Attendees of the 2025 Western Region OREF Resident Research Symposium gathered at UCSF’s Mission Bay Conference Center on Sept. 24 to share innovative orthopedic research. Residents and presenters represented the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), San Francisco Orthopaedic Residency Program, Stanford University, UCSF Health St. Mary's, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, San Diego, and University of California, San Francisco. (Photo: UCSF Department of Orthopedic Surgery)
Award-winning research spanned ACL reconstruction, meniscus tears, soft tissue sarcoma, fracture repair, and joint arthroplasty, highlighting innovative advances across orthopedic specialties.
San Francisco — Sept. 24, 2025 — The UCSF Department of Orthopedic Surgery hosted the 2025 Western Region Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) Resident Research Symposium today at the Mission Bay Conference Center, bringing together more than 90 orthopedic residents, faculty, and guests from across the Western region to share innovative research advancing musculoskeletal care.
The symposium opened with a welcome from UCSF Department Chair C. Benjamin Ma, MD, and remarks from Lee Grossman, MBA, ML, CAE, CEO of OREF.
Resident research presentations spanned multiple specialties, including sports medicine, arthroplasty, spine, oncology, hand, pediatrics, and trauma. Sessions were scored by a panel of distinguished judges: Kevin G. Shea, MD (Stanford University), Lauren Shapiro, MD (UCSF), and Ishaan Swarup, MD (UCSF). The day concluded with a keynote address by Dr. Shea on pediatric knee dissection and evolutions in clinical practice, followed by a Q&A session, closing remarks, and the awards presentation.
Award winners included:
- 1st Place: Comparison of Retear Rates and All-Cause Reoperation Rates in Pediatric and Adolescent ACL Reconstructions Using Bone Patellar Tendon and Quadriceps Tendon Grafts — Kyla Petrie, MD, UCSF
- 2nd Place: Shorter Relative Patellar Defect Length after Bone Patellar Tendon Bone Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Is Associated With Better Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes at One-Year Follow-Up? — Grant Schroeder, MD, Stanford University
- 2nd Place (tie): Predictive Factors of Having a Second UBC Related Pathologic Fracture — Mathangi Sridharan, MD, UCLA
- 3rd Place: Combined Root and Body (CRAB) Lateral Meniscus Tears in the Adolescent Population: An Underrecognized and Underreported Tear Pattern — Karch M. Smith, MD, University of California, San Diego
- 3rd Place (tie): Osteoarthritis and Total Joint Arthroplasty in Housing Insecure Patients at a Safety-Net Hospital in a Major Urban City — Kelechi Nwachuku, MD, UCSF
- 3rd Place (tie): Navigated and Robotic Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) Do Not Confer Improved 5-Year Survivorship Compared to Conventional TKA: An Analysis from the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) — Alexa K. Pius, MD, Stanford University
- Presenter’s Choice: Characteristics and Recurrence Risk of Upper Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma — Nicole J. Newman-Hung, MD, UCLA
- Presenter’s Choice (tie): Osteochondral Autograft From the Proximal Tibiofibular Joint for Reconstruction of Acute Tibial Plateau Fractures With Severe Chondral Defects — Oliver Dong, MD, UCSF Health St. Mary’s Hospital
"It’s inspiring to see the next generation of orthopedic surgeons tackling complex musculoskeletal challenges through rigorous research," said Dr. Ma. "These projects not only advance our understanding of orthopedic care but also help shape the future of our field. We are grateful to OREF for supporting this symposium and allowing UCSF to host such an important event."
This year, the symposium was represented by participants from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), San Francisco Orthopaedic Residency Program, Stanford University, UCSF Health St. Mary's, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, San Diego, and University of California, San Francisco.
About OREF
Founded in 1955, OREF is a donor-supported organization dedicated to improving patient care through independent musculoskeletal research and fostering the development of new investigators. The Western Region Resident Research Symposium provides a platform for residents to present their work, receive feedback from peers and faculty, and advance their academic careers.
###
