Biography

After a 10 year career in Physical Therapy, Dr. Sawyer received her M.S. in Human Physiology and her M.D. from the University of California, Davis. Upon completion of her Orthopaedic Surgery residency at Stanford University, she pursued dual fellowship training in Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery and Paediatric/Adolescent Sports Medicine, both at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Orthopaedic program.  In her clinical practice, she combines her expertise in physical therapy and exercise physiology with her medical and surgical skills to provide comprehensive musculoskeletal care.

Throughout her career, Dr. Sawyer has maintained a strong research interest in improving "bone health across the life span" which is supported by her role as Adjunct Clinical Scientist at Children's Hospital of Oakland Research Institute and Director of the Pediatric Bone Health Consortium. At UCSF she is developing a multidisciplinary Skeletal Health Service, addressing bone health from pediatrics to geriatrics.  In addition to this work, she is also focused on improving functional capacity and healthcare through device innovation and digital health technology. Dr. Sawyer is an active participant in the UCSF Pediatric Device Consortium, Center for Assisted Technology, and is the Associate Director for Digital Health Initiatives in Biomedical Informatics of CTSI at UCSF.

Dr. Sawyer’s decade long interest in digital health began in 2001 when she directed the implementation and customization of an EMR system in a large orthopaedic surgery practice in northern California.  Since 2007, as ‘Expedition Medic’ for world record ocean rowers, she has evaluated multiple remote sensing and communication systems and coined the phrase “Satellite Medicine”.  This experience led to collaboration with Archinoetics to develop a wearable body sensor network (WEAR HUB) which is designed to assess real-life physical demands and physiologic responses.  Since joining UCSF in 2008 Dr. Sawyer has participated in digital health development by serving on the UCSF Prop 1D Telemedicine Steering Committee in 2010 and currently serves on the IT governance task forces for telemedicine/videoconferencing, web-based/ mobile technology, and social networking/collaboration.

For the past 2 years she participated in the Specialty Care Safety Net Initiative Telemedicine Program. Dr. Sawyer is the UCSF representative to the CTSA TElemed, TeleheAlth, &Mhealth ('TEAM') TSIG committee.   Working with Dr. Pierre Theodore she has developed a HIPAA compliant, web-based collaboration technology for multidisciplinary management of complex patients. In 2011 she joined Dr. Ida Sim as Co-Director of the CTSI mHealth grants program.

Career

• 2009 - Present, Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California San Francisco, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
• 2005 - Present, Adjunct Clinical Scientist, Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA
• 2000 - Present, Medical Staff Member, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, San Ramon, CA
• 2003 - 2009, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Private Practice
• 2000 - 2003, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Webster Orthopaedic Medical Group, San Ramon, CA
• 1977 - 1990, Physical therapist and Director of Physical Therapy Department, Sutter Health Systems

Education

• 1972 - 1975: Undergraduate Studies, Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
• 1977: BS, Physical Therapy, Califonia State University, Fresno, CA
• 1989: MS, Human Physiology, University of California, Davis, CA
• 1993: MD, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine
• 1993 - 1994, General Surgery Internship, Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, CA
• 1993 - 1999, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, CA
• 1999 - 2000, Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital and Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Program, Boston, MA
• 1999 - 2000, Fellowship in Sports Medicine, Children's Hospital and Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Program, Boston, MA

Publications

"Optimal Management of the Fragility Fracture Patient"

State of California California

Osteoporosis Prevention and Education Project, State Guidelines Chair of steering committee to draft guidelines, completed 2006

Mind your T's and T's, J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2003; 85: 1390-1391

Preoperative Planning Technique to Minimize Leg Length Discrepancy Following Total Hip Arthroplasty-a review of 30 cases, Journal of Arthroplasty, February 1999

Calcaneal Ultrasound Measurements in Healthy US Youth, -Journal of Clinical Densitometry, vol. 4, no. 2, 111-120

Book Chapters:

Bone Densitometry in Growing Patients: Clinical Guidelines

Textbook: Humana Publishing/ Springer -Verlag 2006 Sawyer, Bachrach, Fung

Chief Editor and Chapter Author

Presentations

INTERNATIONAL:

3rd International Children's Bone Health Conference, Sorrento, Italy, Pediatric DXA Guidelines, Chair 2005

International Rheumatology Network, 2/03, Surgical Intervention for Vertebral Compression Fractures

NATIONAL

American Academy of Pediatric, Annual Meeting 2007, Pediatric Bone Health, Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness

FORUM Women's Orthopaedic Society Meeting 1/07, ACL Injury Prevention Research

USDA FSNEP Annual Meeting, Keynote Address, Bone Health Across the Lifespan 2006

Zimmer National Meeting for Orthopaedic Residents and Surgeons 2001-2004, Computerization of the Orthopaedic Practice

FORUM Women's Orthopaedic Society Meeting 12/02, Bone Health Determinants and Assessment

Orthopaedic Research Society 3/02, Histologic Response to Rupture of Adolescent ACL

ASBMR National Meeting 1999, Calcaneal Ultrasound Measurements in Healthy American Youth. Poster Presentation,

AAOS National Meeting, 1993, Poster,. The Effect of Simulated Torsional Deformity on Knee Joint Frontal Plane Moments. 1992, Poster presentation UCD Biomedical Research Colloquium, Faculty: George Rab, Jennette Boakes

REGIONAL AND OTHER INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Tri-Valley Sports Hall of Fame 2005, Inductee Acceptance Speech, Injury Prevention in Children's Sports

California Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics 2005, Pediatric Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Topics (4 lectures)

California Osteoporosis Prevention and Education Conference 2004, Keynote Address, Children?s Bone Health

San Ramon Regional Medical Center, 4/01, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Grand Rounds

Children's Hospital, Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Department, 2000, Radiographic Evaluation of Triplane Fractures, Grice Lecture Day

Children's Hospital, Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Department, 1999-2000, Pediatric Skeletal Health and Calcaneal Ultrasound Testing in Children. Grice Lecture Day

Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Surgery Departmant,, Resident Rounds in Pediatric Orthopaedics Surgery

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery UC Davis Faculty for Family Practice Physicians 1995- 2000, Faculty Lecture- "Fingers to Toes - Orthopaedics for Primary Care Physicians" Annual one week course

Stanford Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds, 1993-1999, Monthly presentations

Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, 1999, Calcaneal Ultrasound Measurements in Healthy American Youth. Disputations Day

UCD School of Medicine Human Anatomy Course, Peripheral Neuropathies. Anatomy course lectures

UCDMC Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1990, Advancements in the Treatment of Neuromuscular Diseases.

Grants and Awards

• 1992, Alpha Omega Alpha, Honor Medical Society President
• 1992, Morton Levitt Research Award
• 1993, Lange Publications Award
• 1993 - Rapp/ Rumelsburg Research Scholarship
• 1999 - 2000, Lovett Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital
• 2005, Tri-valley Sports Hall of Fame - Inducted for Community Service

Membership & Committees

• American Medical Association
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• American College of Sports Medicine
• American Society of Bone and Mineral Research
• Alameda and Contra Costa County Medical Societies