Meet the Doctor: Michael Yang, MD
Michael Yang, MD, is a sports medicine physician in the Department of Orthopedics at Einstein Healthcare Network. He sees patients at Einstein Orthopedics offices on West Germantown Pike in Norristown and on Mall Boulevard in King of Prussia. He is board certified in family medicine and sports medicine by the American Academy of Family Medicine.
Dr. Yang was named a Top Doctor in Sports Medicine in 2021 by Mainline Today magazine. He was the recipient of the Residency Teaching Award at Chestnut Hill Family Medicine in 2015.
Dr. Yang has served as a sports team physician in Pennsylvania at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Parkland High School in Allentown, Merion Mercy Academy in Merion, Penn State University Brandywine Campus, and at Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware.
We recently spoke with Dr. Yang about his career, his interests, and sports medicine at Einstein.
Q: Why did you decide to become a doctor?
A: First, I am from a family of doctors. It was a natural pull for me to go into medicine and try to do good Second, it is hard to see people suffering and not want to help them.
Q: Tell us about your education background.
A: I received my medical degree from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. I completed a residency in family medicine at Chestnut Hill Family Practice in Philadelphia and a sports medicine fellowship at a dual program through Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown and Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Q: Why did you choose your specialty?
A: Sports medicine was the right specialty for me because I enjoy caring for the whole person. We specialize in nonoperative treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
Seeing a patient as a whole and focusing on the entire body is the way I approach treatment. I do this in an efficient, yet compassionate manner. I see athletes as well as nonathletes for their orthopedic problems, and nonorthopedic conditions such as concussions, chronic or acute illnesses such as asthma or diabetes, nutrition guidance, exercise recommendations and injury prevention.
I take care of patients 8 years and older, so I see a diversified group. We understand that not everyone wants or is a candidate for surgery, so we offer options that are nonsurgical to get patients back to their sport of choice.
Q: What are your clinical interests?
A: Our sports medicine program offers patients several treatment options. If they do not require surgery or do not want surgery, to help them still recover more quickly with positive results.
Currently, I am treating patients with chronic knee pain using radiofrequency ablation, which stops the nerves responsible for sending pain signals to the brain. The procedure uses water-cooled technology to safely shut down pain-transmitting sensory nerves, allowing a larger treatment area and a greater chance at targeting pain-causing nerves.
I am also performing a minimally invasive procedure that eliminates chronic tendon pain by specifically targeting and removing damaged tissue, without the need for conventional surgery. Using ultrasonic energy, the treatment precisely targets only the damaged tendon tissue, while the surrounding healthy tissue is left unharmed.
Q: What drew you to Einstein?
A: Einstein is a pillar of health care for the people in a large community in Philadelphia. The people we serve are in need of health care services and we can provide that care to them. I am also excited now to be part of a larger institution, Jefferson Health.
Q: Why should people choose Einstein for their sports medicine care?
A: Einstein is a world-class hospital. We function as a community hospital, but we have all of the specialties and latest treatment options for patients that you would see at major teaching hospitals across the country. We also have strong residency programs. Our sports medicine program is very strong, and we utilize the latest treatment modalities.
Q: What are your interests outside of work?
A: Sports, including skiing, basketball and tennis.
Q: Who was an early role model for you?
A: My role model has always been my mother. She is a researcher and a mom, with both master’s and medical degrees. She held the family together while maintaining a professional career.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: The Alchemist, a novel by Paul Coelho, because of its message that not everything works out right away and that you can shape who you want to be.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: The Shawshank Redemption because it showed that the real person in all of us comes out when you strip away all of the added layers.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
A: Pizza Hut, believe it or not. I love the pizza and buffalo wings.
Q: What is something that most people don’t know about you?
A: If I hadn’t become a doctor, I would consider becoming a chef. I do most of the cooking for my wife, who is also a doctor, and our 6-year-old twins. My favorite meals to prepare are beef bourguignon, chicken parmigiana and ramen.
