Sports Medicine and Shoulder Fellowship
Welcome to the UCSF Sports Medicine and Shoulder Fellowship
Contact Information
UCSF Orthopaedic Institute, 1500 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
(415) 476-6548 FAX: (415) 885-3838 E-Mail: Brad.Stark@ucsf.edu
Duration: 1 year (August 1 to July 31)
Fellowship Positions: 3 (ACGME accredited)
Application Deadline: November 1, 2022 through SF Match
Interview Date: March 12, 2023
The UCSF Sports Medicine and Shoulder Fellowship is accredited by the ACGME, AOSSM and AANA and participates in the San Francisco Match. Prior to the start of fellowship, successful completion of an orthopaedic surgery residency program is required, as is a California state medical license.
All application requirements are listed on the SF Match website.
For any additional questions about our fellowship please contact our Fellowship Coordinator, Brad Stark at Brad.Stark@ucsf.edu or 415-828-6304.
Social Media
- Instagram @ucsfsportsshoulderfellowship
Fellowship Videos
Meet Fellow Hayley Jansson
Meet Fellow Kendall Bradley
Fellowship Introduction
The goal of the UCSF Sports Medicine and Shoulder Fellowship is to provide the best possible training for the next generation of sports medicine surgeons, clinicians, and scientists. The training program benefits from world-renowned core faculty who provide both a high volume and high complexity level of shoulder, knee, hip and elbow cases to elicit the highest operative skills from each fellow while providing mentorship to foster growth as clinicians, researchers and educators.
Our fellows receive an unmatched surgical experience in both core sports medicine cases as well as complex surgeries in the knee (revision ACL, multi-ligament recon, meniscus transplant, osteochondral transplant, cartilage implant, osteotomy, patellar stabilization), shoulder (revision rotator cuff repair/recon, open shoulder stabilization/bone transfer, primary/revision shoulder arthroplasty), hip (arthroscopic osteoplasty, labral repair/recon, endoscopic tendon repair), and elbow (arthroscopic/open repair/recon, Tommy John surgery). We are also one of the few programs that integrates a dedicated pediatric sports medicine experience (including pediatric ACL reconstruction).
We have a diverse team coverage experience. Team coverage during fellowship includes coverage of the San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball team, NCAA Division I sports at Cal Berkeley and the University of San Francisco, football at the local collegiate and high-school levels, and Bay Area marathon/race events.
The research experience during your fellowship is designed to improve your research background as well as train you to better understand orthopaedic research. There are many research opportunities for fellows including clinical outcomes, basic science, biomechanics, advanced imaging, and social sciences.
Perhaps the best element of the fellowship is the close relationship that exists between the faculty and trainees. Education of the fellows and residents is the primary focus of our program and we seek to provide this through a positive collegial relationship. We hope to promote an environment where our fellows continue to communicate with us after graduating and feel comfortable seeking advice as their practices mature.
The fellowship is based at the UCSF Orthopaedic Institute in the new Mission Bay Campus. The Orthopaedic Institute is a state of the art facility with clinic, 6 operating rooms, on site radiology including 3T MRI, physical therapy, orthotics, and the UCSF Human Performance Center. It is within walking distance of subsidized on-campus housing for fellows as well as Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.
If you have questions regarding the fellowship, I encourage you to contact us at sportsfellow@orthosurg.ucsf.edu.
