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Dr. Carlin Senter is a primary care sports medicine doctor who focuses on helping patients of all ages stay active, reduce injury risk and achieve peak performance. She has particular interests in exercise counseling and exercise prescription as well as in treating sports concussions. She serves as the director of Primary Care Sports Medicine Service within UCSF Division of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery and is co-director of the UCSF Sports Concussion Program.

Senter's research focuses on enhancing musculoskeletal education for primary care clinicians. She designs programs to increase knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and improve diagnostic skills among medical students, residents and practicing clinicians. She also co-chairs two annual continuing education courses in sports medicine.

Senter earned her medical degree at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She then completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in primary care sports medicine at UCLA.

Senter belongs to the American College of Physicians, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine and Society of General Internal Medicine. She has received numerous awards for teaching and service.

Senter grew up in the East Bay, where she was a three-sport high school athlete. As an undergraduate at Harvard College, she rowed for Radcliffe crew. She supports the San Francisco Giants as part of UCSF Health's partnership with the team to provide players and staff with top-tier medical care and promote community well-being. She is also team physician for the University of San Francisco, Academy of Art University and Washington High School.

In her free time, Senter enjoys running in the Marin Headlands, visiting the latest exhibit at the de Young and eating It's-It ice cream sandwiches.

  • Board Certifications

    American Board of Emergency Medicine/Sports Med, Sports Medicine

    American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine

  • Fellowships

    University of California Los Angeles, Sports Medicine

  • Residencies

    University of Washington School of Medicine, Internal Medicine

  • Internship

    University of Washington School of Medicine, Internal Medicine

  • Degree

    MD, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

  • Languages

    English

"As a physician, it feels important to counsel people to be active."

Whether my patients run, bike, swim or walk, I'm dedicated to helping them reap all the health benefits of physical activity.

Where I see patients (4)

