August 19 2018
by Neel Desai, M.D.
Dr. Julia L. Iafrate (“Dr. J”) is an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine at CUMC (Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian) in New York City. She completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic. She followed this up with a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Iowa.
She grew up in Canada as an athlete and dancer. Her familiarity with being sidelined from injury firsthand served as a foundation for her training and career in medicine.
During her fellowship she worked as team physician for several of the University of Iowa’s sports teams–from football to men’s basketball to the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams.
Through this extensive training and a vast array of clinical experiences, Dr. J has been able to become an expert in Sports and Dance Medicine.
Her clinical interests–of all types of musculoskeletal injuries, college and professional level sports coverage, dance medicine, diagnostic and interventional ultrasound-guided procedures, global health and nutrition, as well as resident teaching–have allowed her opportunities to integrate her unique skill sets and clinical experiences for new and exciting opportunities. She works with local dance schools in New York and earned a position as one of the rotating team physicians for the USA Ski Team. She now continues to develop her Dance Medicine practice and has plans to create a multidisciplinary group to better care for the dancer-athlete in New York City.
Dr. J still carries words from one of her mentors with her. Physiatry has taught her how important it is to maximize a patient’s quality of life:
“Physiatry is taking care of human movement more than anything else. We take care of a wide array of people. We really strive towards function. One of my mentors told me that Physiatrists need to put the needs of that patient first and in doing so we add life to your years—not necessarily years to your life. And that really resonated with me. I want to give you the best capability to live as fulfilling a life as you can, in whatever realm that is. An athlete is anybody who is active and enjoys some kind of sport or recreational activity to stay healthy. It’s fun for me to be on the sporting field, or with athletes because I used to be an athlete, so I think I really understand what my patients are going through.”
She also believes each patient is unique and requires personalized and innovative treatment plans:
“I want to think outside of the box for my patients because no two patients are alike. No two issues are alike, and we are all affected by things differently.”
In addition to sports and dance medicine, Dr. J also has a passion for international medicine. She has provided care in multiple countries, including but not limited to Kenya, Guatemala, and Nepal. She enjoys being involved in global medicine as it allows her to give back and learn about other cultures. Her experience in Nepal left deep impressions on her:
“By the end of my time there, I was excited to come home and sad to leave. Nepal gets inside you; it becomes part of you, and its’ people become your brothers and sisters. I made some wonderful friends and can’t wait to go back to Kathmandu on my own time. My visit to Nepal proved to be a life-changing experience that challenged me to adapt to adapt to different methods of practicing medicine and exposed me to a culture I had not seen before.”
Dr. J has found a way to to live her dreams in healthcare, is living a fulfilled life, and having a signicant impact in her unique healthcare spaces. It is with great honor we recognize Dr. Julia L. Iafrate as our Medical Influencer of The Week.
For more information:
Website:
Dr. Julia Iafrate Columbia Doctors/New York Presbyrterian
Social Media:
YouTube Bio Video with Columbia Doctors/New York Presbyterian
