Carlin Senter, MD

Clinical Professor

Dr. Carlin Senter is Professor and Director of Primary Care Sports Medicine within the Division of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery. She is a primary care sports medicine doctor who focuses on helping patients of all ages stay active, reduce injury risk and achieve peak performance. She has particular interests in exercise counseling and exercise prescription as well as in treating sports concussions. She is also co-director of the UCSF Sports Concussion Program.

Dr. Senter's research focuses on enhancing musculoskeletal education for primary care clinicians. She designs educational interventions to improve knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and diagnostic skills among medical students, residents and practicing clinicians. She regularly co-chairs continuing education courses in sports medicine.

Dr. Senter earned her medical degree at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She then completed residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in primary care sports medicine at UCLA.

Dr. Senter belongs to the American College of Physicians, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and American College of Sports Medicine. She has received numerous awards for teaching and service.

Dr. Senter grew up in the East Bay, where she was a three-sport high school athlete. As an undergraduate at Harvard College, she rowed for Radcliffe Crew. She is currently team physician for Washington High School.

In her free time, Dr. Senter enjoys running at Lands End, eating IT's-ITs and visiting SF's amazing art museums.

Education
2018 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Fellowship, 2010 - Medical Education Fellowship, University of California Los Angeles
Fellowship, 2010 - Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, University of California Los Angeles
Residency, 2008 - Internal Medicine Residency, University of Washington
M.D., 2004 - School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
B.A., 1999 - Environmental Science and Public Policy, Harvard College
Websites
Publications
  1. Asturias AM, Wague A, Feeley LA, Senter C, Pandya N, Feeley BT. Gender Disparities in Endowed Professorships Within Orthopaedic Surgery. Cureus 2024. PMID: 38558644


  2. de Borja C, Chang CJ, Watkins R, Senter C. Optimizing Health and Athletic Performance for Women. 2022. PMID: 35023069


  3. Ramirez FD, Chang CJ, Watkins RA, Senter C, de Borja C. Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship opportunities for Pediatrics-trained physicians in the United States. 2021. PMID: 34674595


  4. Liddle DG, Changstrom B, Senter C, Meirick P, Stern N, Putukian M, Shah S, Powell A, Dixit S, Eerkes K, Moran B, Barnes KP, Dal Molin C, Myers R, Waterbrook AL. Recommended Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residency Training. Current sports medicine reports 2021. PMID: 33560036


  5. Gupta A, Summerville G, Senter C. Treatment of Acute Sports-Related Concussion. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine 2019. PMID: 30887284


  6. Albano AW, Senter C, Adler RH, Herring SA, Asif IM. The Legal Landscape of Concussion: Implications for Sports Medicine Providers. Volume 8 of Issue 5. Sports health 2016. PMID: 27530613


  7. Zhang AL, Sing DC, Rugg CM, Feeley BT, Senter C. The Rise of Concussions in the Adolescent Population. Volume 4 of Issue 8. Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine 2016. PMID: 27579334


  8. Otto ME, Senter C, Gonzales R, Gleason N. Referring wisely: orthopedic referral guidelines at an academic institution. Volume 22 of Issue 5. The American journal of managed care 2016. PMID: 27266584


  9. Senter C, Appelle N, Behera SK. Prescribing exercise for women. Volume 6 of Issue 2. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine 2013. PMID: 23553380


  10. . Wrist Injury - Diver. 2009. PMID:


  11. Senter C, Hame SL. Biomechanical analysis of tibial torque and knee flexion angle: implications for understanding knee injury. Volume 36 of Issue 8. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) 2006. PMID: 16869706