UC Davis Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

03/30/2026

Taking a moment to recognize our outstanding team of orthopaedic surgeons and researchers on Doctors' Day! Thank you to each of you for your leadership, mentorship, and dedication to our mission at UC Davis Health. Your commitment to driving innovation and delivering exceptional patient care is appreciated.

03/20/2026

🌟 We are absolutely thrilled to announce our 2026 Orthopaedic Residency Match!

Please join us and welcome our newest interns. We look forward to their contributions to our mission of advancing musculoskeletal care. Welcome to UC Davis Health!

03/16/2026

We are proud to host the Nth Dimensions Clinical Correlations and Bioskills Workshop at UC Davis Health on May 9th!

Whether you are a high school student, undergrad or medical student, this workshop is your chance to gain exposure and mentorship from the best in the field.

This unique experience offers a hands-on introduction to Orthopaedic Surgery, Dermatology and PM&R.

📅 Date: May 9, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: UC Davis Health | Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing | Sacramento, CA

Spaces are limited. Be sure to RSVP and apply here: https://bit.ly/NthDimensionsUCDavis

Nth Dimensions is dedicated to advancing medical education by developing and implementing specialized programs that provide resources, expertise, mentorship, and hands-on experience. These initiatives help aspiring physicians successfully match into and complete competitive residency programs.

03/12/2026

Shoulder replacement surgery can give patients a new lease on life, and now we offer a unique procedure that restores mobility with greater precision and confidence.

Only a few surgeons nationwide use the Stryker Mako robotic arm to assist with the procedure, and Dr. Menendez is one of them. Mako is also used for knee and hip replacements.

Learn more about the technology used at our new 48X Complex: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/robotic-assisted-reverse-shoulder-replacement-gives-patient-back-his-mobility/2026/02

Image descriptions:
1: In a clinic room, patient Stephen Mora raises both arms overhead as Dr. Menendez, in a white coat, stands nearby observing. Text reads: “Robotic‑assisted reverse shoulder surgery gives a patient back his mobility.”
2: Menendez stands over Mora, who is seated in a hospital bed. Text reads: “I was in constant pain with bone rubbing against bone. I couldn’t really do anything. That’s when I decided to seek out surgical options,” Stephen Mora said.
3: Mora and Menendez stand in a medical exam room. Mora gestures with raised hands while Menendez sits on a stool beside a monitor displaying shoulder X‑ray images. Text reads: “After seven years of pain, Stephen met with orthopaedic surgeon Mariano Menendez. Dr. Menendez uses the Stryker Mako robot for reverse shoulder replacements.”
4: Menendez is in full surgical attire. He holds a handheld device connected to a robotic system. Medical monitors and equipment are visible throughout the operating room.
5: A computer monitor displays a 3D anatomical model of a shoulder with colorful markers indicating implant planning or positioning. Text reads: “In this procedure, there is little margin for error. The Mako robot guides implant placement with real‑time precision.”
6: Two gloved medical professionals work over a blue surgical field. One holds a metallic shoulder implant. Text reads: “Dr. Menendez says more precise placement may help shoulder implants last longer, although more research is needed.”
7: Menendez points to shoulder X‑ray images displayed on a large monitor while Mora stands nearby observing. Text reads: “Stephen’s surgery went smoothly, and recovery began quickly. He is already imagining life returning to normal: Tai Chi, road trips and weightlifting with his son.”
8: Menendez stands in a bright clinical space with blurred medical seating in the background. Text reads: “I always tell patients, if my mom needed a shoulder replacement, it would be robotic assisted. I truly believe in the technology. — Mariano Menendez, Orthopaedic Surgeon.”

03/08/2026

Although only a small percentage of board-certified orthopaedic surgeons nationwide are women, UC Davis Health Orthopaedic Surgery is proud to be at the forefront of changing that narrative.

From the OR to the research lab, our surgeons exemplify precision, strength, and leadership. Today, we celebrate these remarkable women who are breaking barriers in science, advancing patient care, mentoring the next generation and much more. Thank you for all that you do, today and every day!

03/06/2026

Every two minutes, a family learns their child has cancer. In the U.S., one in 263 children will receive a cancer diagnosis before turning 20 years old.

