What patients are saying
Overall rating
4.86
Average wait time
4.78
Bedside manner
4.90
“Excellent doctor: knowledgeable, great bedside manner, took his time to answer questions and come up with a plan for next steps. Highly recommend.”
Lara M.January 15, 2026
“He diagnosed me right away and was able to give me a cortisone shot on the spot to help heal my wrist. ”
Christina N.August 12, 2025
About Dr. Luke Nicholson
Luke Nicholson, MD, is an assistant professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University and completed his internship and residency in orthopedic surgery at Los Angeles County+University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr. Nicholson further specialized with a fellowship in hand surgery at Duke University.
As an orthopaedic hand surgeon, he focuses on the treatment of hand and wrist injuries, arthritis, and post-traumatic reconstruction. His philosophy is to treat each patient with the same care and commitment he would give a family member, striving to understand each patient's unique condition to select the optimal course of treatment. He is dedicated to using the best available scientific evidence and technology to provide the highest quality care in a compassionate, relatable manner.
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In-network insurances
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UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare Oxford
Areas of expertise
This doctor's experience enhances their expertise in similar cases. Below are the conditions or surgeries they treat most frequently.
Joint or tendon inflammation of the finger/wrist/hand
Carpal tunnel & related syndromes
Fracture/dislocation treatment arm/wrist/hand
Joint or tendon inflammation of the finger/wrist/hand
Carpal tunnel & related syndromes
Fracture/dislocation treatment arm/wrist/hand
Office locations
Keck Medicine of USC - Health Sciences Campus (1 of 2)
1520 San Pablo St, Ste 2000, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Keck Medicine of USC - Beverly Hills 360 (2 of 2)
9033 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 360, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
1 of 2
Education and background
Practice names
Hospital affiliations
- Keck Hospital of USC
- USC Norris Cancer Hospital
Board certifications
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Surgery of the Hand (American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery)
Education and training
- Medical School - Tufts University, Doctor of Medicine
- Duke University, Fellowship in Hand Surgery
- Los Angeles County+University of Southern California Medical Center, Residency in Orthopedic Surgery
- Los Angeles County+University of Southern California Medical Center, Internship in Orthopedic Surgery
Awards and publications
- Proximal Radius Fractures in Children J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2019 Oct 01
- Wrist-Spanning Fixation of Radiocarpal Dislocation: A Cadaveric Assessment of Ulnar Translation Hand (N Y). 2019 Sep 13
- Redefining Zone II: Anatomy of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Insertion Hand (N Y). 2019 May
- Risk of Knee Sepsis After Treatment of Open Tibia Fractures: A Multicenter Comparison of Suprapatellar and Infrapatellar Approaches J Orthop Trauma. 2018
- Use of a Defined Surgical Approach for the Debridement of Open Tibia Fractures J Orthop Trauma. 2018 Jan
Languages spoken
- English
Provider's gender
Male
NPI number
1558771576
Patient reviews
All reviews have been submitted by patients after interacting with the practice.
Overall rating
4.86
Wait time
4.78
Bedside manner
4.90
Your trust is our top concern, so providers can't pay to alter or remove reviews. We also don't publish reviews that contain any private patient health information. Learn more here
147 reviews
Most relevant
So glad to have met Dr. Nicholson. I look forward to seeing him again and a potential surgery.
March 2, 2026Charles S.Verified patient
He diagnosed me right away and was able to give me a cortisone shot on the spot to help heal my wrist.
August 12, 2025Christina N.Verified patient
Just a fantastic doctor and very friendly office. Highly recommended
March 23, 2026Elizabeth W.Verified patient
Great experience with Dr Nicholson - easy visit, was seen quickly, listened to my concerns and offered advice.
December 9, 2024Lauren G.Verified patient
Such a wonderful staff! The Dr. has a great bedside manner and showed so much care and support throughout this entire visit.
July 17, 2023Vicki L.Verified patient
The office was spotless. The staff is so nice and friendly and Dr. Nicholson saw me right away. His bedside manner is great.
June 8, 2022Nicole P.Verified patient
No wait! Staff not only got me in right away then once I got in the exam room there was no wait.
November 25, 2024Greg Y.Verified patient
I had a male nurse that was a little condescending when I didn’t get a medical term correct.
More than 1 year agoInitials hidden
The visit waiting time, receptionist, staff, doctor Luke Nicholson and his assistant doctor were top professionals.
