Dr. John Bergfeld, M.D. - Our Founder
From bucolic farm life to rough urban areas to the Navy, Dr. John Bergfeld, Senior Physician in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, has had many colorful experiences. An Illinois native, his childhood was less than smooth. Dr. Bergfeld: “It was a pretty tumultuous upbringing. My parents divorced, my dad moved to Saudi Arabia, my mom went to California, and I attended a different school every year. My mother was so busy working that I spent most of my youth with my French grandmother, as well as my aunt and uncle, on a farm near Pittsburgh. While they emphasized the solid values of hard work and self reliance, the environment was a bit lonesome because there were few opportunities for social interaction.”
When he later had the chance to socialize, he wasn’t exactly keeping company with those bent on getting an education. “When I was in 7th grade my mother moved us to Philadelphia, but unfortunately we were in a pretty rough area. I was on the verge of getting into trouble, so my mom decided to see if the military could do anything with me. As it turned out, the Valley Forge Military Academy was the biggest influence of my young life. I was impressed and heartened to find there a level playing field…it didn’t matter who your parents were or how much money you had.”
But his beginning was still a bit rocky. “I had a chip on my shoulder and thought I was tough. I was taken down a couple of notches, however, when I got beaten up several times my freshman year. Over time, though, I grew to appreciate that there was no false environment there, i.e., you had your rank, you did your job and that’s how you were judged. For the first time in my life, I had a social reference point. On the academic front, graduating 2nd in my military class drove home the point that if I applied myself I could progress in life.”
Now a sports medicine specialist, Dr. Bergfeld treasures one letter more than any other he has ever received. “At Valley Forge we were required to participate in sports; my sophomore year I tried out for the varsity football team. I worked hard, and more than anything, I wanted to be invited back to football camp prior to my junior year. Receiving that letter from the coach asking me to football camp meant the world to me…I was part of the team.”
As he would be at college. “I attended Bucknell University, played football, and met my roommate Denny Cox’s family. They essentially introduced me to ‘regular’ family life.”
Finding Direction in Medicine
Now far from the uncertain future he once faced, a young John Bergfeld applied and gained acceptance into four medical schools. “I chose Temple University in Philadelphia because it was known for teaching practical, hands on medicine. There I was fortunate to meet my wife, Wilma, who was also a medical student.”
Devoted to a future together, “Drs. Bergfeld” moved en masse…plus one. “Wilma was pregnant when we completed medical school, and so we wanted to be near her family in Cleveland. Cleveland Clinic was understanding about her condition, and allowed her to start her internship a bit later than everyone else. So in 1964, we both did our internships at Cleveland Clinic.”
Although he was interested in cardiac surgery, Dr. Bergfeld didn’t find enough heart in the field. “In cardiac surgery patients came in, had the operation and were gone. The surgeons didn’t spend a lot of time actually talking to them. During this period I continued to play rugby and moonlighted as a team doctor for a local high school. It was through this work that I got to know the outstanding Dr. McCollister ‘Mac’ Evarts, and ended up doing an orthopedic rotation with him.”
Intrigued, but not rushed, Dr. Bergfeld completed a year of general surgery.
This time at Cleveland Clinic gave me the experience I needed to become comfortable with soft tissue trauma, ruptured aneurisms, fluid balance…things of that nature. I feel badly for the students today because they have to decide on a specialty so early in training. I didn’t have to commit to anything until I was finished with internship. These days, students must decide on a specialty by their third year of medical school.
Staying on at Cleveland Clinic for an orthopedic residency, Dr. Bergfeld dug deeper into a world that was not yet formalized—sports medicine. “I got to look on and learn as Dr. Evarts built the sports medicine division at Cleveland Clinic. He hired Dr. Royer Collins, a sports medicine pioneer, who taught us that sports medicine is more than surgery, that working with our primary care team physician colleagues was rewarding, and that education of our peers was an important part of ‘academic’ sports medicine.”
Finishing up residency in 1970, Dr. Bergfeld would be taken down a notch by a military experience. “I had deferred my military service to attend medical school, but then it was time to get involved. When I signed on with the Navy they looked at my CV and saw that I had a lot of experience as a team physician. I was called to Washington, D.C. for an interview, and then sent to the Naval Academy to meet the football coach. This was when all of my friends were going to Vietnam, mind you. Upon returning to D.C., the officer in charge asked, ‘What did you think?’ Well, I had been trained at the renowned Cleveland Clinic and had my mind set on doing ‘big’ surgeries. His response? ‘Boy, if you think Annapolis is not good enough for you we can send you other places whose names you can’t even pronounce…like Da Nang.’”
