SAN FRANCISCO (Dec. 16, 2023) -- The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the UCSF School of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of C. Benjamin Ma, MD, as Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, effective January 1, 2024. We would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Peter Sokolove, MD, for their work in considering an exceptional pool of candidates for this role. We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to Rosanna Wustrack, MD, who assumed the role of Acting Chair of the Department in July 2023, when Thomas (Tad) Vail, MD retired and stepped down, after serving in the role since 2007.
Dr. Ma, a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery since 2003, led the Division of Sports Medicine and Shoulder surgery from 2007-2019, growing the faculty fourfold and earning recognition in clinical practice, locally and internationally. As an Orthopaedic Surgeon on the Sports Medicine Service at UCSF, Dr. Ma specializes in diagnosing and caring for patients with sports medicine injuries, including arthroscopic shoulder surgeries to repair rotator cuff tears and ligament instability, shoulder replacements, knee ligament reconstruction, and procedures to address meniscus and other cartilage injuries.
In 2018, Dr. Ma assumed the position of Vice Chair of Adult Clinical Operations in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, overseeing the operation and growth of adult clinical services both at the University and outlying clinics. In 2020, Dr. Ma was appointed as the Surgical Director at the UCSF Mount Zion campus, and began to reorganize the perioperative structure and support of all surgical services. With the creation of new workflows and efficiency measures to monitor surgical practice and improved usage of surgical resources, the Department experienced significant clinical growth, the ability to provide specialty focused care and improve patient outcomes, and an increase in physician and staff satisfaction.
Dr. Ma’s research focuses on improving the outcomes following soft tissue musculoskeletal injuries. His translational research has received funding from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Cartilage Initiative and a P30 and P50 program grant from the NIH. Dr. Ma is one of the founding members of the MOON (Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network) Shoulder group. His division currently participates in studies with the MOON shoulder and the MARS (Multicenter ACL revision surgery) groups, whose work was awarded the prestigious Charles Neer Award – the top research award for shoulder and elbow surgery – three times, the O’Donoghue Award, and the Kappa Delta Award. Dr. Ma has been elected to be a standing member of the NIH AMSC Study section – an opportunity to review and critique future clinical trials regarding the care of musculoskeletal injuries, and in 2022, he was appointed as the Research Chair of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He currently serves on the board of the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine and the editorial board of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Dr. Ma is also a long-time member of the Department’s Resident Education and Selection Committee, and has served as the Director for the Residents Core lecture series for ten years, during which time the core curriculum and teaching methods were significantly advanced. In addition, he has mentored more than 30 residents who have pursued fellowships in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery, and more than 70 residents and fellows on their research and career choices. Dr. Ma, a native from Hong Kong, has worked with the Department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, helping recruit and hire diverse faculty members and residents, and resulting in the Department’s receipt of the inaugural Carl L. Nelson Award for the Advancement of Women in Orthopaedics.
Dr. Ma’s history of exceptional clinical care and research, devotion to mentoring and supporting future leaders in musculoskeletal care, and commitment to diversity and equity in the field, position him well to lead the UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as they work to pioneer musculoskeletal discovery and innovative care to transform lives.
