Athletic Training/Sports Medicine - Team Physicians - Loyola University Maryland Athletics

Loyola University Maryland Athletics

	Erica Gaertner, M.D. Head Team Physician Erica Gaertner, M.D., is a primary care sports medicine physician who is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Towson University and graduated magna cum laude with a doctor of medicine degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies. Dr. Gaertner completed fellowship training in primary sports medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which followed internal medicine residencies at Hahnemann University Hospital with Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia and MedStar Health in Baltimore. She previously served as a physician for the University of Pennsylvania, the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Dr Gaertner also provided care during the U.S. Women's National Team Victory Tour soccer competition and working with Towson University athletics during her residency. Prior to medical school, Dr. Gaertner was a professional equestrian athlete, and she still works closely taking care of jockeys for the National Steeplechase Association.

	Craig Bennett, M.D., FAAOS Co-Founder, LifeBridge Sports Medicine Institute/Medical Director Team Orthopedic Surgeon Craig H. Bennett, M.D., FAAOS, is the 2018 co-founder and medical director of the LifeBridge Health Sports Medicine Institute in Owings Mills, Maryland. He also serves as the medical director for Loyola University Maryland. During the previous 15 years, Dr. Bennett was the head orthopaedic surgeon for the University of Maryland Terrapins and the Chief of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. A graduate of Brown University, he earned his medical degree from the University of California at San Francisco, did his orthopaedic surgery residency at Emory University and completed a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Sports Medicine. He is a graduate of the Leadership Fellows Program of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Bennett is ABOS board re-certified and cares for a full range of sports related injuries for patients of all ages. Providing compassionate, comprehensive care, he has helped patients achieve their goals both with and without surgery for two decades. He sub-specializes in the arthroscopic and minimally invasive management of knee, hip, shoulder and ankle injuries. Dr. Bennett is the sports division head of the the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopaedics, which encompasses a residency program initiated in 2020. He serves as the medical director of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and as team physician for DeMatha Catholic, Bishop McNamara and St. Timothy’s high schools. As the orthopaedic mentor for the University of Maryland at Baltimore’s CURE program, he provides academic and career guidance for West Baltimore public school students. He is a preceptor for the Nth Dimension medical student national mentoring program, and was the orthopaedic keynote speaker for the National Medical Association’s 2018 Annual Meeting. With numerous sports medicine publications and national presentations, his research focus is on knee cartilage restoration, ligament repair as well as adult and pediatric ligament reconstruction. The NBA Players’ Association recently elected him to their physician consulting list. The Baltimore Magazine has selected him to their Top Doctors’ List for 2016, 2018 and 2019. The Maryland Athletic Training Association selected him as the state team physician of the year in 2019.

	Efrain Perez-Bravo, M.D. Dr. Perez-Bravo obtained his Medical Degree at Ponce Health Science University in Puerto Rico and did residency at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center where he was Chief Resident and continued to complete a fellowship in Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine at OSS Health in Pennsylvania. He is currently and attending physician at Lifebridge Health where he treat multiple spine, musculoskeletal and sport related conditions. He is currently a member of North American Spine Society, Association of Academic Physiatrist, American Academy of PM&R and American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis, soccer, long distance running and spending time with his family. Efrain Perez-Bravo, M.D. \| Hello Brave at LifeBridge Health