Best regards,
Alan Zhang, MD
Fellowship Director
Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery
Faculty
C. Benjamin Ma, MD. (Professor, Vice Chair-Department of Orthopaedic Surgery)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Fellowship: Hospital for Special Surgery
Clinical Expertise: Shoulder and knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroplasty
Team Coverage: San Francisco Giants, University of California, Berkeley
Brian Feeley, MD (Professor, Chief-Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery)
Residency: UCLA; Fellowship: Hospital for Special Surgery
Clinical Expertise: Shoulder and knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroplasty
Alan Zhang, MD (Associate Professor, Fellowship Director, Director-Hip Preservation)
Residency: UCLA; Fellowship: UCSF
Clinical Expertise: Hip arthroscopy, knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy
Team Coverage: University of San Francisco
Stephanie Wong, MD (Assistant Professor, Associate Fellowship Director)
Residency: UCSF; Fellowship: Rush
Clinical Expertise: Hip arthroscopy, knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy/arthroplasty
Nirav Pandya, MD (Associate Professor, Chief-Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery)
Residency: UPenn; Fellowship: UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital
Clinical Expertise: Pediatric Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy
Drew Lansdown, MD (Assistant Professor)
Residency: UCSF; Fellowship: Rush
Clinical Expertise: Cartilage preservation, meniscus transplantation, patellofemoral pathology, shoulder arthroplasty
Nicholas Colyvas, MD (Professor)
Residency: UCSF; Fellowship: UCSF
Clinical Expertise: Knee and shoulder arthroscopy, meniscus preservation
Elly LaRoque, MD (Professor)
Residency: Stanford; Fellowship: Stanford/SOAR
Clinical Expertise: Knee and shoulder arthroscopy
Sara Edwards MD (Associate Professor)
Residency: Northwestern; Fellowship: Columbia Shoulder and Sports Fellowship
Clinical Expertise: Shoulder and elbow surgery, shoulder arthroplasty, knee arthroscopy
Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana, MD (Assistant Professor)
Residency: UCSF; Fellowship: Harborview Medical Center (Trauma) and Mayo Clinic (Shoulder and Elbow)
Clinical Expertise: Shoulder and elbow surgery/arthroplasty, shoulder and elbow fractures
Ken Akizuki, MD (Head Team Orthopedist- San Francisco Giants)
Residency: St. Mary’s Medical Center; Fellowship: Lennox-Hill
Clinical Expertise: Elbow surgery/arthroscopy, cartilage preservation, knee and shoulder arthroscopy
Team Coverage: San Francisco Giants, University of San Francisco
Fellowship Experience
Fellows will rotate through 3 two-month rotations (twice each). They will be exposed to high-volume practices in both the clinical and surgical settings. In addition to fundamental sports medicine arthroscopy procedures, fellows will experience complex cases in the knee (revision ACL, multi- ligament recon, meniscus transplant, osteochondral transplant, cartilage implantation, osteotomy, patellar stabilization), shoulder (revision rotator cuff repair/reconstruction, open shoulder stabilization/Latarjet procedure, primary/revision shoulder arthroplasty), hip (arthroscopic femoroplasty, acetabuloplasty, labral repair/reconstruction, endoscopic gluteus/hamstring repair), and elbow (arthroscopy, Tommy-John surgery, reconstruction). We are also one of the few programs that integrates a pediatric sports medicine experience (including pediatric ACL recon).
Team Coverage
Team coverage experience includes opportunities to work with the San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball team, NCAA Division I sports at Cal Berkeley and the University of San Francisco, professional soccer with the USL Oakland Roots, football at the local collegiate and high-school levels, and Bay Area marathon/race events.
Research
Extensive research opportunities exist in the fellowship that can prepare fellows for careers in academics or help them become highly competitive applicants for private or hospital-system practices. Opportunities exist in clinical and translational science, as well as basic science, imaging, gait and performance, biomechanics, large dataset mining, and standard reviews.
Current funding for UCSF sports medicine research includes NIH/NIAMS funded studies (NIH P50, R01, R03, and PCORI), as well as funding from the Arthritis Foundation, OREF and AOSSM. Fellows are required to prepare one manuscript based upon original research for publication prior to graduation.
Didactic
UCSF Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds: Held weekly on Wednesday mornings (September through June) with invited guest speakers discussing orthopaedic topics including sports medicine. Sports Core and Indications Conference: Weekly (Monday: 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM)
Journal Club: Monthly
Cadaver Lab: hip, shoulder and knee cadaver labs are held monthly for fellows throughout the year.
