David Kovacevic, MD, specializes in arthritis of the shoulder and elbow, instability and labral tears of the shoulder, rotator cuff injuries, shoulder and elbow fractures, soft tissue injuries of the elbow, ACL knee injuries, meniscus injuries, advanced arthroscopy for sports-related injuries of the shoulder, elbow, and knee, and complex shoulder and elbow reconstruction. He is the chief of shoulder, elbow, and sports medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital. Dr. Kovacevic is the head team physician for Columbia University Rugby and a consultant for New Orleans Gold Rugby Club and Yale University Rugby. His personal mission is to provide compassionate, quality, world class care to adults, adolescents, and athletes at all levels who sustain injuries of the shoulder, elbow, and knee.

Dr. Kovacevic currently holds the K08 clinician-scientist research career development award from the National Institutes of Health for the investigation of “Inflammation in rotator cuff tear and repair”. He has a strong interest in biologic augmentation of tendon-to-bone healing and the prevention of rotator cuff muscle “fatty atrophy”. His translational research work aligns well with his clinical research interests. He co-leads the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Massive Rotator Cuff Tear Research Group, an international multi-center collaboration, which has been tasked with improving our understanding, treatment, and management in patients with massive rotator cuff tears. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters, and given more than 30 scientific presentations at national meetings.

In addition to his clinical work and research, Dr. Kovacevic volunteers his time to serve on several committees as a member of prominent orthopedic organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America. He is an active member of the Orthopaedic Research Society, and member of the American Orthopaedic Association Emerging Leaders Program.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he received a B.S. in Economics, Zoology, and Neuroscience from Miami University and earned his Doctorate of Medicine Degree from Ohio State University. He was a resident in orthopedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic where he served as administrative Chief Resident and continued his development as a surgeon-scientist as the George W. Crile Research Fellow. He completed his fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in shoulder, elbow and sports medicine surgery. He joined Yale University’s Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in 2015, where he was associate fellowship director of shoulder and elbow surgery and head team physician for Yale Rugby. He is pleased to provide comprehensive and individualized patient-centered care in a collaborative, team-based approach. Dr. Kovacevic lives in New York City with his wife, Anna, who is an executive in sports business.