Michael M. Karch, MDOrthopedic Surgeon | Innovator | AI & Ethics Thought Leader
Dr. Michael Karch is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in robotic and computer-navigated hip and knee replacement. He is the co-founder of the Mammoth Orthopedic Institute and Research Foundation 501c3 located in Mammoth Lakes, California, where he also serves as faculty for the orthopedic fellowship program. He holds an academic appointment as Adjunct Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Georgetown University and the University of Nevada School of Medicine.
A medical innovator, entrepreneur, and inventor, Dr. Karch holds multiple patents and is the co-inventor of the Smart Drill and SteriTools technologies. He is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Brava.Health, where his work focuses on the development of intelligent, longitudinal, and human-centered healthcare systems. He has completed advanced studies in artificial intelligence through the Harvard Business Analytics Program, Harvard Medical School, and MIT, with an emphasis on machine learning and the responsible integration of intelligent systems into healthcare. Dr. Karch also serves as a consultant to Visie Technologies, a 3D spatial computing and physical AI platform for robotic and navigated surgery; a clinical advisor to NatureUP, a digital platform designed to connect people with nature and promote healthier lifestyles; and a consultant to DePuy Synthes, including its VELYS robotic-assisted solutions for hip and knee replacement.
Dr. Karch is the author of the bestselling book, The Paradox of Progress: The Roses and Thorns of Artificial Intelligence, a globally informed exploration of technology ethics. His research, writing and publications focus on the convergence of Artificial Intelligence, surgical innovation, human ethics, and business strategy advocating for globally responsible design in digital health. His next book, The Paradox of Care: Why More Intelligent Machines Require Us to Design More Human Medicine explores how the rise of artificial intelligence challenges us not simply to make healthcare more intelligent, but to deliberately design systems that preserve what makes medicine fundamentally human, is due for publication in 2027.
He was one of the first physicians on-site at Ground Zero following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and has since led forward surgical teams in conflict zones and disaster areas around the world. As co-founder of the non-profit Mammoth Medical Missions, he has deployed medical teams to underserved regions across the globe. His humanitarian work has been recognized by U.S. Presidents, the United Nations, and multiple foreign governments.
A lifelong endurance athlete, Dr. Karch has been a team physician for the United States Ski Team for 20 years. He has completed 59 marathons, a solo, unsupported multi-day ultra run—across the John Muir Trail and is a two-time finisher of the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon across Death Valley, often regarded as the toughest human endurance footrace on earth.
He lives in Mammoth Lakes, California, with his wife Kim and their three adult children
