Sports Medicine - 1996

Dr. Bob Kerlan and his associates have been orthopedic consultants to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, California Angels, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount Univeristy athletic teams, and the mainstream jockeys racing at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita and Del Mar. From 1973 to 1995, he was medical director of the Los Angeles Rams.

Born in Bowlus, Minnesota, and the son of a country doctor, his family moved to Los Angeles when Kerlan entered UCLA at the age of 16. He played Bruin basketball until transferring to USC, from which he graduated from medical school in 1945. In private practice since 1950, he was joined by Dr. Frank Jobe and the association now known as The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic was born.

Dr. Kerlan became involved with professional sports as a volunteer for the Los Angeles Angels, who played their Pacific Coast League home games at Wrigley Field (L.A.). He was the first orthopaedic consultant to the L.A. Dodgers when they arrived on the West Coast in 1958. He treated the Los Angeles Angels expansion team when they were created in 1961. And, before the arrival of the National Hockey League and L.A. Kings, Dr. Kerland treated the Los Angeles Blades hockey team.

He is Founding Chairman of the Board for Centinela’s Hospital Fitness Institute, Medical Director for Hollywood Park Turf Club and the Jockey’s Guild, and a member of the Major League Baseball Physicians Association, NFL Physicians Society, and NBA Team Physicians Association.

Dr. Kerlan has been recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the USC School of Medicine’s “Alumnus of the Year” in 1983.