earned within the local medical community.

Meet Our 2026 Coastal Virginia Top Docs

The following Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists physicians were recognized in the official award categories of Surgery-Orthopedic, Surgery-Hand, and Surgery-Oncology.

2026 Top Docs: Surgery—Orthopedic

• William A. Byrd, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Orthopedic. Dr. Will Byrd specializes in Total Joint Replacement and performs muscle-sparing subvastus knee replacements using Kinematic Alignment strategies. For hip replacement, Dr. William Byrd performs muscle-sparing anterior hip replacement.
• Michael A. Campbell, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Orthopedic. Dr. Campbell specializes in Foot & Ankle. Some of the treatments performed by Dr. Campbell are total ankle replacement, bunion surgery, foor and ankle tendon and ligament repair and more.
• Lawrence E. Donato, Jr., DO, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Orthopedic. Dr. Donato specializes in Sports Medicine. Some of his sports medicine treatments are rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, meniscus surgery and hip arthroscopy.
• Wilford K. Gibson, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Orthopedic. Dr. Gibson specializes in Total Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine. Some of the treatment options performed by Dr. Gibson are total hip and knee replacements, rotator cuff repairs, and knee and shoulder arthroscopy.
• Blake E. Moore, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Orthopedic. Dr. Moore specializes in Foot & Ankle. Ankle replacement, bunion correction, ankle stabilization and ankle arthroscopy are some of the top treatments performed by Dr. Blake Moore.

2026 Top Docs: Surgery—Hand

• Bradley C. Carofino, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Hand. Dr. Carofino specializes in Hand to Shoulder. Dr. Carofino performs the Ream and Run Shoulder Replacement, rotator cuff repairs, and shoulder arthroscopy along with many other hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder treatment options.
• Rachel M. Faber, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Hand and received the Rising Stars designation. Dr. Faber specializes in Hand & Upper Extremity. The Rising Star Top Doc designation is a highly-respected honor given to early-career physicians who are emerging leaders in their medical field.
• Chad R. Manke, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Hand. Dr. Manke specializes in Hand to Shoulder. Dr. Manke performs Anatomic and Reverse Total Shoulder Replacements in addition to thumb and wrist arthroplasty and many other conditions of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder.
• Ryan Ponton, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery-Hand. Dr. Ponton specializes in Hand & Upper Extremity.

2026 Top Docs: Surgery—Oncology

• Luke H. Balsamo, MD, was named a 2026 Top Doc in Surgery—Oncology. Dr. Balsamo specializes in Orthopaedic Oncology and Total Joint Replacement. Dr. Balsamo treats conditions such as metastatic bone disease, bone tumors, soft tissue sarcomas and more. He also performs primary and revision hip and knee replacements.

Specialized Orthopaedic Care in Hampton Roads

Together, our 2026 Coastal Virginia Top Docs represent a broad range of orthopaedic expertise. Their specialties encompass care for arthritis and joint conditions, sports-related injuries, foot and ankle conditions, conditions affecting the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders, and benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors.

Since 1919, Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists has been committed to providing specialized orthopaedic care to patients throughout Hampton Roads. With four convenient locations in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake, our physicians work closely with patients to develop personalized treatment plans designed to reduce pain, restore function and help keep life in motion.

We congratulate our 2026 Coastal Virginia Top Docs and thank our medical colleagues for recognizing their dedication to clinical excellence and compassionate patient care.

To learn more about our physicians and their specialties, visit the Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists physician directory.

To schedule an appointment, call 757-321-3360 or request an appointment online.