Sports Medicine Fellowship Faculty

Bio

Suzanne Hecht, MD, is faculty in the University of Minnesota Program in Sports Medicine and directs the University of Minnesota Sports Medicine Fellowship. She sees patients at University of Minnesota Physicians Sports Medicine Clinic and has a Certificate of Added Qualifications in sports medicine and certification in clinical densitometry. Dr. Hecht also teaches residents in sports medicine workshops and provides training room and sideline care to University of Minnesota athletes as well as the USA Gymnastics and US Figure Skating teams.

Clinical Summary

Specialties:
Bone health and nutrition in the female athlete
Sports concussions
Pediatric athletes
Body composition
Osteoporosis
Injuries in gymnasts

She currently serves as a team physician for University of Minnesota athletics, US Figure Skating, and is a member of the USA Gymnastics National Healthcare Referral Network.

Bio

Rahul Kapur, MD is Director of the Program in Sports Medicine for the DFMCH. He previously served as the Director of Education Programs in Sports Medicine for the Department from 2019-2022. He is also core faculty for the St John's Family Medicine Residency and the UMN Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship.

He came to the Twin Cities from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA where he served as Fellowship Director for the Penn Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship from 2010-2018. He served as Chief Medical Physician for Penn Athletics from 2007-2018.

He currently serves as a team physician for the Minnesota Twins and St. Paul Saints, and was a team physician for the USA Lacrosse Women's Senior Team from 2017-2022. He also served as Co-Medical Director for the Twin Cities Marathon in 2022.

Research Summary

Sports Medicine physician burnout and wellness

Teaching Summary

Dr Kapur is actively engaged in teaching of medical students, residents, and sports medicine fellows. At the medical student level, his teaching includes the Essentials of Clinical Medicine Course (ECM) for 1st year students and the Fundamentals of Clinical Thinking (FCT) for both 1st and 2nd year medical students. He also leads the Musculoskeletal Workshop for 3rd year students on their Family Medicine Clerkship. At the residency level, he serves as core faculty for the St. John's Family Medicine Residency Program and directs their musculoskeletal education. He also serves as core faculty for the UMN Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship.

Service Summary

Team Physician, Johnson High School, 2018-present; St Paul MN

Co-medical director, Twin Cities Marathon - 2022

Clinical Summary

Dr Kapur sees primary care patients at Phalen Village Clinic and sees sports medicine patients at the Clinics and Surgery Center.

Bio

Dr. Nelson is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. His clinical interests include sports medicine, ACL injuries and reconstructions, revision ACL reconstructions, articular cartilage injuries, meniscal injuries and transplants, shoulder instabilities, arthroscopic shoulder surgery, and arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs. He also practices at TRIA Orthopedic Center.

Expertise

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine

Awards & Recognition

• Best Doctors in America®: 2011-2012, 2013
• Mpls St. Paul Magazine "Top Doctor:" 2012, 2014-2015, 2020, 2021
• U.S. News & World Report Top Doctor: 2012
• "Best Doctors for Women," Minnesota Monthly: 2014
• Minnesota Monthly "Top Doctors:" 2014, 2020, 2021

Professional Associations

• The Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons (2013-present)
• NHL Team Physician Society, Director of Education (2018-present)
• American Orthopaedic Association (2008-present)
• Mid-America Orthopaedic Association (2008-present)
• International Soc. of Arthroscopy Knee Surgery & Ortho Sports Med (ISAKOS) (2006-present)
• European Meniscal Transplant Group (2006-present)
• International Cartilage Research Society (2002-present)
• Arthroscopy Association of North America (2001-present)
• Orthopaedic Research Society (2000-present)
• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (1999-present)
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (1999-present)
• Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (1994-present)
• Staff Physician – Children's Hospital
• Medical Director – TRIA Research and Education Institute
• Medical Director – University of Minnesota Athletics 

Research Summary

Research Interests

• ACL clinical outcomes
• Pediatric/Adolescent ACL injuries
• Cartilage restoration outcomes
• Shoulder instability
• Rotator cuff clinical outcomes
• Athletic Injuries

Clinical Summary

My special interests are the knee and shoulder which include: shoulder instabilities, shoulder surgery, arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, ACL injuries, meniscal and articular cartilage injuries. I have a passion for sports, especially hockey, and I am excited to bring that into my practice.

Board Certifications

• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery- Sports Medicine;
• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Clinical Interests

Shoulder instability; Arthroscopic shoulder surgery and rotator cuff repair; Articular cartilage injuries; ACL injuries and reconstructions; Meniscal injuries and transplantation

Hospital Privileges

University of Minnesota Health Maple Grove Clinics; University of Minnesota Medical Center

Bio

Olson is an associate director of the University of Minnesota Sports Medicine Fellowship and directs the sports medicine curriculum at the University of Minnesota North Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency. He enjoys providing team care for high school, college, and professional sports teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, University of Minnesota Gophers, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and Roseville Area High School. 

Clinical Summary

Sports medicine, team coverage, adolescent medicine, community outreach, concussion management, and ultrasound guided injections.

Bio

Edward Smith, DO, is faculty in the University of Minnesota Program in Sports Medicine. He sees patients at M Health Fairview Sports Medicine Clinic, M Physicians Broadway Family Medicine Clinic, and M Health Fairview Clinic - Bethesda. He has a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine and clinical interest in fitness and nutrition and overuse injuries in the recreational athlete.

Clinical Summary

• Sports medicine
• Family medicine