Edward S. Chang, MD
Board-Certified Sports Medicine Surgeon
About
Dr. Edward Chang is a fellowship trained, board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a subspecialty in sports medicine. He is a partner at Inova Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group in Northern Virginia. Dr. Chang has a particular interest in the surgical management of sports related injuries and disorders of the shoulder, elbow, and knee, as well as complex and revision surgery for challenging or failed surgeries. He has won multiple awards including Washingtonian’s Top Doctor and Top Clinical Educator at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine.
Dr. Chang is active in clinical and biomechanical research and serves as the Director of Sports Medicine Research at Inova. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and has presented his research both nationally and internationally. Dr. Chang also serves as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the VCU School of Medicine and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) and is responsible for training medical students and orthopedic surgery residents. Being on the forefront of research and education allows Dr. Chang to provide his patients with innovative, evidence-based treatment.
A native of Northern New Jersey, Dr. Chang received his undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he majored in Biophysics. He then completed his medical degree at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. During medical school, Dr. Chang traveled to Manhattan on the weekends to perform biomechanical research at the renowned Hospital for Special Surgery. His project, measuring the effect of artificial turf surfaces on anterior cruciate ligament strain, was recognized as a finalist in the 2008 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) resident research competition.
Following medical school, Dr. Chang went on to complete his orthopedic surgery residency in Philadelphia at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University, one of the most distinguished orthopedic programs in the country. While there, he received the Phyllis Syng Award for excellence in orthopedic research. He was also a finalist for the Neer Award, the most prestigious award in shoulder and elbow research, with his work on neuromonitoring in total shoulder arthroplasty. Dr. Chang gained experience in sports medicine by shadowing his mentors as they treated athletes from the Philadelphia Phillies, Saint Joseph University, and Villanova University. He also covered football games at Bensalem High School.
Dr. Chang went on to complete his fellowship in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), serving as the administrative fellow. While there, Dr. Chang acted as an assistant team physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, the University of Pittsburgh women’s basketball and volleyball teams, and the University of Pittsburgh men’s baseball team, and the Duquesne University women’s soccer team.
CLINICIAN SCIENTIST
As the Director of Sports Medicine Research at Inova, Dr. Chang is involved in both clinical and basic science musculoskeletal research with the main goal of improving patient care. He also serves as a peer reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM) and the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (JSES).
Dr. Chang has published over 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters and has presented his research at conferences both nationally and internationally. He has collaborated with physicians and researchers from multiple institutions including: Hospital for Special Surgery, Rothman Institute, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Southern California, Walter Reed Military Center, and Georgetown University.
Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
B.A., Biophysics
Medical School
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ
M.D.
M.D.
Internship
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
General Surgery
General Surgery
Residency
Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery
Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery
Board Certifications
Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Clinical education
Dr. Chang is committed to educating the next generation of physicians. He holds professorship appointments at multiple universities and is responsible for the education and training of medical students and orthopedic surgery residents. Dr. Chang also provides mentorship to his students in areas outside of academics, such as stress management, residency and fellowship applications, student loans management, and basic financial education. He has been voted Clinical Educator of the Year three times by the medical students at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Clinical Appointments
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Virginia Commonwealth (VCU) School of Medicine
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Surgery
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
RESEARCH FOCUS
Clinical Research
Clinical research involves the collection of patient related data to answer a study question. If a patient fits the criteria for a study, Dr. Chang’s research team will reach out and ask the patient if he or she will volunteer to participate. An example of one of Dr. Chang’s clinical studies on ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction (Tommy John Surgery) can be seen here.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A systematic review involves the meticulous collection and combining of data from available primary (or existing) research that answers the same research question. A meta-analysis goes further by performing statistical analyses on the available data. The key benefit of performing these studies is the aggregation of numerous data points to improve the statistical power of a research question. An example of one of Dr. Chang’s meta-analyses on the treatment of pectoralis major ruptures can be seen here.
Biomechanical Research
Biomechanical research aims to measure the mechanical properties (such as strength and stability) of the human body. Dr. Chang’s area of focus in biomechanical research is testing cutting edge surgical techniques for treating orthopedic injuries on cadavers. An example of Dr. Chang’s biomechanical research on UCL repair can be seen here.
Surgical Outcomes Registry
Dr. Chang is committed to improving patient outcomes. He believes this is best done by meticulously collecting pre-operative and post-operative data to create a surgical registry, or database. If the patient fits criteria and is willing to volunteer, Dr. Chang will email surveys to his patients at different time points during their recovery. This allows Dr. Chang to monitor his patients’ progress in real time as well as use this information to benefit future patients.
18
Peer Reviewed Publications
13
Years of experience
8
Book Chapters
2
Top Doctor Awards