“Epiphany!” says Dr. Bergfeld. “I told my wife that given my attitude I would likely be in Vietnam. As it turned out, I did receive orders from the Navy. I was sent to the US Naval Hospital Annapolis with an additional assignment to the US Naval Academy, where I built an orthopedic practice, treated athletes, and helped care for Vietnam casualties.”
In the midst of all this, he shipped out and found his place in the chain of command at sea. “In 1972 I spent six months on a Navy ship in the Western Pacific, an experience which taught me where doctors fit into life. Our job as physicians was to support the team, but the real decisions were being made by the Captain and line officers. I recall going to an officers meeting and everyone was asked for input…with the exception of me. I’ve thought about this many times, and believe that this mirrors the role doctors have in society. We keep people healthy and those people keep things going. Some doctors become self centered and think that the world revolves around them. I tell my young trainees that they can easily be replaced.”
Mentors and Career Development
Back on dry land, a chance meeting then opened doors to the knee. “In 1970 as Navy team physician at the Army Navy football game, I met Dr. John Feagin, Army team physician, who would become a lifelong friend. We were seeing a lot of knee problems at the military academies, many of which Dr. Feagin said were torn anterior cruciate ligaments. I didn’t know about these injuries at the time, but once I learned what they were I began to repair them. It was quite a challenge in those pre-arthroscope days.”
Returning to Cleveland Clinic as staff in 1973, Dr. Bergfeld worked alongside colleagues and instituted a full sports medicine department and practice. “Along with Dr. Collins, Dr. Ken DeHaven and I were the first sports medicine staff. Although we were housed in the department of orthopedics, we could see that those around us wondered what exactly we were doing. But as television covered more and more professional sports and played up the lives of the athletes, our burgeoning field grew. Suddenly, the young doctors applying for residency began to ask, ‘Who is doing sports medicine here?’ That’s when the ‘old’ professors began to realize that they should pay attention to this subspecialty.”
“In 1976 Art Model, owner of the Cleveland Browns, asked me to be the team doctor. I agreed, and began a terrific 28 year relationship with the team. Then in 1982 I signed on as team physician for the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team. Working with these ‘neuromuscular giants’ was invigorating because they were very dedicated to physical fitness, followed instructions and were all talented athletes. With the basketball players we primarily saw overuse problems and stress fractures, whereas the football players experienced a lot of traumatic knee and hand injuries.”
Leading the Field with Research
Dr. Bergfeld, who went on to lead the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, has always been committed to driving the field forward through research. He notes, “I am especially interested in problems of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). While it is a less common injury, the surgery to treat it is more complex. My research has involved looking at which types of surgeries are most effective for PCL issues; unfortunately, our first results were not very promising. Surgery on the back of the knee contains all the arteries, nerves, and blood vessels, unlike the front of the knee. It’s just a much tougher environment back there.”
Detailing his work, Dr. Bergfeld explains, “From 1985-98 my colleagues and I did a series of studies in which we showed that the posterior tibial inlay technique is the most effect biomechanical procedure for reconstructing a PCL. In this operation, the surgeon uses either the patient’s own tendon or ligament from a cadaver. The procedure is done anatomically by placing the tendon or ligament in the anatomic position rather than through a drill hole. We showed in the lab that the procedure was more stable than other approaches, and in fact, as we followed the patients there were fewer reported cases of loosening. My work with the PCL has also led me to determine that 85% of these cases in athletes can be treated nonsurgically. It is really gratifying that today many team doctors follow the guidelines we have developed.”
The most satisfying part of my career is the young orthopedic surgeons and Primary Care Sports residents and fellows I have had an opportunity to train. I am particularly proud that five of these individuals have gone on to be department chairs and several serve as professional, college and high school team physicians.
A sportsman at heart, a proud Dr. Bergfeld says, “My wife, the first female President of the American Academy of Dermatology, is a long ball hitter in academics. While it is fantastic that she and I both work at Cleveland Clinic, one year I made the mistake of reading her review…the accolades went on for pages. We have two daughters, one who was a wonderful human being and attorney, but is now deceased. Our other daughter is an accomplished graphic designer who, among other things, creates personalized books about family biographies.”
