Early years After the war, Jobe enrolled in
Southern Missionary College with help from the
G.I. Bill. He completed his bachelor's degree at
La Sierra University and went on to medical school at
Loma Linda University, receiving his MD in 1956. He worked for three years as a
general practitioner before completing a
residency in
orthopedic surgery at the
Los Angeles County Hospital. In 1964 Jobe began to consult with the
Los Angeles Dodgers. He teamed with
Robert Kerlan to specialize in the developing field of sports medicine. The duo co-founded the Southwestern Orthopaedic Medical Group in 1965, later renamed the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic.
Tommy John surgery On September 25, 1974, Jobe made sports medicine history when he performed the first reconstruction of the
ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow (UCL) using a revolutionary procedure he had devised. What has since become commonly known as
Tommy John surgery rescued the career of Los Angeles Dodger pitcher
Tommy John, a 12-year veteran who went on to pitch an astonishing 14 more seasons after a year off recovering. In 1982, he performed the procedure on
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
Choji Murata, the first such procedure in Japan. Jobe was unsure the procedure's benefits would last, so he waited two years before performing the second UCL reconstruction. After success with several more baseball players and a
javelin thrower, Jobe became confident in its lasting benefits. The findings of UCL reconstruction were published in the
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in 1986. For baseball players, full
rehabilitation takes about one year for pitchers and about six months for position players. Players typically begin throwing about 16 weeks after surgery. Prior to his surgery, John had won 124 games. He won 164 after surgery, retiring in 1989 at age 46.
Shoulder reconstruction surgery In 1990, Jobe performed major reconstructive surgery on the shoulder of Dodgers pitcher
Orel Hershiser's throwing arm, the first time this procedure was used on a major league player. In this surgery, he pioneered a new procedure that reduced the amount of trauma suffered by tissue during the surgery. The surgery allowed Hershiser to continue his career, and the procedure continues to be used. At the time of his death he was a special advisor to the chairman of the Dodger organization. He had also been the orthopedic consultant for professional golf's
PGA Tour,
PGA Tour Champions and
Senior PGA Championship for 26 years, and named the
emeritus physician for the PGA Tour. Jobe mentored
Lewis Yocum, who was one of the best orthopedic surgeons in baseball when he died in May 2013. Jobe authored over 140 medical publications, wrote 30 book chapters, and edited seven books. He received three
honorary doctorates, two from the United States and one from Japan. ==Personal life==