Find a Provider

David R. McAllister, M.D. is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon with a subspecialty Board Certification in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. His practice's sole focus is on athletic injuries. He specializes in all areas of orthopaedic sports medicine including arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the shoulder, knee, elbow, and ankle. He has special expertise in knee ligament injuries, meniscus injuries, and articular cartilage problems. He has extensive clinical and research experience in the area of knee ligaments including ACL, PCL and posterolateral corner reconstructions.

Dr. McAllister is a Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is the Vice Chair for Clinical Operations and is the chief of the Sports Medicine Service. He is responsible for teaching UCLA medical students and orthopedic surgery residents at UCLA Medical Centers. Dr. McAllister also serves as the program director of the sports medicine fellowship at UCLA which trains board eligible orthopaedic surgeons to become sports medicine specialists. He is the director of the UCLA Department of Orthopedic Surgery arthroscopic skills lab and medical director of the UCLA Department of Orthopedic Surgery outpatient clinic in the 100 Medical Plaza in Westwood.

Dr. McAllister provides care to athletes of all skill levels including professional, collegiate, high school, and recreational athletes. He is the Head Team Physician for the Los Angeles Lakers, Associate Head Team Physician and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery for the UCLA Athletic Department. He has extensive experience caring for athletes in a variety of sports including football, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, volleyball and track. He has also served as a team physician for the 2002 United States Figure Skating Championships. He was the medical director, as well as, team physician for the 2004 United States Golf Association Senior Open Tournament. He was a team physician for the 2015 Special Olympics. Dr. McAllister is a recognized expert in sports medicine. He routinely treats patients from all areas of the southwest region and other parts of the world.

Dr. McAllister is an accomplished researcher having published numerous scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally. His areas of expertise include knee ligament injuries, biomechanics, and surgery. In addition, he has considerable experience with tissue engineering and is currently leading a multidisciplinary team of researchers in their efforts to grow ligament tissue in a laboratory that could later be used in patients for knee ligament reconstruction. Dr. McAllister has presented many scientific papers and is frequently invited to moderate sessions at various national and international orthopedic meetings. Dr. McAllister has also served on the faculty for courses designed to educate other orthopaedic surgeons in the area of sports medicine. He is a member of many academic orthopaedic societies, serves on the editorial board of many orthopaedic publications and has held numerous leadership positions in multiple societies and organizations.

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a diplomat of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and holds membership in American, Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy Association of North America, California Orthopaedic Association, European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (Honorary), International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Research Society, Western Orthopaedic Association, ACL Study Group, American Orthopaedic Association, Herodicus Society, Magellan Society, Warthog Sports Medicine Society, and the Wilson Bost Interurban Orthopaedic Club.