Podcast 6-8 Weeks: Perspectives on Sports Medicine: Gearing up for Fellowship Interviews? Join the 6 to 8 Weeks team (Dr.Brian Feeley, Dr.Nirav Pandya and Dr. Drew Lansdown) to learn more about what to look for in fellowships with current UCSF Sports Medicine fellow Dr. Ajay Padaki and UCSF Sports Medicine fellowship director Dr. Alan Zhang.
Current Fellows (2022-2023)
 |
Daniel Goldberg, MD Residency: University of Hawaii Medical School: Albany Medical College |
 |
Matthew Hartwell, MD Residency: Northwestern Medical School: University of Michigan |
 |
Samuel Moulton, MD Residency: Oregon Health and Science University Medical School: Oregon Health and Science University |
Incoming Fellows
Elliot Cole, MD
Residency: Oregon Health and Science University
Medical School: University of Tennessee
Jeffrey Theisman, MD
Residency: University of Minnesota
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Kevin Wang, MD
Residency: Mt. Sinai Medical Center
Medical School: Northwestern University
Fellowship Graduates: Where are they now?
Academic Practice: UCSF, UCLA, University of Minnesota, Duke
Hospital-employed Practice: Kaiser San Francisco, Virginia Mason Medical Center (Seattle), Sutter Gould Medical Foundation (Northern California), Southern California, Hawaii Pacific Health, U.S. Airforce, OrlandoHealth
Private Practice: San Francisco, Minnesota, New Orleans, Miami, Sacramento, Stockton/Northern California, New Jersey
Private Practice with Academic Affiliation: Northwell Health, Northern California- Alpine Orthopaedics
Listen to our podcast with fellowship graduates
Previous Fellows
Rami Alrabaa, MD (2021-2022)
Residency: Residency: Columbia University Medical Center
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Current position: Englewood Orthopaedic Associates, New Jersey
"I feel incredibly blessed to have been a part of the Sports and Shoulder Surgery fellowship at UCSF! I have had the privilege of learning from and building relationships with leaders in the field. No other program compares with the quantity and breadth of cases, case complexity, research opportunities, surgical autonomy, and mentorship. I feel extremely well trained as I completed over 600 surgical cases including complex open shoulder, hip arthroscopy, cartilage, elbow, osteotomies as well as common shoulder and knee cases. Apart from the clinical aspects of the year, being in the San Francisco bay area for a year was an unforgettable experience. It’s no wonder people want to be in the bay area; amazing weather and climate all year long with gorgeous views and great outdoor activities year-round. I am grateful for my experience and mentors at UCSF and I am proud to join the UCSF alumni family. I would choose UCSF Sports & Shoulder Surgery fellowship #1 every time!"
Abhishek Kannan, MD (2021-2022)
Residency: Northwestern Medical Center
Medical School: University of South Florida
Current position: OrlandoHealth, Florida
"My fellowship experience at UCSF has been the best training experience of my career. This is without a doubt one of the best sports medicine fellowships in the country. The large operative volume, variety and complexity of cases, and quality of mentorship at UCSF is unmatched. High volume hip arthroscopy, complex shoulder reconstruction, pediatric sports, and cartilage preservation are major highlights. The faculty are nationally and internationally renowned and include attendings that span various stages of their respective careers, and serve as life-long mentors. This program is especially great for fellows with families, and the Bay Area is a phenomenal place to experience for a year."
Ajay Padaki, MD (2021-2022)
Residency: Columbia University Medical Center
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physician and Surgeons
Current position: Northwell Health, New York, New York
"UCSF has uniquely crafted a sports and shoulder fellowship with an unrivaled education to service ratio. The breadth and complexity of open shoulder cases, hip arthroscopy and complex knee arthroscopy provide the groundwork to shape exceptionally talented and well-rounded surgeons. The palpable commitment of the diverse faculty to train fellows surgically, clinically and academically provides the groundwork to create future surgical leaders. Even in a year impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, I performed more than 600 surgeries, facilitated by the luxury of working in a hyper-efficient orthopaedic surgery center. Combined with this robust volume, the autonomy and investment from the faculty leave a feeling of having completed multiple fellowships in just one year. Lastly, the opportunity to live in San Francisco for a year was unforgettable with trips to Napa, Tahoe, Yosemite, Big Sur and Pebble Beach."
