Dr. Johnathan Bernard is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist. His medical practice includes the management of sports related injuries and orthopedic trauma. As a sports medicine specialist, he believes in a wholistic approach and individualized treatment plans, not simply treating an x-ray or an MRI. His practice philosophy is to vertically integrate all aspects of orthopedic injuries to achieve value in healthcare. This includes a deeper understanding of prevention, non-operative management of injuries, surgery when necessary, and understanding rehabilitation protocols, return to activity and sports, sport-science considerations and optimizing human performance.
Dr. Bernard completed his undergraduate education at the U.S. Naval Academy, attended medical school at the Yale School of Medicine and obtained a Master’s in Public Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Bernard completed his orthopedic surgical training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He continued his surgical training in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. After his fellowship, he completed a second fellowship in orthopedic Trauma at Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève in Switzerland. While there, he spent time with several internationally renowned shoulder and knee surgeons in Geneva as well as Lyon, Nice, and Annecy, France.
As a Sports Medicine Specialist with OrthoVirginia, Dr. Bernard is a team physician and orthopedic surgeon for Washington Commanders. He has previously served as a team physician for the New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Johns Hopkins University, Iona College, D.C. United, and Loudoun United. He has cared for athletes from the NY Knicks, NY Mets, NY Liberty, NY Rangers, and members of the US and Swiss Olympic teams. He has volunteered team coverage for high schools in Baltimore, New York, and in Loudoun County Virginia. He currently volunteers as a team physician to Independence High School.
Dr. Bernard has published numerous scientific peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and presented his research nationally and internationally at orthopedic meetings. He has received numerous grants for research to advance the field of orthopedic surgery including the prestigious OREF resident research grant for biomechanical research on anterior shoulder instability, an OMEGA-AOA training grant for resident surgical education, and a grant as Visiting Scholar for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery to the American Board of Medical Specialties on metrics for measuring arthroscopic skill and proficiency. His academic appointments have included Senior Clinical Associate in Orthopaedic Surgery at Weil Cornell Medical College and adjunct Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Bernard serves as a reviewer for several medical journals including the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy Journal, and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Dr. Bernard is active in public service and policy, having previously been awarded the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Fellowship at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He has also served as a Health Policy Fellow with the Arthroscopy Association of North America and serves on the Advocacy Committee.
He is active in volunteerism and has traveled to Haiti and performed surgery as a visiting surgeon through SIGN Fracture Care. He serves a preceptor for Johns Hopkins orthopedic surgical residency, local university graduate programs including athletic training and physician assistant programs, and nationally recognized Nth Dimensions Medical Student program. He has served as a committee member and orthopedic trauma liaison for the Inova Loudoun Hospital Trauma Program. He is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Arthroscopy Association of North America, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the NFL Physician Society. He has been an active volunteer for Loudoun County High School Football with sideline coverage.
Dr. Bernard is married to Stephanie Bernard, EdD, PA-C, RD, Associate Program Director and Director of Didactic Education at Shenandoah University Division of PA studies. He has lived in Loudoun County since 2015 with his wife and three daughters.
Team Physician, Washington Commanders
