When you talk about sports medicine in New York, names like the Hospital for Special Surgery usually pop up first. But if you’re actually from the borough of parks, you probably know one name better than the rest. Dr Mark Sherman Staten Island orthopedic surgeon and local fixture. Honestly, it is hard to find a long-time resident who hasn't either been to his office or seen him pacing the sidelines of a high school football game.
He isn't just some guy in a white coat. He is basically the person who brought modern knee and shoulder repair to the island. Back in 1980, nobody was doing arthroscopy there. Imagine that. If you had a torn meniscus, you were looking at a massive incision and a brutal recovery. Sherman changed that. He introduced the "small hole" surgery that changed everything for local athletes.
A Legacy Built on the Sidelines
Mark F. Sherman didn't just stumble into orthopedics. It was kinda in his blood. His father, Dr. Ben Sherman, was a legend in Brooklyn. Ben was the team doctor for Lafayette High School for over 50 years. He even got the field named after him!
Growing up, Mark was on those sidelines from the age of five. He watched his dad treat PSAL (Public School Athletic League) kids for free. That sort of thing sticks with you. So, naturally, Mark followed the path. He hit the books hard.
- He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brooklyn College.
- He nailed his medical degree at New York University in 1975.
- He finished a prestigious fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
In 1980, he opened his private practice: Staten Island Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Since then, he’s medically covered over 1,000 football games. That is a staggering amount of Friday night lights.
Why Dr Mark Sherman Staten Island Patients Keep Coming Back
What makes him different? You’ve probably met doctors who treat you like a number on a chart. Sherman is... well, he’s blunt. People call him "forthright." He’s a "tell it like it is" kind of surgeon. In a world of corporate medicine, that's refreshing.
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He specializes in the "Acute Knee." If you’ve torn your ACL or messed up your rotator cuff, he’s likely the one people recommend. He’s performed over 8,000 arthroscopic procedures. That includes roughly 2,000 ACL repairs. When you do something that many times, you aren't "practicing" anymore. You know what you're doing.
Beyond the Operating Room
There is this thing called the Unity Games. If you want to know the heart of Mark Sherman, look there. It's a two-day basketball event he co-founded with Jacob Carey.
The goal? Simple. Bring kids from different backgrounds together through sports.
Staten Island can be a divided place. We all know it. Sherman used basketball to bridge those gaps. Over 3,000 kids have gone through that program. He’s often said that despite all the surgeries and the research papers, the Unity Games is what he’s most proud of.
Addressing the Elephant in the Room
Now, look. If you Google "Dr Mark Sherman Staten Island," you might find some old, messy headlines from about a decade ago. There were some serious allegations of sexual harassment involving a patient back in 2013.
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It made a lot of noise. It was in the tabloids.
But if you look at his standing today, he remains an attending surgeon at Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC). He is still active in the medical community. Patients still post reviews talking about his "impeccable technique." In medicine, as in life, history is often a mix of high-level achievement and public controversy. You have to weigh the whole picture for yourself.
Breaking Down the Medical Expertise
He isn't just a local doc; he’s an academic. His research on ACL repair is internationally recognized. He even hosted a TV show called “The Sports Doc.” It won a Telly Award in 1999.
He’s a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). He’s part of the ACL Study Group. His son, Seth Sherman, is actually a prominent sports medicine surgeon at Stanford now. It’s a three-generation medical dynasty.
- Primary Focus: Knee and shoulder arthroscopy.
- Common Procedures: ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, total knee replacement, and shoulder dislocation treatment.
- Affiliations: RUMC and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
What to Expect if You Visit
His office is on Richmond Road. It’s not a fancy, glass-and-chrome Manhattan suite. It feels like Staten Island. Professional, but no-nonsense.
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Reviews are generally high, specifically regarding his diagnostic skills. One patient, who happens to be a physician themselves, noted that his technique for injections and surgery "minimizes discomfort." That matters when you're the one on the table.
However, he isn't for everyone. If you want a doctor to hold your hand and talk in soft tones for an hour, he might feel a bit rushed. He’s a surgeon. He identifies the problem, tells you the fix, and moves to the next play.
Moving Forward with Your Health
If you are dealing with a nagging sports injury or joint pain on the island, here is how to handle it.
Check your insurance first. Dr. Sherman is affiliated with RUMC, but you always want to verify if your specific plan is accepted at the Richmond Road office.
Get your imaging ready. If you’ve already had an MRI or X-ray, bring the actual disc. Don't just bring the report. Surgeons want to see the "anatomy," not just what a radiologist wrote down.
Prepare your questions. Because he is "to the point," you need to be too. Ask about recovery times. Ask about non-surgical options like physical therapy or injections. He’s big on getting people back to their activity level, so tell him exactly what sport or hobby you’re trying to get back to.
Ultimately, Dr Mark Sherman Staten Island represents a specific era of medicine—one built on local ties, sideline presence, and thousands of hours in the OR. Whether you’re a high school athlete or someone just trying to walk up the stairs without a clicking knee, his impact on the borough's orthopedic landscape is impossible to ignore.