Tyler Ehrke, MD
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Green Bay, WI
Member Since: 2025
Why did you join AAOS?
I joined AAOS to follow in the footsteps of the surgeons I admire most and learn from the path they have already forged. The more people I meet in this community, the more inspired I am to grow into the surgeon they have helped shape me to be and, one day, to give that same mentorship back to the next generation.
What are you looking forward to most about AAOS?
Someone once told me, “It’s not the tests you take, but the hands you shake that will get you the farthest.” As I transition from medical school into residency, I’m most looking forward to building relationships with people across the orthopaedic community, learning from their experiences, and finding ways to contribute along the way. AAOS is the perfect place to do that.
What interested you about orthopaedics?
What drew me to orthopaedics was the combination of problem-solving and tangible impact. Before medical school, I spent two years working in a busy orthopaedic practice. I watched patients come in unable to use an arm or leg and return weeks later doing the things they had been missing. Seeing that transformation firsthand showed me how uniquely rewarding it is to restore function. I love that an orthopaedic surgeon can take a complicated problem, understand the mechanics behind it, and then use their hands to restore something a patient needs to live their life. Seeing a problem and being able to fix it almost immediately, helping patients regain function and get their life back, is what ultimately hooked me.
What's the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
Someone close to me once said, “What a privilege it is to be tired from work you once begged for.” Medical school and residency demand a lot, but when the days get long, I try to remember that I’m living the opportunity I once prayed for. That perspective makes the hard days worthwhile, and I try not to lose sight of that or take it for granted.
What's your go-to productivity trick?
I’m a big believer in “out of sight, out of mind,” so I don’t keep social media apps on my phone. If I want to check Instagram, I have to redownload it and log back in. The extra few steps are usually enough to talk myself out of it. I’m also a fan of the Forest app for focused, phone-free work.
What's one thing you're currently trying to make a habit?
I grew up reading books like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and lately I've been getting back into reading for leisure instead of scrolling on my phone, whether that's audiobooks or newer novels like Red Rising.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I love anything that keeps me moving or gives me a little competition. I lift weights, run, golf, bike, snowboard, and occasionally rock climb. I also love trying new restaurants, playing chess, and getting outside whenever I can.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
I grew up with parents who worked for the airlines, so I was lucky enough to fly standby and travel the world from a young age. I took my first solo flight at five years old. Some favorites have been Portugal, South Korea, and Honduras. Standby wasn’t always glamorous, though. Once, we packed for Hawaii and ended up stranded in Vancouver!