May 8, 2023Vasken S.Verified patient
Very friendly staff. Physician was efficient, knowledgeable and had great bedside manner. I would recommend to anyone
April 14, 2021Lisa Z.Verified patient
very impressive and bright doctor. I appreciated his conservative approach to the ailment that I presented.
June 21, 2023John M.Verified patient
Dr. Nicholson is very respectful and patience he answers any and all questions I had. He explains everything clearly.
More than 1 year agoBT
Excellent and knowledgeable and able to explain the situation and treatment in a clear and concise way.
More than 1 year agoSharon S.Verified patient
Luke was great, extremely thorough and polite, would recommend everyone to visit this office 10/10.
July 20, 2020Dmitry K.Verified patient
Dr. Nicholson was pleasant, knowledgeable, empathetic and just all around a great experience.
August 25, 2022Sharese V.Verified patient
The Doctor was GREAT. Very knowledgeable and able to explain my issues in a clear
January 30, 2024Rosemary M.Verified patient
I always have great visits- the doctors, nurses, and staff are always receptive and thorough.
More than 1 year agoRS
Professional, cares about his patients, and isn't stacking patients so that he's in a rush
November 24, 2021Kyle S.Verified patientVideo visit
Dr. N. had a positive attitude and was clear with his language. Felt heard and supported!
More than 1 year agoJoslyn C.Verified patient
Everyone from the Dr. himself to the staff made me feel so comfortable & calm!!!
November 2, 2022Ariana C.Verified patient
He was excellent. Knowledgeable, attentive, and caring.
October 23, 2024Emily G.Verified patient
Highly recommended doctor! Very professional and friendly. Don’t think twice!
June 1, 2022Binyamin I.Verified patient
Excellent doctor: knowledgeable, great bedside manner, took his time to answer questions and come up with a plan for next steps. Highly recommend.
January 15, 2026Lara M.Verified patient
A fantastic visit! I wish all healthcare appointments were as smooth and efficient as my visit with Dr. Nicholson. I had an X-ray and all my questions answered regarding my hand injury in just 30min. The office was clean and the staff was very knowledge. Only high regards from me!
June 18, 2025Jeffrey W.Verified patient
Wonderful doctor and staff!
January 27, 2025Initials hidden
Dr. And Studio, very professional nice people
January 22, 2025Mattia B.Verified patient
Dr. Nicholson and his staff were all incredibly attentive and patient with me. It was a great experience for an unexpected injury. I would absolutely return and recommend him to anyone who needs an orthopedic doctor.
August 22, 2024Joanna B.Verified patient
My experience is always amazing - friendly staff - super caring. This is the best hand surgeon in SoCal! First choice every time something goes wrong with my hands.
July 29, 2024Chelsea C.Verified patient
I've seen Dr. Nicholson before and my most recent visit is consistent with previous. Dr. Nicholson is a good listener by allowing me to go into details about my issue; he answered my questions and clearly explained what was causing my pain. He was straight-forward, explained to me my options and gave me his recommendation, which I agreed to. I also do want to note that his staff member Patricia (Patty) who initially met with me & came back to do the prep work was very professional and helped ease my anxiety - kudos to the Keck USC team that took care of me!! Thank you.
October 23, 2023Abelardo D.Verified patient
He was smart, efficient, trustworthy, his people were lovely to speak with. I was treated with kindness and respect. He explained my situation to me clearly and I felt cared for -
This has been my experience with every doctor I have seen at USC Keck.
Good medicine!
October 16, 2023Initials hidden
We really enjoyed our experience even though it was a huge hospital we felt the personal touch in being taken ca of, thank you to all who made our day.
July 25, 2023Johanna T.Verified patient
Terrible. The doctor did missed multiple fractures in my x rays and then told me to "decide what i wanted to do"....he did not recommend any at home care or talked about long term effects that I am currently dealing and trying to treat with other doctors....on top of all this their billing department made a "mistake" and tried shaking me down for a lot more than I owed. When I confronted them. They had nothing to do but to drop the outstanding charges.
May 7, 2023Juan P.Verified patient
Horrible doctor. Spent 2 min with me and was basically leaving my treatment up to me when he’s the dr. Super careless and cold
March 20, 2023Olivia R.Verified patient
Dr. Nicholson is awesome, saw him on a Monday and I am all ready for surgery on a Thursday of the same week...thank you Dr. Luke.
March 7, 2023Jesse A.Verified patient
Dr. Nicholson was very nice and listened to my injury history and concerns about my pain. He provided a quick assessment and answered questions I had on how to continue rehabbing on my own. Overall a great interaction!