Hayley Jansson, MD (2020-2021)
Residency: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Medical School: USC Keck School of Medicine
Current position: U.S. Air Force- Tuscon, AZ
Kendall Bradley, MD (2020-2021)
Residency: Duke University Medical Center
Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine
Current position: Duke Medical Center- Pediatric Sports Medicine Surgeon
James Friedman, MD (2019-2020)
Residency: University of Pennsylvania
Current Position: Hospital/Private Practice, Stockton, Calif.
“My fellowship year at the UCSF sports medicine and shoulder program has been simply outstanding. The program is well rounded, offering plenty of complex knee, hip, and shoulder sports cases in addition to shoulder arthroplasty and pediatrics. The sports team coverage was fantastic without being overbearing, and the experience working with the SF Giants and attending spring training was unforgettable. The opportunities for research projects are plentiful with both the resources and faculty experience to guide the fellows through any project of interest. However it is the UCSF faculty's warmth, technical depth, and dedication to teaching that makes the UCSF sports medicine and shoulder program stand out. I am leaving this program more than adequately prepared to be a sports surgeon, with mentors and friends that will last far beyond the fellowship year.”
Jae You, MD (2019-2020)
Residency: University of Hawaii
Current Position: Hospital-employed Practice, Honolulu, HI
“My fellowship experience at UCSF has been nothing short of phenomenal. The faculty are extremely knowledgeable, clinically skilled, and personally invested in my education. Their mentorship and guidance throughout the year has been invaluable. UCSF provides fellows with a very unique operative experience with high-volume and hands-on cases. The sports coverage opportunities were diverse including marathons, high school and NCAA Division 1 sports, and the San Francisco Giants. Most importantly, I feel extremely well prepared for practice and I strongly believe UCSF is one of the best sports fellowship programs in the country.”
Edward Cheung, MD (2018-2019)
Residency: UCLA Medical Center
Current Position: Faculty, UCLA Medical Center
“Working with the UCSF sports medicine and shoulder service this year has been an amazing opportunity. The attendings are great mentors and good people who have provided a well rounded, high volume, hands on, high complexity experience with exposure to arthroscopic and open procedures involving the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee. There are endless research opportunities, and working with the San Francisco Giants has been a once in a lifetime experience.”
Jonathan Hodax, MD (2018-2019)
Residency: Brown University Medical Center
Current Position: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA
“Training with the team at UCSF has been a dream come true. We've been able to have a high volume of everything from shoulder arthroplasty to complex knee and hip arthroscopy. It's hard to find a program that will give you all that, plus down time for research and the chance to cover an MLB team like the SF Giants.”
Caitlin Chambers, MD (2017-2018)
Residency: Northwestern University Medical Center
Current Position: Faculty, University of Minnesota/TRIA Sports Medicine
“I firmly believe that UCSF is one of the top sports fellowship programs in the country. The breadth and complexity of cases exceeded my expectations and was matched with a high degree of surgical autonomy. The monthly fellows clinic in particular provided a unique opportunity to independently develop and carry out surgical plans for complex problems. The faculty at UCSF have proven to be phenomenal mentors for my clinical, research, and personal goals and importantly, they have all made it clear that their mentorship role does not end July 31. I strongly recommend the UCSF sports fellowship program without hesitation.”
Emily Monroe, MD (2017-2018)
Residency: Northwestern University Medical Center
Current Position: Private Practice, Alexandria, Minnesota
“I had a fabulous fellowship year that included high level, complex cases spanning the full breadth of arthroscopic hip, knee, and shoulder with a rich shoulder arthroplasty and pediatric experience. I spent the year learning from tremendous faculty that were incredibly knowledgeable and invested in my technical, diagnostic, and personal growth. I feel well prepared for practice with lifelong mentors at my back.”
