Dr. John Chase

Dr. John ChaseJohn L. Chase MD did his undergraduate work at UC Davis 1960-63 where he was a varsity letterman in football and baseball. Dr. Chase earned his MD degree at UC San Francisco 1963-67 during which time he spent 2 months in a surgical clerkship at Guy’s Hospital in London. At Guy’s, Dr. Chase was introduced to the game of Rugby Football learning the game from the Guys’ coach, ex All Black, Hugh Burry who was at Guy’s studying Rheumatology. Under Dr. Burry, Guy’s Hosp won the prestigious London Hospital’s cup in 1966. Dr. Burry was later appointed the medical officer to NZRFU.

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Dr. Chase became involved in the development and growth of US Rugby when he returned to the United States in 1967. During his internship at Denver General Hospital in 1967-68, Dr. Chase played for the Denver Barbarians and was a founding member of the Denver University Rugby Club. After Denver, Dr. Chase returned to UC San Francisco and played rugby for the San Francisco Rugby Club bringing the team to the Aspen Tournament where they were winners in 1969. Dr. Chase later played for a number of other club teams and played his last full game during a stint of active duty in the US Air Force during Desert Storm in Lincoln, England in 1991 Dr. Chase began practicing Orthopedic Surgery in 1972. He was the Orthopedic Consultant to the Athletic Teams at UC Davis 1974 to 1985, Medical Officer of USARFU, and Team Physician to the Eagles 1997-1999 accompanying the team on its first tour to England in 1977 and its only undefeated tour, culminating in victory over the Japan National Team in Tokyo, Japan 1985. Dr. Chase was a visiting Orthopedic Surgeon in New Zealand in 1984-85 working as a medical advisor with the NZRFU and being selected to travel as team physician for the NZ All Blacks to Hong Kong in 1985. Dr. Chase is the only US Physician invited to attend the IRFU Medical Committee participating in their London meeting 1988 and has also presented papers on US Rugby to the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh 1991 and the Welsh Centenary Medical Conference in Cardiff, Wales prior to the World Cup at the Arms Park in 2000. He is currently Emeritus Medical Advisor to USA Rugby.

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Dr. Chase retired from his practice of Orthopedic Surgery in November 1999. Since that time he has been CEO, President, Chairman, and Founder of Benchmark Medical Consultants in Sacramento, CA. John has been married to Susan for 38 years and has three grown children, a daughter-in-law, and on 8/14/04 a son-in-law as well.