Airell Nygaard, MD, grew up in the Midwest, studied medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas, and completed his residency in orthopedics at the University of Colorado Medical Center. Following his training, Dr. Nygaard started an orthopedic group in Denver, Colorado, where he practiced for 22 years before moving to Sonora. He also served as a team physician for the Denver Nuggets for seven years. Dr. Nygaard has a special interest in artificial joint replacement and has performed over 3,000 hip, knee, and shoulder joint replacements. Dr. Nygaard moved to Sonora in 2002 and enjoys the rural lifestyle he’s found here. He and his wife raise alpacas and focus on improving the quality of their breeding stock and wonderful fiber they produce.