Marc Ialenti, MD (2016-2017)
Residency: University of Miami
Current Position: Private Practice, Miami, FL
“Throughout my fellowship interviews, I came across many programs characterized by various strengths and weakness. It was not until I interviewed at UCSF that I found an extremely well rounded fellowship that was ideal for my continued training. The high-surgical volume, as well as variety of cases -- especially shoulder arthroplasty and open shoulder procedures -- first piqued my interest in UCSF. Developing and enhancing my surgical skills under the mentorship of leaders in the field of sports medicine who are dedicated to Fellow and Resident education was a major draw for me.
UCSF is unique in providing a pediatric sports medicine rotation, as well as spending time in both the academic and private sector. The program provides sideline coverage of local sports, but does not overburden the fellows with excessive game coverage or travel. This allows ample time to participate in research and enjoy one of the most beautiful cities and regions in the country. Finally, and possibly most importantly, the current and former fellows loved their fellowship experience and being part of the UCSF family. In the end, UCSF was the program that provided the most well rounded fellowship under the guidance of some of the best mentors in the country.”
Michael Leathers, MD (2016-2017)
Residency: UCLA
Current Position: Private Practice, Sacramento, Calif.
“I used very specific criteria in my sports medicine fellowship search. I was interested in academic centers because they are the referral centers for complex cases and revisions, but still offer the bread and butter sports medicine experience. I also wanted a fellowship that offered a variety of cases, which include hip scopes and shoulder arthroplasty, to provide me with broad set of skills. A program with strong leaders and mentors was also a must. A fellowship that includes residents is also a positive as I feel teaching in the clinic and operative room provides a learning experience that is mutually beneficial. The UCSF Sports Medicine fellowship made the decision very easy as it excels in all of the qualities listed above. UCSF is a well-known academic center and has numerous research opportunities, providing the skill set to go into academic positions in the future. Its location in a large dynamic city also offers an endless number of activities outside the hospital, which is an added bonus. Another unique feature is a pediatric sports medicine rotation which again increases the case variety and speaks to the breadth of the program. Lastly, when speaking with former fellows and current UCSF residents, all spoke positively of the sports medicine department.”
David Ding, MD (2015-2016)
Residency: New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases
Current Position: Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco
“When I was searching for a sports fellowship, I encountered plenty of exceptional programs but all had trade offs between location and program quality. With UCSF, there is no compromise -- it has the best of both. Sure, the weather is a bit cold in the summer and there are a few hills to walk up in San Francisco but its location can’t be matched for outdoor lovers. Beaches, mountains, wine country, etc are just a short day trip away. As for the program, the new facilities immediately gave a good impression but most importantly, the combination of academics, research power, comprehensive hands-on operative exposure, and great mentorship is unmatched -- it made selecting UCSF for Sports Fellowship a very simple choice.”
Joey LaMartina, MD (2015-16)
Residency: Boston University Medical Center
Current Position: Private Practice, New Orleans
“Having completed a sports medicine fellowship at UCSF, I leave with no regrets about making UCSF my top choice for fellowship. The facilities were phenomenal, making for a pleasant place to work. The case volume and variety were well beyond sufficient in providing me with all the confidence I need to take on both open and arthroscopic cases about the knee and shoulder, and the hip arthroscopy experience added an extra element of training that I will certainly put to use in clinical practice. I also chose UCSF for the unique open shoulder experience it offered, and it undoubtedly delivered a great mix of primary, revision and reverse shoulder cases.
That said, the most valuable feature of the UCSF orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship is the faculty. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable, approachable, and clinically skilled, but they are a great group of role models who treat you as both a colleague and a member of the UCSF family. As a group, they work incredibly well as a team and continue to improve all facets of the department. With the recent addition of a second accredited fellowship spot and the incorporation of pediatric sports medicine training, this program continues to strengthen and place itself on the level of the best programs in the country.”