Thomas William Stylski, DPM

My passion for treating foot and ankle deformities was ignited early in life from two different sources. One, I grew up dancing so foot health was always a priority of mine to continue doing what I love on the stage for 14 years. Two, I also grew up with a younger sister born with clubfoot, there I witnessed firsthand the transformative impact podiatry can have, especially in pediatric cases. These personal experiences sparked a deep-seated interest in foot and ankle deformities, motivating me to pursue a career focused on helping children and their families overcome such challenges. During my training and education in podiatric medicine and surgery I grew to find immense satisfaction in restoring mobility, function and quality of life to patients of all ages. It was in training where I learned to value patient education. I believe that healthcare is a team effort between patient and provider where treatments are made based off informed medical decision making and evidenced based medicine. Beyond the clinic, I love spending time with my husband and our dogs. I specifically enjoy dark chocolate, dancing, and playing a variety of games with family and friends.

I grew up in the footsteps of my father, a physician who dedicated his whole life to helping others. My father always organized charities and projects to provide free medical care to the ill and homeless in India. As a child, I always accompanied him during these events. I had the chance to see first-hand how grateful and relieved people are to receive genuine care. I also had the privilege of seeing the difference good medical care could bring to the lives of those in need. Seeing his dedication inspired me to carry on his tradition of helping others. I strive to continue learning so that I can provide medical care to the best of my abilities. My father always said, Because everyone lives for themselves, its living for others that really counts. I want to be able to live this statement, and the best way I knew I could do that is with this career path I have chosen. For me, patient care is the most important aspect of what I do on a daily basis. I believe there are two methods of caring and providing treatment. One is where the treatment is dictated and the second is where the patient and their family are actively involved in their treatment and care plan. I believe in educating my patients about their pathology and how their problem can be both resolved and prevented from returning. It is important to me that I listen to my patients, understand their needs, treat them with care and use the best evidence-based medicine. It is easier said than performed, but I believe that a good doctor is not the one who puts their patient on medications but rather a doctor who takes them off their medications. I strive to practice with this kind of mindset. I enjoy working with athletes and sports-related medicine. This is partly because I was always involved in playing sports and being outdoors while growing up. I feel like I can relate to my patients' injuries better when they come from the playground. I also trained heavily on foot and ankle surgery related to trauma and sports medicine, which deepened my love for the field. Athletes always have the ambition and the determination to get back to their game, which motivates me and makes me enjoy helping them even more. While I am not at work, I enjoy spending my time with family and friends. We usually like to go on hiking trips or out on a river for canoeing. I enjoy going on biking trails on a calm road. I also enjoy weightlifting, and I consider the gym as my temple. I love to explore new places, different parts of the world and trying new cuisine with the company of loved ones. If I had to pick one location as my happy place, I would definitely have to choose an island somewhere in the Caribbean.

I am a native of Virginia, MN and have lived in North Carolina since 1997. I chose to become a doctor because I felt the best way I could help and build my community was through healthcare. My philosophy of care is to never give up on a patient. We continue to work with our patients to get them back to pain-free ambulation. We approach patients as a whole individual, not just their foot and ankle. My areas of clinical interest are sports medicine and the surgical treatment of the foot and ankle. Outside of work, I like to fish, golf and spend time at my cabin. I have a wife and two sons.