Sandeep Gavankar, DO

Family medicine appeals to me because I enjoy building relationships with patients across the spectrum of ages and medical concerns. Sports medicine appeals to me because I like taking care of active individuals who want to improve their quality of life, on- or off-the-field performance and general well-being. \n As an athlete myself - I used to be an avid triathlete - I love connecting with other sports-minded individuals. It's a joy and an honor to combine both family and sports medicine into my medical practice. \n I'm committed to providing comprehensive, high-quality, evidence-based primary care for all ages. I take a patient-centered approach and place a big emphasis on the physician-patient relationship. I care for acute and chronic medical conditions with a primary focus on health and wellness. \n With my additional sports medicine training, I can provide care for non-operative musculoskeletal conditions, concussion and pre-participation sports physicals, as well as ultrasound-guided joint and tendon procedures when clinically indicated. My goal is simply to help patients achieve their personal best - regardless of what field they are in or on. \n My experience as an Army doctor has made me a well-rounded provider. I treated our soldiers, their families and military veterans for a wide variety of conditions. \n My wife and I have three grown children. I still enjoy pushing myself physically and participate in organized endurance events occasionally. But I predominantly cycle and do resistance training to stay in shape. I've always enjoyed being outdoors, specifically for a hike or a day of kayaking on the lake. I'm always up for a day trip somewhere and will typically explore the area on foot before ending the day at a local brewery.

As a former multisport athlete, I was drawn to sports medicine by a passion for promoting wellness and helping others lead active, healthy lives. Practicing both primary care and sports medicine seems to me a natural partnership and a good balance between prevention and treatment. \n I treat injuries when they happen, but I also empower patients to prevent disease and injuries. \n Injuries and illness are part of life, and my goal is to help patients get back to feeling 100% as quickly as possible. My holistic, patient-centered approach integrates prevention, education and wellness. I focus on understanding each individual's unique needs, goals and circumstances and then empowering them to take the lead in their health journey. \n Daily movement, good nutrition and lifestyle changes, if needed, are foundational tools for preventing disease and optimizing well-being. I promote them all to my patients as I strive to create a supportive environment where patients feel heard, understood and motivated to make sustainable choices. \n I grew up in Cincinnati before studying neuroscience and Spanish at Vanderbilt University and then going on to complete a master's degree in physiology. I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a year before going to medical school at Ohio State University, where I was chief resident my final year. \n During a sports medicine fellowship in Cincinnati, I was a team physician for Miami University. I practiced in Ohio before relocating to Cary, North Carolina, in 2022. \n I am blessed with a tremendous partner/wife, Lauren, and two children, Margot and Miles. I enjoy practicing what I preach by cooking and eating healthy meals and exercising regularly in order to be the best version of myself I can be. I am constantly tweaking my golf swing and can often be found with an earbud in one ear, listening to a podcast about anything from fantasy football to current events to medicine.

As a lifelong athlete, I enjoy sports of all kinds. I have always appreciated the link between athletics and health and have dedicated my career to improving patient health through the lens of participation in sport. \n I chose primary care because of the long-term relationships it allows me to form with patients and the opportunity it affords me to improve generational health. My goal is to form a close, trust-based partnership with my patients so that our treatment plans closely align with their personal health goals. \n My great joy is working with my patients to improve their level of health, no matter their starting point. Whether a patient wants to maximize performance to be ready for a big game or is vowing to get off the couch and complete in their first 5K, I will work to formulate a plan that's both evidence-based and in line with the patient's goals. \n Keeping current in my field is important to me. I've been a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine since 2013 and of the American Academy of Family Physicians since 2009. I've also authored a number of articles and presentations on sports injuries in young athletes. \n My wife and I have four boys. I am a fan of all sports, but my personal favorites are soccer, rugby and jiu jitsu. Having grown up in Pittsburgh, I'm a die-hard Steelers fan.