Also filling the pages of Dr. Bergfeld’s life book are the pleasures of the outdoors. “My wife and I are avid sailors and enjoy backcountry skiing. Recently I have spent more time fly fishing, something which I see as a very academic sport. You must figure out what the fish are eating, and can fish in some spectacular places. I also love shooting sporting clays, something that harkens back to my days in rural Pennsylvania, where guns are not uncommon. It is a great way to focus and compete with oneself.”
Dr. John Bergfeld…forged by obstacles and shaping the field.
When he later had the chance to socialize, he wasn’t exactly keeping company with those bent on getting an education. “When I was in 7th grade my mother moved us to Philadelphia, but unfortunately we were in a pretty rough area. I was on the verge of getting into trouble, so my mom decided to see if the military could do anything with me. As it turned out, the Valley Forge Military Academy was the biggest influence of my young life. I was impressed and heartened to find there a level playing field…it didn’t matter who your parents were or how much money you had.”
But his beginning was still a bit rocky. “I had a chip on my shoulder and thought I was tough. I was taken down a couple of notches, however, when I got beaten up several times my freshman year. Over time, though, I grew to appreciate that there was no false environment there, i.e., you had your rank, you did your job and that’s how you were judged. For the first time in my life, I had a social reference point. On the academic front, graduating 2nd in my military class drove home the point that if I applied myself I could progress in life.”
Now a sports medicine specialist, Dr. Bergfeld treasures one letter more than any other he has ever received. “At Valley Forge we were required to participate in sports; my sophomore year I tried out for the varsity football team. I worked hard, and more than anything, I wanted to be invited back to football camp prior to my junior year. Receiving that letter from the coach asking me to football camp meant the world to me…I was part of the team.”
As he would be at college. “I attended Bucknell University, played football, and met my roommate Denny Cox’s family. They essentially introduced me to ‘regular’ family life.”
Finding Direction in Medicine
Now far from the uncertain future he once faced, a young John Bergfeld applied and gained acceptance into four medical schools. “I chose Temple University in Philadelphia because it was known for teaching practical, hands on medicine. There I was fortunate to meet my wife, Wilma, who was also a medical student.”
Devoted to a future together, “Drs. Bergfeld” moved en masse…plus one. “Wilma was pregnant when we completed medical school, and so we wanted to be near her family in Cleveland. Cleveland Clinic was understanding about her condition, and allowed her to start her internship a bit later than everyone else. So in 1964, we both did our internships at Cleveland Clinic.”
Although he was interested in cardiac surgery, Dr. Bergfeld didn’t find enough heart in the field. “In cardiac surgery patients came in, had the operation and were gone. The surgeons didn’t spend a lot of time actually talking to them. During this period I continued to play rugby and moonlighted as a team doctor for a local high school. It was through this work that I got to know the outstanding Dr. McCollister ‘Mac’ Evarts, and ended up doing an orthopedic rotation with him.”
Intrigued, but not rushed, Dr. Bergfeld completed a year of general surgery.
This time at Cleveland Clinic gave me the experience I needed to become comfortable with soft tissue trauma, ruptured aneurisms, fluid balance…things of that nature. I feel badly for the students today because they have to decide on a specialty so early in training. I didn’t have to commit to anything until I was finished with internship. These days, students must decide on a specialty by their third year of medical school.
Staying on at Cleveland Clinic for an orthopedic residency, Dr. Bergfeld dug deeper into a world that was not yet formalized—sports medicine. “I got to look on and learn as Dr. Evarts built the sports medicine division at Cleveland Clinic. He hired Dr. Royer Collins, a sports medicine pioneer, who taught us that sports medicine is more than surgery, that working with our primary care team physician colleagues was rewarding, and that education of our peers was an important part of ‘academic’ sports medicine.”
Finishing up residency in 1970, Dr. Bergfeld would be taken down a notch by a military experience. “I had deferred my military service to attend medical school, but then it was time to get involved. When I signed on with the Navy they looked at my CV and saw that I had a lot of experience as a team physician. I was called to Washington, D.C. for an interview, and then sent to the Naval Academy to meet the football coach. This was when all of my friends were going to Vietnam, mind you. Upon returning to D.C., the officer in charge asked, ‘What did you think?’ Well, I had been trained at the renowned Cleveland Clinic and had my mind set on doing ‘big’ surgeries. His response? ‘Boy, if you think Annapolis is not good enough for you we can send you other places whose names you can’t even pronounce…like Da Nang.’”
“Epiphany!” says Dr. Bergfeld. “I told my wife that given my attitude I would likely be in Vietnam. As it turned out, I did receive orders from the Navy. I was sent to the US Naval Hospital Annapolis with an additional assignment to the US Naval Academy, where I built an orthopedic practice, treated athletes, and helped care for Vietnam casualties.”
