About Dr. Gibson

Dr. Thomas Whitney Gibson, “Whitney” started his interest in orthopaedics after sustaining multiple injuries in high school and college.  He was Captain of his high school football, wrestling and gymnastic teams in Danville, PA.  As a 4 year starter in high school and placing 4th in states, he was offered a spot on the Army wrestling team at West Point, NY.  It was there that he lettered and Captained the Army Blackknight wrestling team his senior year in 1984. During his time as a Cadet, he completed his Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA in 1982.  After graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, he served as a Graduate Assistant Wrestling Coach and as an officer in the US Army Air Defense Artillery Branch.  

After medical school, he served a transitional internship year at William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) in El Paso, TX. The following two years he served as an Army Aviation Flight Surgeon at Fort Bragg, NC. In 1999, he finished his Orthopaedic Residency at WBAMC, El Paso, TX and was then stationed as a staff orthopaedic surgeon back at Fort Bragg, NC. He spent two overseas tours during his career, 3 months in Haiti in September 1994 and 7 months in Camp Eagle Base, Tuzla during the peace keeping mission (KFOR) after the war in Kosovo.   Upon his return, he finished his Pediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship at the Greenville Shriners Hospital for Children in 2003. Dr. Gibson then finished his 20 year career as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Medical Corps while serving as the Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Eisenhower Army Medical Center Orthopaedic Residency Program.  During his time at Fort Gordon, GA, he traveled to Ft. Bragg, NC, Ft. Benning GA and Ft Stewart, GA on a regular basis to serve the needs of the children of the Army families. 

Upon retirement from the military in 2008, he was fortunate to serve the next 6 years as a staff Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Shriners Hospital for Children-Greenville, SC.   His military training was mostly sports related and he gained tremendous experience in arthroscopy.  Under the guidance of Dr. Jon Davids, he combined his arthroscopy skills and training in Pediatric Orthopaedics to spearhead an underserved pediatric orthopaedic sports program while at the Shriners Hospital.  It was there that he performed an arthroscopic assisted reduction for DDH on the youngest reported child (4 months old) in the world.  Additionally, he has performed over 50 cases of patella dislocations (MPFL reconstructions), at least 20 physeal sparing ACL knee reconstructions, shoulder, ankle, elbow and hip arthroscopies on children from ages 2-18. Although his time at the Shriners Hospital has been extremely satisfying, successful and humbling, his interest in returning to his Georgia roots were to hard to pass.  The need for a full time Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon in Columbus, GA was established by POA over the last several years and therefore, Dr. Gibson was honored to accept the challenge to begin his relationship with POA as a full time staff Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon in Columbus, GA. 

Dr. Gibson is married to Mary Elizabeth Gibson and has a son, Clark and a daughter, Lizzie.  Whitney enjoys all sporting activities, exercising and road bicycling.  He participated in the Tough Mudder competition in Washington, GA in 2013.

Dr. Gibson's Presentations and Activities

Pediatric ACL.  Shriners Hospitals for Children Pediatric Lecture Series,  Greenville, South Carolina,  June 15, 2010

Pediatric ACL.  Shriners Hospitals for Children Pediatric Lecture Series,  Greenville, South Carolina,  May 1, 2012

Dr. Gibson's Publications

Osborn EJ, Davids JR, Leffler LC, Gibson TW, Pugh LI.  Central Polydactyly of the Foot:  Surgical Management with Plantar and Dorsal Advancement Flaps.   J Pediatr Orthop.  2013 Sep 15.

Davids JR, Gibson TW, Pugh LI, Hardin JW.  Proximal Femoral Geometry Before and After Varus Rotational Osteotomy In Children With Cerebral Palsy And Neuromuscular Hip Dysplasia.  Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics (accepted 6/12)

Harrison BK, Abell BE, Gibson TW.  The Thessaly test for detection of meniscal tears:  Validation of a new physical examination technique for primary care medicine.  Clin J Sports Med 19(1):9-12, 2009.