About Donald Kephart, MD

Dr. Donald T. Kephart joined the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of California San Francisco in 2023. He specializes in treating the musculoskeletal manifestations of neuromuscular diseases, pediatric fractures and infections, as well as general pediatric orthopaedic conditions. He has a special interest in caring for children with cerebral palsy, and he is an advocate for a patient-centered approach, collaborating closely with families to optimize care. 

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Kephart is an avid researcher, with a particular focus on the utilization of technology to analyze children's gait patterns. Notably, he co-authored a study on neuraxial anesthesia for post-operative pain control after hip surgery in children with cerebral palsy. Dr. Kephart also has a passion for mentoring and teaching to actively contribute to the growth and development of future healthcare professionals. 

An East Bay native, Eagle Scout, and a graduate of Acalanes High School, he earned his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH where he was a Division I football (starting 36 games as a kick-off specialist) and track & field athlete (putting the shot and throwing the discus.). During his college summers, he worked in Upstate New York as a counselor at the Double H Ranch, a residential summer camp for children with special medical needs, sparking his interest in caring for children. Subsequently, he achieved his medical degree from the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Kephart then completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, followed by a clinical fellowship in pediatric orthopaedic surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. 

As a UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery faculty member based primarily out of Children's Hospital of Oakland,  Dr. Kephart will see patients at the Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Clinics in Oakland and Walnut Creek, at the Cerebral Palsy & Neuromuscular Disease Clinic in Oakland. Additionally, he will hold occasional continuity clinics for adults with Cerebral Palsy in San Francisco.