Yaser El-Gazzar, MD is a Board Eligible, orthopedic surgeon with specialty interests in joint preservation, adult and pediatric sports medicine, and trauma. He completed his undergraduate education at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Medical education at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Albert Einstein Medical College/ Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. He completed his training by undergoing a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the prestigious Jack Hughston Foundation in Georgia under the mentorship of Champ Baker, JR, MD where he was involved in the care of NCAA, professional, high school, and “weekend warrior” athletes. Since then, he has become team physician for Berkeley College athletics. He is also involved in the care of many neighboring Hudson County high schools including Weehawken and Union city High Schools. Dr. El-Gazzar’s life experiences give him a unique advantage as a physician: “I have undergone 7 major surgeries in my lifetime. I developed a unique endocrine tumor, called a pheochromacytoma, which secreted adrenaline at the age of 13 years old. It took 7 open abdominal exploratory surgeries to remove the recurring tumors, supplemented with nuclear and chemotherapy to be cured, the last surgery being in 2011. Each surgery was accompanied by fear and anxiety, followed by intense pain and rehab. I know what it means to be scared to the point that it takes over all of your senses as you are being told that you should undergo a major procedure. The uncertainty of what is actually being done to you and what the outcome will be can feel suffocating. You have a life, plans, and goals that now fall out of focus. I believe that understanding this process first hand has given me the advantage and ability to communicate with patients and help them truly understand the diagnosis, treatment options, and most importantly, the road to rehabilitation and returning to everyday life.