Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mufaddal Gombera. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Mufaddal thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
It was like a scene from Friday Night Lights. Another fall evening in Texas, which of course means high school football. I was a junior, and we were undefeated that year going into our first playoff game. Unfortunately, that all came to an end when I tore my ACL.
It’s been over 20 years since that evening, but I still remember the fear I felt. Would I ever play again? Would I ever walk again? What will coach think?
Thankfully I met an orthopedic surgeon who took great care of me, and got me back to playing. While I never had any dreams of playing competitive football, trusting my knee for recreational activities has been crucial to my lifestyle. And I realized the impact a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon could have on someone’s life.
As I went through my training, particularly in medical school and residency, I kept looking back to that moment. It drove me to be who I am today, and it shapes my patient interactions to this day. It motivates me to bring my A-game to all my patients, and ensure they can return to active and fulfilling lifestyles.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I am a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, arthroscopy, and the treatment of injuries to the shoulder, hip, and knee. He provides care to patients by using the latest advanced treatments and minimally invasive techniques to speed recovery and often times avoid surgery.
I am a native Houstonian. After completing medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, I completed residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI and a fellowship in sports medicine and arthroscopy at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL.
I joined Texas Orthopedic Hospital and Fondren Orthopedic Group in 2015. I am currently the Director of the Hip Preservation Center at Texas Orthopedic Hospital, where we works with a multidisciplinary team to treat patients with hip pain. I contribute to the medical literature on the treatments of injuries to the shoulder, hip, and knee. I also instruct trainees and fellow surgeons at Texas Orthopedic Hospital and a variety of courses throughout the country. I am currently an appointed teaching physician at UTMB, where he serves as Clinical Assistant Professor. I am also a team physician for Texas Southern University.
My objective is to provide personalized, specialized, expert care to patients, and to return athletes to an active and fulfilling lifestyle. Our team prides ourselves on delivering exceptional care based on the latest evidence-based treatments to each of our patients.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Particularly in orthopedics and sports medicine, it is empathy. We don’t just treat the x-ray or the MRI, but the actual person. What their needs are, what they want to get back to doing, what activities they are limited from because of their ailment. Understanding all this is paramount, in my opinion, to provide the best care possible for each person we meet.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Our mentors taught us your reputation is everything. Billboards, social media ads, and fancy videos still don’t compete with word of mouth. If we take great care of people, they will send their friends and family to us. That by fas has been the most important, and the most rewarding, aspect of growing my practice to what it is today. And I can’t thank my patients enough for their continued support.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gomberamd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HTXSportsDoc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MufaddalMGomberaMD
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mufaddal-m-gombera-md-b1a809a0
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrGombera
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT3sxQyZNk4mD9azkFq2kzg