Sports Medicine

Sports Medicine

The Division of Sports Medicine in Emergency Medicine at UCLA consists of Drs. Vanessa Franco, MD PhD, and Derek Altema, MD.  We are both Emergency Medicine-trained physicians with a fellowship in Sports Medicine.  In addition to practicing Emergency Medicine, we both practice Sports Medicine and non-operative Orthopaedics at UCLA, with a particular expertise in Acute Care Orthopaedics.  We are committed to optimizing the Orthopaedic training of Emergency Medicine residency at UCLA.  Residents may rotate with us through an elective tailored to the individual's area of interest, whether that be honing physical exam skills, reading X-rays, splinting, or creating an independent project.  We also maintain a 2-year Orthopaedic curriculum embedded within the core Emergency Medicine residency conferences.  For residents interested in pursuing a Sports Medicine fellowship, we lead a Sports Medicine track to provide more in-depth guidance and training.  We are currently involved in collaborative research projects with the department of Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA, focused on the optimal management of Orthopaedic injuries in the Emergency Department.  Ultimately, we aim for UCLA's Emergency Departments to become renowned for establishing and optimizing the care of patients with Orthopaedic injuries, through research and collaborative efforts with our Orthopaedic Surgery colleagues.