Wide-awake hand surgery
Certain hand procedures can be done under local anaesthetic with no general anaesthesia, no sedation and no pre-operative testing — you stay awake, and often go home sooner.
Shoulder to fingertip · adults & children · Orange County
Emily Clarke, MD is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand and upper extremity surgery — every part of the limb from the shoulder to the fingertips, in both children and adults. She grew up in Laguna Niguel and completed her fellowship at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center.
No appointment needed — you can also just walk in during clinic hours.
Most PPO and HMO plans and Medicare accepted. Second opinions welcome.
Training & honors
Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha at USC. Administrative Chief Resident at UC Irvine. Fellowship at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center — then home to Orange County, where she grew up.
Fellowship
Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center
Hand surgery · one of the leading specialty centers in the world
Residency
UC Irvine
Orthopedic surgery · elected Administrative Chief Resident
Medical school
Keck School of Medicine, USC
Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
Undergraduate
UCLA
B.S., Physiological Science
Certification
Board certified
Orthopaedic surgery, with hand and upper extremity fellowship training
Home
Laguna Niguel
Grew up in south Orange County and returned to practice here
3
Years in practice since completing her hand surgery fellowship
AΩA
Alpha Omega Alpha — the honor society for top-performing medical students nationally
Chief
Elected Administrative Chief Resident, UC Irvine orthopedic surgery
Local
Raised in Laguna Niguel and back serving the community she grew up in
Meet your surgeon
Dr. Clarke did her undergraduate degree at UCLA and her medical degree across town at USC — briefly, as she puts it, a person divided — before returning to Orange County for residency at UC Irvine and again to practice in the community she grew up in. She believes in individualized treatment, built around each patient’s own goals and interests.
Emily Clarke, MDHand & Upper Extremity Surgery
Certain hand procedures can be done under local anaesthetic with no general anaesthesia, no sedation and no pre-operative testing — you stay awake, and often go home sooner.
Specialized training across hand, wrist and elbow, plus considerable experience with shoulder replacement — so a problem does not get handed off partway up the arm.
Dr. Clarke grew up in Laguna Niguel and chose to come back. Her patients are her neighbours.
What Dr. Clarke treats
All facets of upper extremity surgery, in both children and adults.
How a visit works
Step one
No appointment needed. Walk in to the office nearest you during clinic hours, or request a time online if you prefer.
Step two
You are examined in person, your imaging is reviewed with you on the screen, and you get a straight answer about what is going on.
Step three
You go home knowing your options in order — what to try first, what to try next, and what surgery would involve if it ever came to that.
Find us
Dr. Clarke sees patients at the OrthoWest offices on Brookhurst Street in Fountain Valley and Katella Avenue in Los Alamitos.
Fountain Valley
18785 Brookhurst Street, Suite 100Text this office
(714) 500-5056Before you come in
No. You can walk in during clinic hours, Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. You can also request a time online if you would rather plan ahead.
Not always. Many PPO plans let you schedule directly. Some HMO plans do require a referral — text the office and we will check your plan with you before you come in.
A photo ID, your insurance card, a list of your medications, and any imaging you have already had — X-rays, MRI or CT on a disc or through a patient portal.
Most PPO and HMO plans and Medicare. If you are unsure about your plan, text the office and we will verify your coverage before your visit.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for sudden severe pain, loss of strength or numbness, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Those need emergency evaluation, not an office visit.
Stop working around the pain
Request an appointment with Dr. Clarke online, or text the office nearest you.
Second opinions welcome. Most PPO, HMO and Medicare plans accepted.