Your Healthcare Connection: Oly Ortho Welcomes Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Dominic Femiano

Dr. Femiano has extensive experience working with student athletes, most recently on the sidelines for the Washington Huskies.

 

Dr. Dominic Femiano joined the Sports Medicine Clinic at Olympia Orthopaedic Associates on October 1, bringing his expertise in sports medicine to South Sound patients.
Dr. Dominic Femiano joined the Sports Medicine Clinic at Olympia Orthopaedic Associates on October 1, bringing his expertise in sports medicine to South Sound patients.

Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is well known throughout the South Sound, and for many people the name brings up images of surgery and joint replacement. It’s true that the talented physicians at Oly Ortho provide top-notch musculoskeletal care. However, they also handle the everyday aches, pains and injuries that result from an active lifestyle.

The Sports Medicine Clinic at the West Olympia location is the place to turn for sports related injuries or conditions. Dr. Tracy Hamblin has been seeing patients at the clinic for over a year, partnering up until recently with Dr. Leyen Vu. After a lonely month by herself, Dr. Hamblin is excited to be joined by sports medicine specialist Dr. Dominic Femiano, who began seeing patients on October 1.

A Washington native, Dr. Femiano was born and raised in West Seattle. His father was an elementary school teacher and his mother was a nurse. Dr. Femiano saw educating and caring for others as a core value from a young age. Dr. Femiano’s interest in sports medicine began early on while he was dealing with sports related injuries of his own.

“I spent a fair amount of time with orthopedists and sports medicine doctors,” he says. Shoulder and knee injuries from his many hours on the basketball court earned him visits to these specialists as well as a keen interest in the field. Dr. Femiano’s love of the game continues today and he can often be found on the court in his off-hours.

Dr. Femiano is a Husky, having earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. He then headed east to Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. “Jefferson was a great place to learn medicine and a good place to get my start in the field,” he says. With relatives located throughout the east coast, he not only had support from colleagues, but family as well.

Although he enjoyed Philly, Dr. Femiano was ready to return to Seattle to complete his residency in family medicine at Group Health Cooperative where he served as chief resident. He continued his studies with a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Washington.

Dr. Femiano has extensive experience working with student athletes, most recently on the sidelines for the Washington Huskies.
Dr. Femiano has extensive experience working with student athletes, most recently on the sidelines for the Washington Huskies.

Dr. Femiano laughs when asked why he chose a career in medicine. “Well, I watched a lot of ER growing up. But seriously, I got this idea in high school that I wanted to be a doctor to really help people, and it just never really left.” He spent time working at UW Medical Center and the Harborview Medical Center burn unit as a volunteer early on and he says, “it just sealed the deal.”

It won’t be all clinic work for Dr. Femiano at Oly Ortho. He will serve as the team doctor for Saint Martin’s University Athletics. In addition, you’ll find him on the sidelines of many local high school events. Serving student athletes is something he loves and is very familiar with. “During my fellowship, I worked extensively with the Husky athletes, attending all the sports and covering just about every event there,” he explains.

Beyond the Huskies, Dr. Femiano has worked with the Seattle Storm (WNBA), serving as team physician. He was also the medical director for the Seattle Marathon and medical captain for the Seattle Rock n’ Roll Marathon.

This extensive experience will now benefit the teams and athletes throughout the South Sound, but more than that, Dr. Femiano brings this expertise to you. The Sports Medicine Clinic at Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is open to all patients and most can visit without a referral from their primary care physician. If you have a sports related injury or condition and want to advice of a specialist, give the clinic a call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Femiano or Dr. Hamblin for access to their deep knowledge of sports medicine.

Dr. Hamblin (left) and Dr. Femiano make a great team at the West Olympia Sports Medicine Clinic where patients can access their expertise, typically with no referral.
Dr. Hamblin (left) and Dr. Femiano make a great team at the West Olympia Sports Medicine Clinic where patients can access their expertise, typically with no referral.

Dr. Femiano has particular interest in and experience with the prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes. We are often surprised at stories of fit, young athletes who suffer heart attacks during routine sporting events. Dr. Femiano’s extensive research, presented nationally to his peers, will benefit local athletes as they aim to stay healthy.

A particularly important topic to parents of student athletes in the increasingly competitive and aggressive sports environment is the prevention, treatment and management of concussions. Not only will Dr. Femiano be available to provide treatment and advice in clinic, but his participation on the sidelines and interactions with coaches will help ensure the safety of local student athletes.

“I think sports medicine doctors are uniquely qualified to care for student athletes,” explains Dr. Femiano. “Not only do we know the musculoskeletal system but we have training as primary care physicians. This allows us to provide care for the other medical issues athletes present with from GI issues to depression to chronic illness.”

Dr. Femiano is available for appointments now at Oly Ortho where he can help you maximize your ‘Life in Motion.’ “My goal is to keep people active, which means different things to different people,” he says. “Whether you are headed into your 50th marathon, are a gymnast trying to get healthy enough to compete, or are just trying to get to the gym, I meet people where they are and help get them to where they want to be.”

Olympia Orthopaedic Associates
3901 Capital Mall Dr. SW, Olympia
360-709-6230