Originally from Texas, Marci (Ernsberger) Goolsby, M.D. ’05, went to California for college, came back to Texas for medical school in 2001 and…ended up nearly 3,000 miles across the country in New York as a team physician for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Now that’s what we call traveling.

With four years of playing on the UC San Diego women’s basketball team under her belt, Goolsby brings a unique perspective to her current role.

“As a college basketball player myself, I was always interested in sports, so I chose to specialize in primary care-sports medicine,” said Dr. Goolsby via phone in September. “The opportunity to serve as team physician for the Liberty came as part of a job offer from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, so I’m returning to the sport I love.”

“I can really identify with the athletes’ injuries and what they’re feeling emotionally,” Goolsby said.

After graduating from the College of Medicine in 2005, Goolsby completed her residency in family medicine at UCLA where she served as chief resident.  She went on to complete a primary care sports medicine fellowship at UCLA as well.

Along the way Goolsby served as team physician for UCLA’s men’s and women’s athletic teams, medical team captain for the Pasadena and Los Angeles marathons, and medical team volunteer for the World Figure Skating Championships.  So what’s up next?

“This is my first year of practice, and since I landed my dream job right out of training, I don’t plan on going anywhere soon!” she said.  “There are endless opportunities here,” she continued.   “At the Hospital for Special Surgery, we just developed a division for primary care-sports medicine which is really unique and started a fellowship for primary care in sports medicine.  There are a lot of positive things going on.”

“I loved my class,” she said.  “We were really close. I had a great time being a class president, and I still stay in touch with some of my classmates.”