Bryan Emmerson, MD

Bryan Emmerson, MDBoard Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
Hip and Knee Replacement Specialist

Dr. Emmerson was born and raised in the Central Valley of California. He received his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering (BME) from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. This is the highest rated BME program in the country. During that time he studied biochemistry, biomaterials, and medical implant design.

After earning his Bachelor of Science, Dr. Emmerson returned to California and attended medical school at UC San Diego. While in medical school he was awarded a research grant to continue his interest in orthopedics. He then completed a 6-year residency in orthopedic surgery at UC San Diego. Included in this was a dedicated year of clinical and basic science research in orthopedics.

Once he had completed his residency, Dr. Emmerson traveled to the East Coast where he received an additional year of fellowship training at the Anderson Orthopedic Research Institute. This was a year of focused surgical training in knee and hip arthroplasty. This included advanced techniques in anterior approach hip replacement, partial and total knee replacement, as well as complex reconstructions.

Dr. Emmerson finally settled in Santa Barbara to be close to extended family. He has been serving patients throughout the Central Coast since 2011. In that time, he has received numerous awards and honors. Dr. Emmerson performed the first joint replacement in the newly constructed Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. He was named Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Physician of the Year in 2013. He has also served as the Chief of Surgery for Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital from 2017 through 2021.

Dr. Emmerson’s interest in the advancement of orthopedics continues to this day. He serves on several boards at the hospital to improve the safety and efficacy of joint replacement. He also works as a consultant with medical device companies to develop surgical instrumentation and computer navigation for knee and hip replacement. Dr. Emmerson is a pioneer in developing an outpatient joint replacement program at the Santa Barbara Surgery Center. Using the same techniques and equipment as in the hospital, he is able to offer partial knee, total knee, and total hip replacement to suitable patients who can recover at home following their surgery.

In addition to a busy clinical practice, Dr. Emmerson enjoys spending time with his wife and four children. They are active supporters of the local public school system. He is an avid cyclist and can often be spotted on weekend road rides or on the mountain bike trails overlooking Santa Barbara.