In the midst of all this, he shipped out and found his place in the chain of command at sea. “In 1972 I spent six months on a Navy ship in the Western Pacific, an experience which taught me where doctors fit into life. Our job as physicians was to support the team, but the real decisions were being made by the Captain and line officers. I recall going to an officers meeting and everyone was asked for input…with the exception of me. I’ve thought about this many times, and believe that this mirrors the role doctors have in society. We keep people healthy and those people keep things going. Some doctors become self centered and think that the world revolves around them. I tell my young trainees that they can easily be replaced.”
Mentors and Career Development
Back on dry land, a chance meeting then opened doors to the knee. “In 1970 as Navy team physician at the Army Navy football game, I met Dr. John Feagin, Army team physician, who would become a lifelong friend. We were seeing a lot of knee problems at the military academies, many of which Dr. Feagin said were torn anterior cruciate ligaments. I didn’t know about these injuries at the time, but once I learned what they were I began to repair them. It was quite a challenge in those pre-arthroscope days.”
Returning to Cleveland Clinic as staff in 1973, Dr. Bergfeld worked alongside colleagues and instituted a full sports medicine department and practice. “Along with Dr. Collins, Dr. Ken DeHaven and I were the first sports medicine staff. Although we were housed in the department of orthopedics, we could see that those around us wondered what exactly we were doing. But as television covered more and more professional sports and played up the lives of the athletes, our burgeoning field grew. Suddenly, the young doctors applying for residency began to ask, ‘Who is doing sports medicine here?’ That’s when the ‘old’ professors began to realize that they should pay attention to this subspecialty.”
“In 1976 Art Model, owner of the Cleveland Browns, asked me to be the team doctor. I agreed, and began a terrific 28 year relationship with the team. Then in 1982 I signed on as team physician for the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team. Working with these ‘neuromuscular giants’ was invigorating because they were very dedicated to physical fitness, followed instructions and were all talented athletes. With the basketball players we primarily saw overuse problems and stress fractures, whereas the football players experienced a lot of traumatic knee and hand injuries.”
Leading the Field with Research
Dr. Bergfeld, who went on to lead the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, has always been committed to driving the field forward through research. He notes, “I am especially interested in problems of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). While it is a less common injury, the surgery to treat it is more complex. My research has involved looking at which types of surgeries are most effective for PCL issues; unfortunately, our first results were not very promising. Surgery on the back of the knee contains all the arteries, nerves, and blood vessels, unlike the front of the knee. It’s just a much tougher environment back there.”
Detailing his work, Dr. Bergfeld explains, “From 1985-98 my colleagues and I did a series of studies in which we showed that the posterior tibial inlay technique is the most effect biomechanical procedure for reconstructing a PCL. In this operation, the surgeon uses either the patient’s own tendon or ligament from a cadaver. The procedure is done anatomically by placing the tendon or ligament in the anatomic position rather than through a drill hole. We showed in the lab that the procedure was more stable than other approaches, and in fact, as we followed the patients there were fewer reported cases of loosening. My work with the PCL has also led me to determine that 85% of these cases in athletes can be treated nonsurgically. It is really gratifying that today many team doctors follow the guidelines we have developed.”
The most satisfying part of my career is the young orthopedic surgeons and Primary Care Sports residents and fellows I have had an opportunity to train. I am particularly proud that five of these individuals have gone on to be department chairs and several serve as professional, college and high school team physicians.
A sportsman at heart, a proud Dr. Bergfeld says, “My wife, the first female President of the American Academy of Dermatology, is a long ball hitter in academics. While it is fantastic that she and I both work at Cleveland Clinic, one year I made the mistake of reading her review…the accolades went on for pages. We have two daughters, one who was a wonderful human being and attorney, but is now deceased. Our other daughter is an accomplished graphic designer who, among other things, creates personalized books about family biographies.”
Also filling the pages of Dr. Bergfeld’s life book are the pleasures of the outdoors. “My wife and I are avid sailors and enjoy backcountry skiing. Recently I have spent more time fly fishing, something which I see as a very academic sport. You must figure out what the fish are eating, and can fish in some spectacular places. I also love shooting sporting clays, something that harkens back to my days in rural Pennsylvania, where guns are not uncommon. It is a great way to focus and compete with oneself.”
Dr. John Bergfeld…forged by obstacles and shaping the field.