February 13, 2023Erica P.Verified patient
I got the information needed and great care. I was given honest, detailed information and options. I was given real expectations. Dr. N has a great attitude. He also was very knowledgeable. He seems to truly care about the wellbeing of his patients. I would recommend him.
November 10, 2022Philip B.Verified patient
Very professional doctor !
October 10, 2022Natalya B.Verified patient
Super nice staff. My original appt had to be rescheduled to accommodate a change in the doctors schedule- which wasn’t a big deal; but he did acknowledge that and thanked me for my flexibility.
I was seen as soon as I checked in- and was treated on same visit.
Really nice people all around.
September 7, 2022Initials hidden
highly recommend
More than 1 year agoInitials hidden
Great doctor! Solved my problem in one visit.
January 25, 2022Alon S.Verified patient
Great Doctor. Was in good hands (get it).
August 26, 2021Mitchell S.Verified patient
Dr. Nicolson was very informative. I never felt rushed. He listened very patiently and we worked together towards a good treatment plan. A credit to his profession.
July 2, 2021Hrag K.Verified patient
Dr. Nicholson is a talented surgeon who cares about his patients and has a great bedside manner. He is conservative in his approach yet doesn’t demand a plethora of expensive tests to make a diagnosis. I would highly recommend him to anyone in need of a hand specialist.
April 26, 2021Lauren A.Verified patient
Except for a wait of about 15 mins and shuttling to several spaces because of Covid restrictions, l was very happy with the service of Dr Nicholson ie his explanations and treatment
February 24, 2021Bernard M.Verified patient
I had a great overall experience with Dr Nicholson and his office staff. There was no wait time. All my questions were graciously answered and I felt the staff and office was very Covid safe. Dr Nicholson had a great demeanor, considerate of my concerns and reassuring in his treatment plan. I would highly recommend Dr Nicholson.
More than 1 year agoAlyssa L.Verified patient
One of the best Drs in LA very professional and answers all your questions,he really listened to all of your concerns and puts his patients first.
Strongly recommend!!
More than 1 year agoJoseph J.Verified patient
Dr Nicholson was attentive and listened to my issue without rushing me. He promptly sent me for x-rays and then followed up with a cortisone shot and plan of treatment. He discussed his diagnosis and we viewed the x-rays and he answered all of my questions in detail. I was in and out of the office in about an hour. Based mon this experience, I would highly recommend Dr Nicholson.
More than 1 year agoJulia C.Verified patient
I had a great experience with Dr Nicholson. I went to him for carpal tunnel symptoms and ended up having the release surgery in both wrists. He explained everything clearly and thoroughly and was straightforward about the tradeoffs and diagnosis. Appointments were easy to schedule with short wait times in the office. The surgery process at the Keck USC hospital was very well managed and the results have been great.
More than 1 year agoInitials hidden
Dr. Nicholson was really nice. Even though it ended up being that he didn't specialize in what I needed, he was happy to accommodate me and put me in the right direction. The office staff were friendly and the office was clean.
More than 1 year agoInitials hidden
Very attentive & answered my questions.
More than 1 year agoEO
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Generally, Dr. Luke Nicholson has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Dr. Nicholson's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.
Is Dr. Luke Nicholson accepting new patients?
Dr. Luke Nicholson generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Dr. Nicholson's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.
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Yes, you can make an appointment online with Dr. Nicholson using Zocdoc. It’s simple, secure, and free.
Which hospital is Dr. Luke Nicholson affiliated with?
Dr. Luke Nicholson is affiliated with Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital.
What practice does Dr. Luke Nicholson work with?
Where is Dr. Luke Nicholson's office located?
Dr. Luke Nicholson has 2 office locations, including in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, view full addresses on Dr. Nicholson's profile.
Which board certifications does Dr. Luke Nicholson have?
Dr. Luke Nicholson is certified by American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgery of the Hand (American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery).
What are common reasons for patients to see Dr. Luke Nicholson?
Dr. Luke Nicholson frequently sees patients for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Hand Problems, Hand Surgery Consultation, Sports Injury, and Wrist Pain. You can see other visit reasons for Dr. Luke Nicholson on their profile.
What languages does Dr. Luke Nicholson speak?
Dr. Luke Nicholson speaks English.
How do patients rate Dr. Luke Nicholson in reviews?
147 patients have reviewed Dr. Luke Nicholson. The overall rating for this doctor is 4.86/5. They have a 4.9/5 rating for bedside manner and a 4.78/5 rating for wait time. You can read individual reviews and ratings on their profile.