In support of this important cause, our chair R. Lor Randall is proudly participating in the St. Baldrick's Foundation "Brave the Shave" event to raise funds for pediatric cancer research at the UC Davis Health Comprehensive Cancer Center.

You can join the fight against childhood cancer by shaving your head to show solidarity with young cancer warriors or help raise money for essential research. Every contribution makes a difference! Together, we can bring hope to kids battling cancer.

📅 Mark your calendars! Join us on Saturday, March 14, from 1:00 to 3:30 PM at the Westfield Galleria in Roseville for an event dedicated to courage, community and support! 💇‍♂️

👉 https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1181096/2026

I'm shaving my head to raise money for childhood cancer research and stand in solidarity with kids fighting cancer! Make a donation to support my fundraising efforts!

03/06/2026

If you’re living with hip pain that affects your daily activities, it may be time to consider a hip replacement. Orthopaedic surgeon Zachary Lum explains the signs you’re ready for surgery, including bone-on-bone arthritis seen on X-ray and hip pain (often felt in the groin) that is severe enough to impact quality of life.

Learn about recovery timelines, long-term outcomes and possible complications that are important to consider: https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/signs-youre-ready-for-a-hip-replacement-and-what-to-expect-during-surgery-and-recovery/2026/03

Video description: Orthopaedic surgeon Zachary Lum sits in a studio with a "UC Davis Health" banner behind him. He demonstrates a hip replacement using a bone model; there are also x-rays of a hip and graphics explaining hip replacement surgery.

02/27/2026

Celebrating the GOATs at UC Davis Health Ortho. 🦴🔨 🪚

Our residents and fellows have "main character energy," they are absolute "bone wizards," and they always "understand the assignment." 🩺

Hands down, we have the best trainees in the game. Thank you for your tireless dedication, the late-night rounds, and the incredible care you provide our patients.

Happy Thank Our Resident and Fellow Day! 💛💙

02/20/2026

📢 Candidates with an MD degree. We are hiring a full-time
Postdoctoral Scholar for a clinical orthopaedic research program.

Collaborate with esteemed faculty mentors and engage in research aimed at advancing treatments and improving patient outcomes.

Application deadline: March 27, 2026

👉 For more information, visit https://health.ucdavis.edu/orthopaedics/research/postdoc-research-page.html.

02/19/2026

Seven years of pain kept Stephen Mora from the things he loved. A single surgery is helping him get them back.

“I was in constant pain with bone rubbing against bone. I couldn’t sleep or really do anything. That’s when I decided to seek out surgical options,” Stephen said.

Orthopaedic surgeon Mariano Menendez is among a small group of surgeons in the country qualified to operate the Mako robot for shoulder replacements, and the only one in the Greater Sacramento region.

For Stephen's surgery, Dr. Menendez explains that using a robotic arm helped guide bone preparation, drilling and implant placement in an area where there is little margin for error.

Stephen is already dreaming of taking Tai Chi lessons, getting back on the road with his wife and resuming weightlifting with his son.

Learn more about the robotic-assisted procedure: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/robotic-assisted-reverse-shoulder-replacement-gives-patient-back-his-mobility/2026/02

Image descriptions:
1: Stephen Mora is standing to the right of surgeon Mariano Menendez. Stephen demonstrates how high he can lift his arms in a post-surgery appointment. They stand in a hospital room at UC Davis Health's Folsom Center for Health.

2: Orthopaedic surgeon Mariano Menendez is standing over Stephen Mora as he examines him before his shoulder replacement surgery. Stephen is seated in a hospital bed, dressed in a gown and a blue surgical cap.

3: A surgical team works together in an operating room. Multiple health care professionals wearing blue surgical gowns, gloves and caps stand around a patient who is draped in sterile blue covers. Medical equipment and monitors surround the operating table.

4: Surgeon Mariano Menendez sits at a computer workstation and points to shoulder X‑ray images displayed on a large monitor. Stephen Mora stands beside him, looking at the screen. The monitor shows several views of a shoulder with a replacement implant.

01/15/2026

Take a look behind the scenes with Mariano Menendez as he performs robotic shoulder replacement surgery. This technology is transforming the way we approach joint surgery.