Area’s top orthopaedists come together to provide specialized care to famous and not-so-famous athletes
SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 4, 2012) — Some of San Antonio’s best orthopaedic physicians – who specialize in sports medicine surgery, patient care and rehabilitation – are joining forces under the new UT Medicine Sports Medicine Institute.
This collaboration brings together faculty from UT Medicine San Antonio, which is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, with physicians from Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio.
Sports Medicine Associates is famous in town for serving as the official doctors to the San Antonio Spurs, San Antonio Rampage, San Antonio Silver Stars, San Antonio Missions baseball club, and area collegiate athletic teams.
Robert Quinn, M.D., chair of the Department of Orthopaedics, said the new collaboration is bringing together the best and the brightest to care for athletes from the Spurs to college football players to student athletes of all ages.
“The institute helps us share our strengths and knowledge. By doing so, we can provide doctors in training from the Health Science Center the opportunity to learn from a vast array of sports medicine specialists. Our residents and medical students will attain invaluable knowledge in sports medicine as they help care for professional and non-professional athletes,” he said.
Matthew Murray, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon and an assistant clinical professor of orthopaedic sports medicine surgery, said doctors at Sports Medicine Associates are the most well-known orthopaedists in town.
“They have established their practice as the go-to place for sports injuries in this area. We will have them as consultants and teachers for our students. Our sports medicine fellows and residents will be working with Dr. (David R.) Schmidt and his colleagues. Our students will receive a more comprehensive experience in sports medicine,” Dr. Murray said.
He calls the new institute an “umbrella for people who need accessible and readily available care. Both entities already have state-of-the-art equipment, MRIs and physical therapy equipment.”
David R. Schmidt, M.D., an orthopaedic knee surgeon with Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio, hails the collaboration as a win-win for all involved.
“This will substantially improve the sports medicine experience for residents and fellows who are studying orthopaedics at the Health Science Center. They will learn from all the doctors involved. In the end, this collaboration will result in better trained sports medicine doctors throughout this area,” said Dr. Schmidt, who received his medical degree and completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the Health Science Center.
Ralph Curtis, M.D., an orthopaedic shoulder surgeon with Sports Medicine Associates who also received his medical degree and completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the Health Science Center, said it is great to be able to give back to the university by working with the residents and fellows.
“This collaboration is Dr. Quinn’s brainstorm. He is right on the money. It is a wonderful way to better train the residents and fellows. The collaboration will allow them to gain experience in sports medicine on all levels. Usually, they do not have this opportunity when they are working at University Hospital where they see primarily trauma patients,” he said.
The UT Medicine Sports Medicine Institute will create first-class sports medicine training and patient care in the San Antonio area, Dr. Curtis added.
Patients treated as part of the new institute will be seen at the Sports Medicine Associates’ offices at 21 Spurs Lane in the medical center and at 5921 Broadway in Alamo Heights as well as UT Medicine’s orthopaedics clinic on the third floor of the Medical Arts & Research Center, 8300 Floyd Curl Drive.
To schedule an appointment at UT Medicine, call 210-450-9300. To schedule an appointment with Sports Medicine Associates, call 210-699-8326.
UT Medicine San Antonio is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. With more than 700 doctors – all School of Medicine faculty – UT Medicine is the largest medical practice in Central and South Texas. Expertise is in more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. Primary care doctors and specialists see patients in private practice at UT Medicine’s flagship clinical home, the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC), located at 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio 78229. Most major health plans are accepted, and UT Medicine physicians also practice at several local and regional hospitals. Call (210) 450-9000 to schedule an appointment, or visit www.UTMedicine.org for a list of clinics and phone numbers.