Victoria Brander M.D.

Dr. Brander is a board certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM & R) specialist. Throughout her extensive academic, clinical and research career, Dr. Brander has helped patients achieve their physical potential through rehabilitation and pain management; she has a special focus on arthritis, musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders, hypermobility syndromes, and joint replacement issues. Dr. Brander is regularly recognized by Top Doctors and Best Doctors in America.

Academically, Dr Brander serves as Associate Clinical Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.  She holds several international visiting Professorships.

An award-winning researcher, Dr. Brander has received the prestigious Knee Society Award, twice, for her work in pain after knee replacement. Dr. Brander received the Academy of PM & R’s 2008 President Citation for outstanding research and the Foundation for PM&R’s 2008 Research Paper of the Year. 

Dr. Brander has held leadership roles in a variety of national organizations, including serving on the Arthritis Foundation’s Board of Directors and as President of the Illinois State Society of PM & R. She has authored numerous publications.  With co-authors Ron Allen and S. David Stulberg, Dr Brander wrote a well-reviewed consumer focused book on arthritis, Arthritis of the Hip and Knee: The Active Person's Guide to Taking Charge. Dr. Brander was invited as the rehabilitation expert to the National Institutes of Health’s Consensus Conference on total hip arthroplasty. She is a regular contributor to TV and print media.

In addition to these accomplishments, Dr. Brander devotes significant time and energy to medical humanitarian work. With David Stulberg MD, Dr. Brander co-founded and directs Operation Walk Chicago, a medical not for profit service organization that performs free hip and knee replacement surgeries for underserved patients throughout the world.  Operation Walk Chicago partners with hospitals in low-resource communities to establish joint replacement programs. In recognition of her humanitarian service, Dr Brander was honored with the “Unsung Heroes of Compassion” Award by His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

Dr. Brander was born and raised in Chicago. She and her husband, Bill, who is also a physician, met as undergraduates at Northwestern. Married for over thirty years, they have three adult children.