Nirav Pandya

MD

Pediatric orthopedic surgeon
Division Chief and Vice Chair, Pediatric Orthopedics
Director, Center for Sports Medicine for Young Athletes
Former track and field athlete in the long and triple jumps

Dr. Nirav Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine for young athletes. He uses a variety of traditional and minimally invasive surgical techniques, providing care in both clinic and hospital settings. He has a particular interest in arthroscopic treatment (techniques that use a specialized endoscope) for cartilage and ligament injuries of the ankle, knee, elbow and shoulder. He serves as vice chair and division chief of pediatric orthopedics, and director for the Center for Sports Medicine for Young Athletes.

Pandya's research interests include how single-sport specialization affects young athletes, developing techniques for treating cartilage and ligament injuries in growing athletes, and techniques for improving the outcomes of cartilage and ligament surgeries for the same group. He also studies outcomes of traumatic injuries in pediatric patients.

Pandya earned his medical degree at the University of Chicago and completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego.

Pandya is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a founding member of the Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Society. He is also a member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and Arthroscopy Association of North America.

As an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, Pandya was on the track and field team, serving as captain during his senior year. He remains one of the top 10 triple jumpers in the school's history. While in medical school, he served as an assistant coach for the school's track and field team, coaching several national qualifiers in the long and triple jump. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, and exploring the outdoors in the Bay Area.



  • Education

    University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 2005

  • Residencies

    Penn Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, 2010

  • Fellowships

    Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, 2011

  • Board Certifications

    Orthopaedic Surgery, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

  • Academic Title

    Professor

"Because I was an athlete, I understand…how important sports are, what it means to each individual."

Meet Dr. Pandya

Conditions I specialize in

Where I see patients (1)

    I consider it my mission to get our young athletes back in the game as quickly as possible, using cutting-edge treatment.

    My reviews

    4.9

    Overall Experience
    74 Ratings
    About our process
    Sep 25, 2024
    Dr. Pandya was thorough and clear with his assessment and follow up recommendations for my 13 year old's partial ACL tear. I was very satisfied with this appointment.
    Aug 06, 2024
    Dr pandya is my daughter's orthopedic doctor he's the one that originally did the surgery on her knee I'm so happy he agreed to let her see him as they have a history because of the injury to the knee so thank you Dr pandya
    Jun 04, 2024
    Excellent
    May 21, 2024
    Excellent service thank you for everything.!!
    Apr 15, 2024
    We have been impressed w/ Dr Pandya attention, care, explanations and quick responses to any questions.
    Mar 08, 2024
    Amazing doctor who answered every question
    Oct 24, 2023
    We wouldn't have asked for a better doctor. He listened and addressed every concern we had. Excellent provider we left feeling happy and satisfied with the visit. Thank you UCSF sports Medicine..highly recommend it. One of the Best hospital in Northern California
    Oct 04, 2023
    We can't say enough good things about Dr. Pandya. His combination of surgical expertise, excellent communication skills, and kindness to our son (and us) sets him apart. We are so grateful!
    Aug 15, 2023
    Dr.Pandya is very trustful doctor. His explanations are very clear and he is very thoughtful. My son respects the doctor very much and says he will do anything Dr.Pandya says to recover fast!
    Jun 28, 2023
    We were provided excellent service and we enjoyed the visit
    Jun 15, 2023
    Very professional
    May 09, 2023
    Dr Pandiya was truly fantastic - explanations, engagement and kindness.
    Mar 28, 2023
    Dr Pandaya is excellent with my son and with us
    Mar 23, 2023
    Dr. Pandya is the consummate clinician. His clear and concise explanations reflect a high-degree of expertise and clinical judgement. He was thorough in describing what the surgery would entail and what to expect. He discussed the how and the why for what he proposed to do. By providing my daughter the first opportunity to ask questions and speaking primarily to her (as opposed to her parents), Dr. Pandya made her feel independent and in charge. There were multiple times in the visit when he paused to ensure understanding and offered to answer any additional questions from any of us. At the end of the visit, Dr. Pandya provided clear expectations and guidance. The whole process from first visit with orthopedics NP, MRI, follow-up with NP, referral to Dr. Pandya and visit, and now scheduling of surgery has been seamless and a model for what quality care looks like. We feel very lucky to be in the care of UCSF Pediatrics.
    Feb 09, 2023
    Excellent doctor!

    Selected research

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    My work

    Back in the game and stronger than before

    Lucas' soccer ambitions led to injury after injury. Dr. Pandya and the UCSF sports medicine team showed him how he could perform well on the field, while staying injury-free.

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