UCLA's John P. DiFiori, MD, Installed as New AMSSM President

San Diego, CA – UCLA’s John P. DiFiori, MD, was installed as the 20th President of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) on Saturday, April 20, 2013, during the Society's Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Dr. DiFiori is a Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Orthopaedics at UCLA, and Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine and Non-Operative Orthopaedics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Additionally, he is beginning his twentieth year in serving as a team physician for the UCLA Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve AMSSM in this capacity, "said Dr. DiFiori. "I look forward to working with our membership in addressing several key issues that span the spectrum of sports medicine, and to continue to promote the health and safety for all who participate in exercise and athletic activities."

An AMSSM member since 1994, Dr. DiFiori has served the society in numerous capacities. He has served two terms on the Board of Directors, including Chair of the Research Committee and Treasurer. He was appointed to the task force charged with reviewing AMSSM's strategic initiatives, and most notably, he helped to establish the Harry Galanty Young Investigator Award to honor excellence in sports medicine research. He is also currently associate editor for the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.

He received his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine, and returned to Lancaster where he completed his residency in Family Medicine at Lancaster General Hospital. He then completed a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at UCLA. John and his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Sander, reside in Manhattan Beach, CA with their two daughters, Monica and Julia.

In addition, AMSSM announced the election of Jon Divine, MD, MS, of the University of Cincinnati as 2nd Vice President and the re-election of Kathy Dec, MD, of HCA Virginia as Secretary-Treasurer. Three new board members were also elected: David Berkoff, MD, of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Jonathan Finnoff, DO, of Barton Healthcare; and Eugene Hong, MD, of Drexel University College of Medicine. Amy P. Powell, MD, of the University of Utah; Tom H. Trojian, MD, of the University of Connecticut; and Ty Wadsworth, MD, of St. Louis University, were re-elected for a second term.

About the AMSSM: The AMSSM is a multi-disciplinary organization of sports medicine physicians whose members are dedicated to education, research, advocacy, and the care of athletes of all ages. Founded in 1991, the AMSSM is now comprised of more than 2,300 sports medicine physicians whose goal is to provide a link between the rapidly expanding core of knowledge related to sports medicine and its application to patients in a clinical setting. www.amssm.org