Meet Hand & Upper Extremity Surgeon, and Greater Central Coast Division Orthopedic Surgery/Musculoskeletal Service Line Director Corina Brown, MD

What drives someone to spend a life in medicine? In this Q&A series, a group of leading local physicians share the moments that set them on their path, the breakthroughs shaping their fields, and the realities behind the work. Their answers are candid, occasionally surprising, and grounded in experience. Together, they offer a clear-eyed look at the people delivering care in our community and what continues to motivate them every day.

Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine, and how did you select your particular specialty?

A. Having the privilege of growing up in Santa Barbara, and being the daughter of a physician, I knew I wanted to go into medicine by the time I was in college. However, after graduating, I realized the world is a very large place and I wanted to find my way outside the beautiful bubble that is our town. My travels took me to Machakos, Kenya – where I taught in a vocational school and worked in a hospital – and to Sydney, Australia – where I worked in a drug discovery lab. After a few years in research, I realized my true calling was in direct patient care. I took my MCAT (the test for medical school admission) in Singapore – and got possibly the worst food poisoning ever during the test. I returned to attend medical school at UCSD. 

Although undecided on a specialty upon entering medical school, I took an elective in orthopedic surgery my first year. I saw a total hip replacement, where the patient was able to walk again after not walking for years. Being able to help restore such a tremendous amount of function in someone’s life is an incredible gift to be able to give to another human. 

Can you share a moment in your career that profoundly impacted you?

When applying to an orthopedic residency, every mentor I spoke with about the application process said not to write about tearing your ACL, since apparently every applicant has had this injury, and it inspired them to go into orthopedics. I did this in reverse when I tore my ACL mountain biking in my first year of practice. It was an incredibly challenging experience from injury to rehab, but it made me a better doctor. I am extremely grateful for the surgeon who put me back together and got me back doing what I love (which happens to be inordinate amounts of cycling). It has made me much more capable of talking patients through the recovery process both physically and mentally after surgery. It’s also made me so grateful to be part of field that can have such a profound impact on someone’s life!

Who has been a mentor or role model in your life, and what did you learn from them?

Although I arrived at my career choice by an independent path, my mother is also an orthopedic surgeon who has practiced in town for 35 years. Her passion for her profession appeared to be contagious. It’s such a privilege to be one of the few mother-daughter orthopedic surgeon teams. To this day, I will run cases by her. She is very passionate about what she does. It’s inspiring to see her advocate and care for her patients.  

As Sansum Clinic begins a new chapter as part of Sutter Health, we remain united by a shared mission: to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the communities we serve. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare on the Central Coast.

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