SAN DIEGO, Calif. — August 14, 2024 – Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, one of the nation’s top pediatric healthcare systems, is pleased to announce that Matt Schmitz, MD, has been appointed as Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at Rady Children’s and Clinical Professor of Orthopedics at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. With a wealth of experience owing to his diverse background in pediatric orthopedics and impressive military career, Dr. Schmitz will expand the hospital’s hip preservation and adolescent sports surgery practice.
“This appointment represents a significant addition to the pediatric orthopedic community in San Diego and reinforces the hospital’s commitment to delivering world-class healthcare,” said Dr. Peter Newton, chief of the Division of Orthopedics & Scoliosis and surgeon-in-chief at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. “We are honored to have Dr. Schmitz contribute to these efforts at Rady Children’s and look forward to seeing the pediatric orthopedics department grow in the years to come. His decades of experience working in the field at major institutions make him the ideal fit for our department, which prides itself on achieving excellence.”
Matt Schmitz, MD
Dr. Schmitz holds roles as Team Physician for the USA Rugby Men’s National Team and Associate Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Formerly, Dr. Schmitz spent 20 years as an orthopedic surgeon for the United States Air Force and recently served as the Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Before these prestigious positions, he completed his pediatric orthopedic surgery fellowship at Rady Children’s Hospital and earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the United States Air Force Academy.
In his role at Rady Children’s Hospital, Dr. Schmitz is eager to grow the sports medicine department and enhance the hospital’s hip preservation services. “I’m excited to continue the great tradition of top-notch care in the pediatric orthopedics department and to broaden the extensive network that already exists in San Diego. San Diego is on the road to becoming a premier destination for hip surgery, and I look forward to catering to a broad demographic of youth both in the region and from all around the globe.”
Dr. Schmitz’s leadership extends beyond his clinical practice. He is a current member of the Board of Directors and incoming President of the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance (IODA) and served as Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at the San Antonio Military Medical Center from 2019 to 2021. He has held national leadership roles in prominent organizations such as the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
“Sports medicine is an incredibly important field for ensuring the health and well-being of young athletes. Dr. Schmitz’s expertise in this area and interest in expanding the program will undoubtedly have a lasting impact at Rady Children’s,” said Dr. Eric Edmonds, director of orthopedic research and co-director of 360 Sports Medicine at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.
About Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego
Ranked as one of the 10 best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for 2023-2024, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego includes a 511-bed pediatric hospital that serves as the largest provider of comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, southern Riverside and Imperial counties. With more than 40 locations, Rady Children’s is the only health system in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric health care and is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. Rady Children’s is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations to support its mission. For more information, visit rchsd.org and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Media contact:
Carlos Delgado
cdelgado@rchsd.org
(619) 261-8392