James C. Dreese, MD

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

James Dreese, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship-trained in sports medicine. He is double-board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He serves as associate director of Union Memorial Sports Medicine and as research director for the MedStar Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship. He was recently elected to serve as one of two delegates from the state of Maryland on the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Council of Delegates. He has served as editor-in-chief for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and has been appointed to numerous regional and national leadership committees in Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He is actively involved in sports medicine research, and has published numerous articles and book chapters. Dr. Dreese is an associate team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. He serves as one of two delegates from the state of Maryland to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. He has been named numerous times to U.S. News and World Report's Top Doctors for Sports Medicine and Castle Connolly's Top Doctor Baltimore Edition. In 2021, Baltimore magazine named him a Top Doctor in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine.

Dr. Dreese has clinical interest in conservative and surgical management of knee, shoulder, hamstring, and elbow injuries. His practice focuses on managing these injuries in athletes and the general population. His clinical practice uniquely focuses on non-joint replacement solutions for knee and shoulder injuries. He has extensive experience in managing complex ligamentous, meniscus, and cartilage injuries of the knee during the eight years he spent caring for Maryland Shock Trauma patients. He continues to frequently manage patients and athletes with complex knee injuries referred throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. As a result of the findings of his own and others' research, he adheres to strict principles of meniscal preservation rather than removal (meniscectomy) whenever feasible. For patients in whom meniscal preservation is not successful he offers extensive expertise in allograft meniscus transplantation. For more than 10 years Dr. Dreese has been performing a high volume of meniscus root repairs. This gives him unique ability and extensive expertise in the treatment of all types of meniscus injuries. Dr. Dreese has been invited as a guest lecturer at numerous state and regional meetings to speak about his extensive experience treating meniscus injuries. Dr. Dreese has extensive experience in managing ligamentous injuries of the knee, with expertise in determination of conservative vs surgical management. He performs high volumes of both bone-patellar tendon-bone and hamstring ACL reconstruction, promoting a joint discussion with patients and their families in deciding which option suits the individual patient.  He also is experienced in performing anterolateral ligament reconstruction of the knee when risk of re-injury following ACL reconstruction is increased.

Dr. Dreese's particular areas of interest in the shoulder include rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability, SLAP tears, AC joint injuries, and biceps tendon injuries. In the knee, he focuses on ligament reconstruction (ACL, PCL, LCL/posterolateral corner), meniscus repair (meniscus root tears, bucket-handle tears, radial tears, etc.), cartilage restoration (fragmented juvenile cartilage transplantation and fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation) for localized arthritis, subchondral insufficiency fracture stabilization, patella instability surgery, patellofemoral pain syndrome, high tibial osteotomy, and nerve injuries around the knee. In particular, he focuses on operations to preserve the meniscus via repair in an effort to limit the risk of developing arthritis and the need for meniscus transplantation or joint replacement surgery. He has extensive experience in treating proximal hamstring injuries, specializing in conservative and surgical treatment for patients throughout the region.

Professional Appointments

• Member, NFL Physicians Society, 2014-present
• Co-Director, MedStar Orthopedic Sports Medicine fellowship 2021-current
• Associate Director, Union Memorial Sports Medicine, 2013-present
• Director of Research, MedStar Sports Medicine Fellowship, 2014-present
• Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine, Shoulder and Elbow, 2005-2013
• Council of Delegates, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, 2015-2018, 2021-present
• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Sports Medicine Fellowship Subcommittee, 2021-present
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Annual Meeting Instructional Course Committee, Sports Medicine, 2014-present
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Sports/Arthroscopy Annual Meeting Program Subcommittee, 2010-2013
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Evaluation Committee, 2006-2012, Group Leader 2011
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Orthopaedic Self-Assessment Committee (OSAE), 2006-2010, Chief of Sports subcommittee, 2010
• Editor-in-Chief, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Sports Medicine Self-Interest Exam (OSIE), 2013 examination
• Reviewer, American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020-present.
• Reviewer, Current Orthopaedic Practice, 2012-present