The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, with programs and clinics across several Bay Area campuses, provides advanced care, groundbreaking research, and innovative education in orthopaedics. This week, the department announced a major leadership restructuring, naming six vice chairs to guide its next phase of growth. PHOTO: Parnassus Heights Campus/UCSF

Six vice chairs to guide the department’s strategic growth, research, education and patient care

SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 5, 2025) — The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery today announced a major restructuring of its leadership, naming six vice chairs to lead the department into its next phase of growth.

“The appointment of these vice chairs reflects our commitment to building a leadership team that can guide the department through the evolving landscape of orthopaedic surgery,” said Dr. C. Benjamin Ma, chair of the UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “Each vice chair brings unique expertise and vision, and together they will drive our mission forward.”

With the new leadership structure — designed to strengthen collaboration, advance research, enhance patient care and support faculty  and development of the next generation of physician leaders — the department is poised to reinforce its role as a national leader in orthopaedic research, education and patient care.

The newly appointed vice chairs are:

Hubert Kim, MD, PhD Vice Chair for Education  Role: Oversees our medical student education, residency and fellowship programs, graduate and post-graduate doctoral programs and continuous medical education (CME) programs of the Department.	Bobby Tay, MD Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs   Role: Oversees our faculty growth and development. Works with the Director of Faculty Mentoring, Director of Physician Experience, Chair of Advancement & Promotion Committee, and Chair of Professionalism Committee.	Coleen Sabatini, MD, MPH Vice Chair for Health Equity  Role: Improves care and access to all patients. Oversees Director of Community, Culture, and Engagement, Director of IGOT and our global orthopaedic programs.
Utku Kandemir, MD Vice Chair for Quality & Safety   Role:  Improves quality and safety across the Department. Oversees Quality Improvement leaders at each site, works on External Quality Measures (Leapfrog, Vizient, US News), and focuses on patient experiences.	Christopher J. Hernandez, PhD Vice Chair for Research  Role: Leads and directs research efforts in the Department. Oversees the infrastructure of our laboratory and clinical research team. Facilitate collaboration within and outside of the Department.	Theodore Miclau, MD Vice Chair for Systems & Operations  Role: Oversees the activity of 11 Site Directors at various campus. Coordinates growth and planning on program development across the entire clinical system.