Dr James McLean

Dr James McLean

PhD, MS, MBBS, FRACS (Ortho), FAOrthA Orthopaedic Surgeon

general information

Dr James McLean

PhD, MS, MBBS, FRACS (Ortho), FAOrthA Orthopaedic Surgeon

general information

Dr James McLean is an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in shoulder & upper limb surgery, with a particular interest in joint replacement and minimally-invasive arthroscopic (key-hole) surgery of the shoulder, elbow, wrist & hand.

Specialising in
  • Elbow
  • Hand
  • Shoulder
  • Wrist
Dr James McLean manages patient conditions associated with arthritis, trauma & sports injuries; & has a special interest in shoulder arthritis & rotator cuff disease.

Dr McLean has trained locally and internationally, including two clinical fellowships at the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) & University of British Columbia (Canada). An important part of his practice is committed to the development of new methods of diagnosis & treatment, as well as research into improving patient outcomes following surgery. His ongoing contributions to orthopaedic literature have seen him co-author several book chapters on upper limb conditions, publish numerous research papers in peer-reviewed journals, and accept several accolades, including ‘best paper’ awards, research grants & research scholarships.

Specialising in

  • Elbow Hand Shoulder
  • Wrist

Consulting / Operating Locations

Additional Information

In addition to consulting from four of Orthopaedics SA’s metropolitan locations, Dr McLean complements his private practice with clinics at the Royal Adelaide Hospital; where he holds clinical & academic appointments through the University of Adelaide. He is also an active Australian Defence Force Reservist. Through these commitments, Dr McLean maintains a high standard of personal & professional fulfilment, as well as being a devoted husband and father of two young boys.

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis: The establishment of an automated, electronic data-collection system for the purpose of qualifying, evaluating and improving post-operative surgical outcomes and evidence-based surgery
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • Master of Surgery (MS)
    Thesis: An Anatomical Basis for the Management of Complex Wrist Injuries
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS)
    Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Melbourne, Australia
  • Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association (FAOrthA)
    Australian Orthopaedic Association, Sydney, Australia
  • Queen’s Commission 2nd Lieutenant
    Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, Australia
  • Diploma of Personnel and Operations Management
    Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, Australia
  • Diploma of Government (Management)
    Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, Australia
  • Certificate IV in Business (Frontline Management)
    Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, Australia
  • Clinical Fellowship – shoulder & Elbow Surgery
    University of Cambridge NHS Foundation Trust – Addenbrooke’s Hospital
    Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Clinical Fellowship – Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery 
    University of British Columbia – St Paul’s Hospital & Vancouver Upper Limb Centre
    British Columbia, Canada
  • Research Fellowship – RACS Foundation W. G. Norman Research Fellowship
    University of Adelaide – Royal Adelaide Hospital
    Adelaide, Australia
  • Surgical Education Training (SET) Programme – Orthopaedic Surgery
    Royal Australasian College of Surgeons / Australian Orthopaedic Association
  • Basic Surgical Training (BST) Programme
    Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
  • Early Management of Severe Burns
  • Early Management of Severe Trauma course
  • RACS Australian Surgical Skills Education and Training course
  • RACS Basic Surgical Examination
  • RACS Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient course
  • RACS Clinical Surgery Examination
  • RACS Critical Literature Evaluation & Research course
  • RACS Mastering Professional Interactions Workshop
  • RACS Orthopaedic Principles & Basic Science examination
  • RACS Professional Development for Registrars
  • RACS Risk Minimisation & Stress Management for Surgeons
  • RACS Statistics for Surgeons Workshop
  • Radiation Safety Course
  • University of Adelaide – Anatomy Course for Surgical Trainees
  • University of Otago – Dunedin Basic Medical Sciences Course
  • Internship
    Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
  • Medical School
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
    Orthopaedics SA, Adelaide, Australia
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
    Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

