Joseph Thomas Patterson, MD

Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery (Clinical Scholar)

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Overview

Specialties
Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma Surgery, Limb Lengthening, Deformity Correction

Joseph Patterson, MD, FACS, FAAOS believes in delivering personalized, evidence-based care to help patients recover after as fully as possible after an injury. As a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopaedic trauma surgeon, Dr. Patterson is an expert in the treatment of fractures and dislocations of the pelvis, acetabulum, scapula, and upper and lower limbs. Dr. Patterson has extensive experience repairing difficult “problem” fractures that are challenging to repair or are not healing properly. He performs limb lengthening, deformity correction, and limb salvage for congenital and traumatic limb differences.

Dr. Patterson is an award-winning clinical investigator with interests in patient-centered comparative effectiveness research in musculoskeletal care. He serves as a co-primary investigator on multiple large, multicenter, randomized clinical trials comparing treatments for patients with fractures of the hip and pelvis as well as a site investigator with the METRC and COIRI research consortia. He manages an active clinical research group leveraging insights from registry and administrative claims data to guide clinical care. He has received grant funding from the National Science Foundation, Orthopaedic Trauma Association, AO North America, Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation, and James O. Johnston Foundation. His research contributions to orthopaedic care have been recognized with an Early Career Development Award from AO North America as well as Young Investigator Awards from the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and AO North America.

Awards

  • Los Angeles Magazine: Southern California Top Doctors Rising Star, 2022
     – 2024
  • AO Trauma North America: Early Career Development Award, 2022
     – 2024
  • AO Trauma North America: Young Investigator Research Development Award, 2020
     – 2022
  • American Academy Orthopaedic Surgeons/Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation/Orthopaedic Rese: Clinical Scholar Career Development Program, 2017
  • American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons: James A. Rand Young Investigator Award, 2016
  • WOA 2024 Annual Meeting, Laguna Beach, CA: Western Orthopaedic Association Young Investigator Award, 2024

Education and Training

  • University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA — BS — 2010 — Bionengineering
  • Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT — MD — 2014
  • University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA — 2019 — Residency Orthopeadic Surgery
  • University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA — 2020 — Fellowship Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery

Publications

  • Closing the loop: Benefits and challenges of sharing clinical trial results with participants after trial close-out. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2026 Feb 04; 26(1).. View in PubMed
  • ChatGPT-4o Mini Fabricates and Miscites Evidence for American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Hip Fracture Clinical Practice Guidelines. JB JS Open Access. 2026 Jan-Mar; 11(1).. View in PubMed
  • Plate-tensioned reconstruction nail for proximal femur diaphyseal nonunion. OTA Int. 2026 Mar; 9(1):e467.. View in PubMed
  • Surgical debridement of low velocity ballistic traumatic arthrotomy did not reduce rates of early wound infection or septic arthritis. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2026 Jan 07; 36(1):68.. View in PubMed
  • Anterior and posterior fixation versus posterior fixation only of minimally displaced lateral compression type 1 pelvic ring injuries: A multicenter propensity-matched analysis. Injury. 2026 Feb; 57(2):112964.. View in PubMed
  • Occult contralateral sacroiliac joint injuries missed on single-energy CT of operative pelvis fractures. Injury. 2026 Feb; 57(2):112952.. View in PubMed
  • The Obturator Foramen “Safe Zone” for Anterior Pelvis Internal Fixation by Transobturator Cerclage. J Orthop Trauma. 2025 Dec 01; 39(12):661-666.. View in PubMed
  • Modern Approaches and Emerging Biological Therapies to Treat Fracture Nonunion. Pharmaceutics. 2025 Nov 11; 17(11).. View in PubMed
  • Chronic anticoagulation therapy associated with increased complications following hemiarthroplasty in hip fracture patients. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2025 Nov 04; 35(1):450.. View in PubMed
  • Percutaneous Anterior Pelvic Ring Fixation in Addition to Percutaneous Posterior Pelvic Ring Fixation Decreases Postoperative Pain and Narcotic Usage in Hospital for Lateral Compression Types 1 and Lateral Compression Type 2 Injuries. J Orthop Trauma. 2025 Nov 01; 39(11):615-620.. View in PubMed