    My reviews

    4.9

    Overall Experience
    277 Ratings
    About our process
    Aug 22, 2025
    Excellent explanations of different treatment options, addressed concerns appropriately, I felt listened to and acknowledged.
    Aug 01, 2025
    Care Provider is consistent caring and informative relating to treatment. Respects feedback from patient relating to current health; issues relating to discussions to healing process
    Jul 29, 2025
    pleases that Dr Senter showed me the MRI picture and explained some of it (difficult to see on my phone. I would have found a better computer for the zoom call if the prep info had mentioned It beforehand. Also pleased the use of AI dictation was reviewed.
    Jul 16, 2025
    Dr Senter is wonderful!
    Jul 04, 2025
    Dr Senter is terrific. I have referred several friends to her!!! She listens, she has great empathy and she is a very good well informed doctor!!
    Jun 28, 2025
    Love Dr Senter, she's the best!
    Jun 26, 2025
    Dr Senter is excellent!
    Jun 20, 2025
    Love Doctor Carlin Senter. I really trust her. So easy to talk to and very knowledgeable
    Jun 18, 2025
    Dr. Senter listened and helped me to address next steps and discussed the different options.
    Jun 16, 2025
    Dr Senter is a wonderful caring Dr who listens to me and gives me real world scenarios and potential outcomes. She knows my goals and is realistic and caring with her conclusions. I really trust her and she remembers me.
    Jun 13, 2025
    Excellent care. Highly recommended
    Jun 11, 2025
    Dr Senter is exceptional! Not only does she listen, she interacts with the patient, involving them in the entire process.
    May 14, 2025
    I feel very fortunate to be under the care of Dr. Senter. Such an outstanding level of knowledge, expertise and empathy!
    May 09, 2025
    I am very happy with Dr Senter. She is very knowledgeable and caring.
    May 09, 2025
    Dr Senter was excellent - knowledgeable, thorough, kind, compassionate. Great professional relational skills with patient.
    Apr 13, 2025
    I give Dr. Senter highest rating possible. I have utmost confidence in her knowledge, abilities and care. She listens and responds genuinely. I am grateful to have her as a physician.
    Apr 12, 2025
    Was clear in her recommendations
    Apr 09, 2025
    Dr. Senter was an outstanding doctor with excellent clinical and interpersonal skills
    Mar 26, 2025
    I have only excellent things to say about Dr. Senter. She is knowledgeable, empathic, listens, responds and open. I am grateful to have her on my care team.
    Mar 15, 2025
    Dr Senter was great! Comprehensive exam and gave clear treatment options. Very prompt!
    Mar 14, 2025
    Excellent caree
    Feb 13, 2025
    Dr Senter was great!
    Feb 08, 2025
    Discussions included diagnosis no one previously had discovered. This was a great session with Dr. Senter and Dr. Osterhouse.
    Feb 08, 2025
    Happy with care. Straightforward and clear.
    Feb 06, 2025
    Excellent physician
    Jan 31, 2025
    Loved my experience with Dr. Senter. I felt cared for and listened to throughout the appointment.
    Jan 25, 2025
    Considerate of my long drive. Dr Senters had Orthopedic Surgeon come in for consult Appreciated not having to make another drive.
    Jan 09, 2025
    Dr Senter is always thoughtful about my treatment and included me in the decision.
    Jan 04, 2025
    Thorough and comprehensive examination and discussion with Dr. Senter. Thank you!
    Dec 25, 2024
    I was treated with respect care and concern about my condition
    Dec 14, 2024
    Excellent communication
    Dec 12, 2024
    This is how people should be treated. I am confident my doctor understood my problem and is taking the right approach to my care
    Dec 07, 2024
    DR. Senter is the best
    Dec 05, 2024
    "Very good" does not sufficiently capture the excellence on Dr Senter's attention, concern, and professionalism in my meeting with her.
    Nov 09, 2024
    Dr. Senter is the best
    Nov 06, 2024
    Dr Senter's show concerns for my symptoms and reaching out to nuerologoy and PT
    Nov 02, 2024
    Dr. Senter listened carefully to my concerns, she also followed up immediately with a message explaining my Xray results.
    Oct 31, 2024
    Dr Senter was EXCELLENT. I have had to see multiple doctors recently and have consistently felt rushed and unsatisfied, but Dr Senter made my concerns feel validated, listened, asked questions, was thorough and both professional and kind
    Oct 26, 2024
    The doctor listened to me attentively and clearly explained her diagnosis and limitations without MRI scan,
    Oct 20, 2024
    Dr. Senter listen to my concerns. As a care provider myself, I was impressed by her demeanor and attention to detail. Very helpful.
    Sep 26, 2024
    My favorite provider! She is always attentive, caring and knowledgeable
    Sep 19, 2024
    Dr. Senter is so thorough and thoughtful! She developed an excellent care plan in a very efficient manner.
    Sep 19, 2024
    Dr Carlin Senter has been absolutely wonderful.
    Sep 13, 2024
    Dr. Senter is simply the best!
    Aug 24, 2024
    Great doctors are far and few in between. To find a doctor like Dr. Senter who cares about you as a person and really listened to pain was amazing. I know she sees thousands of people but she treated me like I was the only one. Thank you Dr. Senter.
    Aug 24, 2024
    Dr Senter was caring, thorough, provided clear recommendations, and made sure to address all my questions.
    Jul 24, 2024
    She is excellent and trustworthy
    Jul 12, 2024
    Kind, caring
    Jul 06, 2024
    Excellent Doctor
    Jul 02, 2024
    I was very pleased to have met Dr. Senter. She was very well-informed about my condition, and was thorough, patient and caring. She gave me some very helpful advice.
    May 31, 2024
    Dr. Senter, her fellow Dr. Tao and the team formed a well-coordinated, informative, effective and kind approach to my orthopedic issues.
    May 22, 2024
    Excellent all around.
    May 17, 2024
    I am so glad that my doctor has another clinic that helps me with my present problem. Also I want to say something to the nurse practitioner who help me when I started this problem and she is also very nice and helpful to me when I was very sick, checking and responding to all my messages and directing me on Wht to do with my problem. Both Dr Senter and NP Molly Kenward are both helpful during that time.
    May 15, 2024
    Have recommended provider in past and will do so in future.
    May 08, 2024
    Dr. Senter's care for me was excellent.
    May 04, 2024
    Dr. Senter listened very carefully to my concerns. She was very knowledgeable and helpful in addressing my problems.
    Jan 06, 2024
    Carlin Senter is excellent !!!
    Jan 04, 2024
    Excellent MD.
    Dec 23, 2023
    Dr. Senter is simply the BEST sports doctor at the UCSF Orthopedic Institute at Mission Bay.
    Dec 22, 2023
    Absolutely loved my Dr. She was one of the best I have seen in the last 10 years. Very thorough and thoughtful. I felt she was invested in my road to health.
    Dec 21, 2023
    Dr Senter is very alert and responsive. Looking into the root cause before administering next step. Scheduling an MRI to diagnose the issue with my leg.
    Dec 20, 2023
    I appreciate Dr. Senter's lack of age bias in her approach and treatment.
    Dec 20, 2023
    Dr. Senter epitomizes what makes a doctor exceptional. She's patient, thorough, informed, empathetic, and an extraordinary listener.
    Dec 16, 2023
    It was a terrific experience.
    Nov 28, 2023
    OUTSTANDING
    Nov 25, 2023
    Dr. Senter is simply the best sports Doctor at the UCSC Orthopedic Institute at Mission Bay.
    Nov 24, 2023
    Dr. Senter is excellent. It is always a pleasure to see her
    Nov 24, 2023
    Dr Senter handled my health and care with extreme compassion, empathy and knowledge of what and how I was treated. I felt completely comfortable in her care
    Nov 22, 2023
    Such a positive experience with Dr Senter
    Nov 15, 2023
    Dr. Carlin Senter is one of the very best doctors I have ever met. I am grateful to have her as my doctor.
    Nov 09, 2023
    Dr Senter is amazing. She takes the time to listen and understand my issues. With my last ortho I was luck if he spent ten minutes with me
    Nov 03, 2023
    Dr. Carlin Senter listens intently and she values your advice or opinion in discussing your medical condition. She's a great orthodontist and very smart doctor.
    Nov 01, 2023
    Dr Carlin Senter is an excellent and compassionate doctor. She is so thorough and follows up consistently. I can't say enough good things about her
    Oct 30, 2023
    Dr. Carlin Senter is the best doctor I have ever had. She is terrific.!!!!!!!!

    My work

    Targeted orthopedic care for women athletes

    As part of the Women's Sports Medicine Center, Dr. Senter offers specialized care for female-identifying athletes.

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