David Thom, DPM

Dr. David Thom, DPM, is a podiatric surgeon at OrthoIllinois, a division of OrthoMidwest. His early interest in health care was inspired by the mentorship of his childhood best friend’s father, an emergency medicine physician, and his best friend himself. Their guidance and support continued throughout his higher education and medical training, beginning with his pre-medicine studies at Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

During his sophomore year of college, Dr. Thom was further influenced in his career path through the opportunity to shadow a fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon. This experience introduced him to the field of podiatry, which had previously been unfamiliar to him. Through interactions with various podiatrists, he became intrigued by the specialty and was drawn to its balance between clinical, non-operative care and surgical corrective procedures.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, Dr. Thom attended the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, where he graduated third in his class of 84 students. He then completed his residency training at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, where he had the opportunity to assist OrthoIllinois podiatrist Dr. Giovanni Incandela, further advancing his clinical and surgical skills.

Currently, Dr. Thom provides both conservative and surgical treatments for a wide variety of foot and ankle conditions and injuries at OrthoIllinois. He has a particular interest in the management of foot structural deformities, including bunions, hammertoes, osteoarthritis, metatarsalgia, low arches, and high arches. In addition, he specializes in soft tissue-based pathologies of the foot and ankle such as tendon ruptures and injuries, ligament injuries, and plantar fasciitis.

Dr. Thom is committed to establishing strong communication with his patients, especially when discussing surgical treatment options. He strives to ensure that each patient receives the highest level of care and leaves each visit with a comprehensive understanding of their condition and the available treatment options.

Personal Interests

Outside of his medical practice, Dr. Thom enjoys DIY and renovation projects, working with tools, and engaging in technology-based activities such as building computers. He also participates in outdoor activities including winter snowboarding and summer golfing.