Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship

Visit program website.

Program Leadership:
C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Department Chair
Nicolas Hatamiya, DO, Program Director

Program Contact:
William Dunbar, Fellowship Coordinator

Address:
UCSF Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program
School of Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
500 Parnassus Avenue, MU-320 W
San Francisco, CA 94143

Phone:
415-502-2579

Program Description

Introduction

Our ACGME accredited program provides comprehensive training in Primary Care Sports Medicine.  We focus on excellence in patient care, clinical research, teaching, and community advocacy and outreach with the goal of training the future leaders in sports medicine.

The program has a strong group of clinical faculty from diverse backgrounds, specialties, and training.  We provide coverage to a wide variety of athletes including professional soccer, NCAA Division I through Cal, professional ballet and theatre, high school, adaptive sports, and mass participation events. Our fellow works as part of a multidisciplinary team which includes consulting physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, sports nutritionists, strength and conditioning specialists, orthotists & prosthetists, and psychologists throughout our core clinical training sites in the Bay Area.  We also offer robust ultrasound experience, well-rounded educational didactics, support for scholarly activity, and multiple teaching opportunities

We currently accept one Family Medicine candidate each year. 

Educational Program (Basic Curriculum)

Our curriculum focuses on providing a broad spectrum of knowledge for diagnosis and treatment of exercise and sports related injuries, as well as illnesses in patients of all ages and abilities. This includes prevention, evaluation, management, and rehabilitation of injuries, as well as the effects of disease on exercise and the use of exercise in the treatment and prevention of medical problems. Our fellows become skilled in the uses and limitations of imaging and other procedures in diagnosing and treating these problems and are competent in properly using and/or prescribing physical therapy, massage, manipulations, therapeutic injections, imaging, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and sub-specialty consultation in the management of these problems. In a group practice with family physician and other primary care doctors, the fellow will also serve as a consultant for a wide range of musculoskeletal and exercise-related problems.

Sample Schedule:

Sample Program Curriculum

Types of Rotations and Educational Activities

Longitudinal & Continuity Clinics

  • 2-3 half-days per week devoted to providing Primary Care Sports Medicine (pediatric and adult)
  • 2-3 half-days per week devoted to providing Division I Intercollegiate athlete care and college health center urgent care for both medical and MSK issues
  • 1 half-day per week devoted to providing Family Medicine
  • 1 half-day per week with high school athletes/training room
  • 1 half-day per week of academic time

Elective Rotations/Clinics/Didactics (2 half-days 2 per week devoted to elective rotations)

  • Orthopaedic Sports Medicine including surgical observation
  • Orthopaedic Hand/Upper Extremity
  • Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle
  • Non-operative Orthopaedic Spine (Physiatry)
  • Orthopaedic Pediatric Sports Medicine including pediatric fracture clinic, cast and splint application, pediatric/adolescent surgical cases
  • Rheumatology
  • Neurology
  • Multidisciplinary Concussion Management: Neuropsychology, Optometry, and Neurology
  • Sports Psychology/Psychiatry
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Sports Cardiology
  • Skeletal Bone Health
  • Orthotics and Prosthetics
  • Physical Therapy
  • Exercise Physiology & Biomechanics (UCSF Human Performance Center)
  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Physical Therapy

Ultrasound Curriculum

Our musculoskeletal ultrasound curriculum follows the AMSSM guidelines for sports medicine fellowships. Our fellow becomes proficient at diagnostic ultrasound of the 6 major body regions (shoulder, elbow, hand/wrist, hip, knee, ankle/foot) as well as common ultrasound-guided injections and procedures. A breadth of procedural opportunities is available, which includes joint injections, tendon sheath injections, nerve-blocks, hydro dissections, prolotherapy, platelet rich plasma, and Tenex. Advanced topics in ultrasound (brachial plexus, abdominal wall, peripheral nerves, etc) is also available if the fellow is interested.

The curriculum is structured around dedicated monthly, hands-on didactics (more is available if the fellow is interested) and regular scanning practice with faculty. Cadaver labs have also been available for the fellow to practice more advanced injections and scans.

Our fellow will be issued a handheld Butterfly iQ ultrasound to use during the year and will have access to an ultrasound unit at nearly every clinical site.

By the end of fellowship, the fellow should have the knowledge to teach ultrasound at a national conference if the opportunity arises.

Scholarly Activity

UCSF offers a wealth of academic resources to support scholarly inquiry. Our fellow completes a research project and/or book chapter/case report/review article intended for presentation and/or publication. One half-day per week is dedicated towards scholarly activity. Further research support is provided by our primary care sports medicine research faculty mentors and by attending monthly research meetings. In prior years, fellows have presented at national conferences and been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Event Coverage Experience

Our fellowship program offers a variety of coverage experiences at multiple levels, including high school, NCAA Division 1 intercollegiate athletics, professional sports, ballet/dance, and mass participation sporting events.  Our fellow learns the skills needed to serve as a team physician for a wide variety of sporting disciplines at varying levels.  The fellow will work closely with orthopedic surgeon specialists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, coaches, nutritionists, psychologists, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health care professionals in providing comprehensive care for athletes.