Teaching appointments

  • Senior Clinical Lecturer
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence
    University of Adelaide, 2019
  • R.J. Bauze Prize“Best Paper” Normal Population Reference Values for the DASH, PRWHE and Mayo Wrist Scores
    Australian Orthopaedic Association – SA, 2017
  • RACS Foundation W G Norman Research Fellowship – $60,000
    Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
  • Arthritis Australia/Zimmer Orthopaedic Fellowship Scholarship – $55,000
    Arthritis Foundation of Australia
  • Modbury Hospital Research Grant – $40,000
    Industry Research Grant
  • Faculty of Health Sciences Divisional Scholarship – $20,000
    University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • Modbury Hospital Research Grant – $12,000
    Modbury Public Hospital Foundation
  • Keith Doddridge Prize – Best paper – $500
    Lunate Type as a Predictor For Cable Augmented Modified Brunelli Procedure
    South Australian Hand Surgery Society
  • Keith Doddridge Prize – Best paper – $500
    Influence of Lunate Type on Row and Column Scaphoid Kinematics
    South Australian Hand Surgery Society
  • Scaphoid Anatomy
    Adam C Watts, James M McLean, Quentin Fogg, Gregory I Bain
    In: The Scaphoid. Editor Slutsky DJ & Slade JF III, New York: Thieme; 2011:3-10
  • Reconstruction techniques for fractures of the proximal ulna and radial head
    James M. McLean , George S. Athwal, Parham Daneshvar
    In: Essential Techniques in Elbow Surgery. Editors: Samuel Antuña & Raul Barco.
    Cham, Germany: Springer International Publishing AG. 2016: 59-86.
  • Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Values in Asymptomatic and Arthritic  Cohorts
    Raymond W Yu, James M. Mclean, Jasvir Bahl, Lucian B. Solomon
    Orthopedics; 2019 Mar 1;42(2):e216-e224.
  • Varus Posteromedial Rotatory Instability of the Elbow: Injury Pattern and Surgical Experience of 27 Acute Consecutive Surgical Patients
    James M. McLean, Michael Kempston, Jeffrey J. Pike, Tom. J. Goetz, Parham Daneshvar, Journal of Orthopedic Trauma; 2018 Dec;32(12):e469-e474.
  • Asymptomatic reference values for the Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand and Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation – electronic data collection and its clinical implications
    James M. McLean, Afsana P. Hasan, Jake Willet, Matthew Jennings, Kimberly Brown, Laura Jennings, Tom Goetz, Journal of Hand Surgery (Eu); 2018 Nov;43(9):988-993.
  • Asymptomatic population reference values for three knee patient-reported outcomes measures: evaluation of an electronic data collection system and implications for future international, multi-centre cohort studies
    James M. McLean, Oscar Brumby‑Rendell, Ryan Lisle, Jacob Brazier, Kieran Dunn, Tiffany Gill, Catherine L. Hill, Daniel Mandziak, Jordan Leith, Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery; 2018; 138(5): 611-621.
  • Varus Posteromedial Rotatory Instability of the Elbow: Injury Pattern and Surgical Experience of 27 Acute Consecutive Surgical Patients
    Parham Daneshvar, Tom Goetz, Jeff Pike, Michael Kempston, James M McLean, Zafeiria Glaris. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma; in press.
  • HOOS and WOMAC values in Asymptomatic and Arthritic Cohorts – Implications for Longitudinal Cohort Studies
    Raymond W Yu, James M Mclean, Jasvir Bahl, Lucian B Solomon. Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery; in press.
  • Smartphone Applications for the Evaluation of Pathological Shoulder Range of Motion and Shoulder Scores – A Comparative Study
    Kevyn Mejia Hernandez, Angela Chang, Nathan Eardley-Harris, Jaarsma Ruurd, Tiffany Gill, James M McLean, Journal of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery (open access); 2018; 2(1); 109-114.
  • An International, Multi-Center Cohort Study Comparing Six Shoulder Clinical Scores in a Normal, Asymptomatic Population
    James M. McLean    , Daniel Awwad, Ryan Lisle, James Besanko, Donald Shivakkumar, Jordan Leith. Journal of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery; 2018; 27(2): 306-314.
  • Asymptomatic Population Reference Values for the DASH Questionnaire and PRWHE – Electronic Data Collection and its Implications For Clinical Practice
    James M. McLean    , Afsana Hasan, Jake Willet, Matthew Jennings, Kimberley Brown, Laura Goodwins, Tom Goetz. J Hand Surgery; 2018; 43(9) 988–993.
  • Rekonstruktion des Ligamentum scapholunatum durch Quad-Ligament-Tenodese mit FCR-Sehnenstreifen
    GI Bain, AC Watts, James M. McLean.  Handchirurgie Scan 5: 01; 31-31.
  • Normal Population Reference Values for the Oxford and Harris Hip Scores – Electronic Data Collection and its Implications For Clinical Practice
    James M McLean    , Jacob Cappelletto, Jock Clarnette, Catherine Hill, Tiffany Gill, Daniel Mandziak, Jordan Leith. Hip International. 2017; 27: 3; 311-412.
  • Reconstruction of the ligamentum scapholunatum by quad-ligament tenodesis with FCR tendon strips 
    Gregory I. Bain, Adam C. Watts, James M. McLean, Hand Surgery Scan. 2016; 5: 1; 31-31.
  • Joint Consideration: Rehabilitation considerations when managing post-operative orthopaedic patients
    James M McLean    . Sports Physio; 2016: 3: 10-13.
  • Cable-augmented, Quad Ligament Tenodesis Scapholunate Reconstruction
    Gregory I Bain, Adam C Watts, James M McLean , Yu C Lee, Kevin Eng, J Wrist Surg. 2015; 4: 246–251.
  • Australian Hand Surgery Society (AHSS)
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
  • Australasian Orthopaedic Trauma Society (AOTS)
  • Australian Medical Association (AMA)
  • Australasian Military Medicine Association (AMMA)
  • Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA)
  • Australian Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ASOS)
  • International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS)
  • Medical Insurance Group Australia (MIGA)
  • Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
  • Shoulder & Elbow Society (SESA)
  • South Australian Hand Surgery Society (SAHSS)
  • University of Adelaide Alumni (UAA)
  • Research Coordinator
    Regional Training Committee – South Australia / Northern Territory Australian Orthopaedic Association Ltd
  • Regional Research Coordinator – South Australia / Northern Territory
    Research Coordinators Committee
    Australian Orthopaedic Association Ltd
  • President
    South Australian Orthopaedic Registrars Association (2013)
  • South Australian Orthopaedic Trainee Representative
    South Australian SA Training Committee (2011-12)
  • South Australian Trainee Representative
    Australian Orthopaedic Registrar’s Association (2011-12)
  • Treasurer
    South Australian Orthopaedic Registrar’s Association (2010-11)
  • Committee Member
    Royal Adelaide Hospital RMO Society (2006-7)
  • Intern Representative
    Royal Adelaide Hospital RMO Working Committee (2005)

Articles by Dr James McLean

Dr James McLean

Dr James McLean

Dr James McLean

Dr James McLean