Education
B.A., University of California, Berkeley
Graduated with Honors, High Distinction in General Scholarship, and Phi Beta Kappa honors
M.D., Keck School of Medicine, USC
Graduated with Highest Distinction and Alpha Omega Alpha honors
M.S., Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
Clinical Master’s Program, Orthopaedic Surgery Research
Post Graduate Training
Internship
General Surgery, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
Dept. of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education
Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Fellowships
Orthopaedic Traumatology
Orlando Regional Medical Center
Joint Preservation, Resurfacing, and Replacement
Barnes Jewish Hospital/Washington University
Health Policy Fellow
American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAKHS)
Adam Sassoon MD, MS
Orthopaedic Surgeon
The patient physician relationship is one I hold sacred. I believe that this relationship is improved not only through my understanding of you, but also through your understanding of me. As such, I want to tell you a little bit about myself.
My patient philosophy stems directly from my upbringing and my clinical training experiences. I firmly believe that the patient’s interest is the only interest that warrants consideration when making care decisions. I do my best to factor in a patients overall health, mental state, functional goals, and social situation when making complex clinical decisions.
On a personal note, I have strong ties to the state of California having been born in Santa Monica, raised in West Los Angeles, and having attended the University of California at Berkeley for my undergraduate education. I returned to Los Angeles for medical school at USC and was greatly enriched by my experiences treating patients at LA County Hospital. I will forever be grateful to the individuals who welcomed my care during this early phase of my career and, as such, have vowed to not let a patient’s means come between them and the care that they deserve. It was also during this time that I decided to pursue a career in orthopedic surgery because of the profound impact it had liberating patients from crippling conditions and returning them to active and healthy life styles.
I pursued my orthopaedic surgical training at the world famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, where I spent five years obtaining, not only world class surgical training, but also a Masters Degree in Orthopedic Surgery Research. Following completion of my residency program I pursued dual-fellowship specialization training in orthopedic traumatology, at the Orlando Regional Medical Center, as well as adult reconstruction at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis.
After my fellowship training I took a position as an assistant professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, where I quickly became a regional expert and referral magnet for complex hip and knee surgery.
Following 4 years of practice in Seattle, and performance of over 1000 cases, I was recruited by UCLA to join the staff as an associate professor within the adult reconstruction division. It has been a dream come true to return to my home town and family to care for the Angelenos, near and dear to my heart, that had such a profound impact shaping my early training, as well as the large referral population that UCLA receives from all over California, the Western United States, and internationally.
Thank You,
Adam Sassoon
Education
B.A., University Of California, San Diego
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology; Minor in Philosophy
Duke University Physician Assistant Program, Durham, N.C.
Master of Health Sciences; PA Certificate of Completion
Post Graduate Training
Residency
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Physician Assistant Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery
Jennifer Lew PA-C
Physician Assistant
Jennifer Lew was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in philosophy at the University of California, San Diego. After college, she considered an altruistic career, where she could utilize her undergraduate degree as a school psychologist and special education teacher. She also contemplated the possibility of medicine and obtained certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. It was her experiences as an EMT at St Joseph Hospital, Emergency Department in Burbank, that provided her invaluable guide to her career selection.
She went on to attend the #1 ranked Physician Assistant program in the nation, Duke University, graduating in 2005. She decided to return to California and worked for five years in Family Medicine, which allowed her to practice at the full breath of her knowledge and skill set in primary care. Working as a generalist she enjoyed performing office procedures and assessing orthopedic problems. In 2010-2011 she decided to advance her knowledge and skills beyond a primary care setting through completing an Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship at Arrowhead Region Hospital in Colton California.
Since 2010, she has solely practiced within Orthopedics and has experience in trauma, joint replacement, and spine surgery. Prior to UCLA, she worked in a private practice setting, most notably, with Irvine Orthopedic Associates in Irvine, California.
As a physician assistant she is an extension of Dr. Adam Sassoon. She conducts consultations, performs physical exams, orders appropriate tests and imaging studies, diagnoses, and constructs a treatment plan. She also assists Dr. Sassoon in the operating suite.
Jennifer is grateful to be part of Dr. Sassoon’s surgical team and UCLA Health, with the goal of healing humankind one patient at a time, by improving health, alleviating suffering and delivering acts of kindness.
Elizabeth Feregrino
Patient Care Coordinator
Elizabeth Feregrino was raised in Los Angeles and attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills. She has worked as an Orthopaedic Administrative Assistant and Patient Care Coordinator for 18 years, and been at UCLA since 2012. This experience has imbued her with extensive knowledge related to surgical scheduling, interfacing with insurance providers, and handling patient requests. She serves at the front line in direct patient communication for the service.
Elizabeth is bilingual in English and Spanish.