The fellow will gain valuable learning opportunities through coverage of:

  • UC Berkeley (Cal) NCAA Division 1 school providing care to elite collegiate athletes in 27 varsity sports including football and rugby.
  • High school athletics (Lowell High School)
  • Oakland Roots USL Professional Soccer
  • Oakland Soul Women’s USL Soccer Team
  • Marathons, triathlon and cycling events
  • Community dance/ballet
  • Adaptive sports event coverage
  • Community events: mass participation PPEs for local high schools with cardiac screening

We are proud that our fellowship program has been asked to assist with sports medicine care of elite athletes at the international stage.  Our prior fellows have been involved with:

  • Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) “Wubble” in Bradenton, FL (July 2020) – Fellow, Dr. Ginger Cupit
  • International Surf Association’s World Para Surfing Championships in Pismo Beach, CA (December 2021) – Fellow, Dr. Pete DeJong 
  • International Surf Association’s World Surfing Championships in Huntington Beach, CA (September 2022) – Fellow, Dr. Ryan Wei
  • International Surf Association's World Para Surfing Championships in Huntington Beach, CA (October 2023) - Fellow, Dr. Frances Tao

Didactics & Conferences

Core Didactics

Primary Care Sports Medicine Noon Conference Series: this weekly series reviews core topics in primary care sports medicine (see list below) from UCSF faculty and invited speakers throughout the nation.  Conference attendees include primary care sports medicine attendings from around the greater Northern California area, other primary care sports medicine fellowship programs, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and registered dieticians.  The fellow will be responsible for also presenting at this conference throughout the year with journal clubs and case conferences.

Orthopaedic Sports Core/Indications: this weekly meeting is collaborative between Primary Care Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Sports Surgery and MSK Radiology. Challenging musculoskeletal cases are presented at the Ortho Sports Indications conference, coordinated with imaging findings.  Didactic lectures are also presented during these meetings, followed by a journal article review and discussion.

UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds: these occur weekly and include varying topics in Orthopaedic Surgery with invited speakers from UCSF and other institutions.  There are also lecture focused on faculty development and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The fellow is expected to attend lectures on relevant topic areas.

Research Meeting: each month the fellow can attend the sports research meeting where faculty, fellows and research assistants present their research projects to the group. This is a great way for the fellow receive feedback/support for their academic projects.

Ultrasound Didactics: we have a robust ultrasound curriculum which includes monthly dedicated hands-on instruction (more is available if the fellow is interested) and regular scanning practice with faculty.  Fellows have also attended cadaver labs to practice more complicated scans and injections.  More in-depth information can be found by reviewing our ultrasound curriculum.

PCSM Fellow Didactic Lecture + Workshop Topics

Conferences

The fellow gains valuable experience attending various conferences throughout the year both regionally and nationally.  A set amount of CME funding is provided to the fellow each year to help with some costs.  These conferences can include:

  • American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) Fellow’s Research & Leadership Conference
  • AMSSM Annual Meeting
  • UCSF Inman Abbott Society Conference
  • American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting (optional)
  • Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) conference (optional)

The fellow also serves as a lecturer for continuing education courses hosted by UCSF:

  • UCSF Primary Care Sports Medicine Conference (December)
  • UCSF Pediatric Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Conference (March)

Instructors and Resources

The UCSF PCSM Fellowship Program has a wealth of clinical and research faculty distributed throughout UCSF and its associated hospitals listed below. Education within the program and supervision of trainees are the focus of the majority of the faculty.

Teaching Staff

Core Primary Care Sports Medicine Faculty at UCSF

  • Nicolas Hatamiya, D.O. (Family Medicine/Sports Medicine)
  • Cindy J. Chang, M.D. (Family Medicine/Sports Medicine)
  • Anthony Luke, M.D., MPH (Family Medicine/Sports Medicine
  • Carlin Senter, M.D. (Internal Medicine/Sports Medicine)
  • William A. Berrigan, M.D., RMSK (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Sports Medicine)
  • Faustine Ramirez, M.D., RMSK (Pediatrics/Sports Medicine)
  • Tyler Padgett, D.O. (Core Family & Community Medicine)

Primary Care Sports Medicine Faculty at UC Berkeley

  • Lindsay Huston, M.D. (Family Medicine/Sports Medicine)
  • Amy White Hockenbrock, M.D. (Family Medicine/Sports Medicine)
  • Logan Danielson, D.O.  (Family Medicine/Sports Medicine)
  • Matthew Lynch, M.D. (Internal Medicine/Sports Medicine)

Additional Primary Care Sports Medicine Faculty

  • Celina de Borja, M.D. (Pediatrics/Sports Medicine)
  • Rhonda Watkins, M.D., MPH (Pediatrics/Sports Medicine)
  • Zachary Bailowitz M.D. (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation/Sports Medicine)