Joseph T. Patterson

Joseph T. Patterson, MD, FACS, FAAOS is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. He serves as Director of Orthopaedic Trauma Research and specializes in complex fracture management, pelvic/acetabular trauma, limb lengthening, and deformity correction. His clinical practice emphasizes patient-centered care for traumatic injuries, particularly challenging fractures and congenital limb differences.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
• MD with thesis, Yale University
• Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
• Fellowship in Orthopaedic Traumatology, University of Washington Harborview Medical Center

Research Interests:

• Patient-centered comparative effectiveness research in musculoskeletal care
• Pragmatic clinical trials for fracture treatments
• Registry and claims data analysis for clinical decision-making
• Innovative implant development (e.g., femoral neck fracture devices)

Grants & Awards:

• $11M+ in research funding from NSF, PCORI, AO North America, and others
• 2022-2024 AO Trauma Early Career Development Award
• 2024 Western Orthopaedic Association Young Investigator Award
• 2016 American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Young Investigator Award

Leadership:

• Principal investigator for 3 multicenter trials
• Supervises 10+ additional multicenter trials
• Member of METRC and COIRI research consortia

Labs & Teams:

• Led a clinical research group analyzing registry data for trauma outcomes
• Developed novel surgical techniques (e.g., 'Toe Rodeo' reduction method)
• Focus on translating research to improve patient-reported outcomes