Biography

Alessandro Francella, MD, is a Sports Medicine Physician at Cleveland Clinic Canada. Dr. Francella has a strong interest in sport and exercise medicine, physical activity promotion, emergency medicine, and sideline and event coverage.

Dr. Francella obtained his Doctor of Medicine from the Saba University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University of Toronto. A strong interest in athletics and musculoskeletal medicine led him to complete a fellowship in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the University of Toronto that culminated in obtaining his Diploma of Sport Medicine from the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM).

Dr. Francella is dedicated to working with his patients to develop individualized treatment plans to help them return to their activity or sport of choice. He believes in exercise as a first-line treatment for a variety of medical conditions - not simply musculoskeletal-related injuries. He is also involved in a variety of educational and research endeavors to ensure he remains up to date and providing the best treatment to his patients.

Active in the world of sports, Dr. Francella is currently the Team Physician for the Toronto Six hockey team. He is also a sports medicine physician at the University of Toronto and Seneca College. Dr. Francella is actively involved with the Canada Soccer and Canada Basketball programs, and previously held the role of team physician for the Toronto Wolfpack Rugby League Football Club. Over his career, he has also provided medical care to teams such as the Toronto FC, Toronto FC II, Mississauga Steelheads, Toronto Rock (NLL), the Nutcracker Ballet, NHL Referees Association, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the Toronto Triathlon. Dr. Francella is the co-editor and a contributor to sportmedschool.com, a searchable database of peer-reviewed online musculoskeletal learning instructional modules and videos for healthcare providers.

When he’s not treating patients, Dr. Francella enjoys staying active with various workout classes, tennis, golf, hiking and traveling the world.

Education/Training

Fellowship
University of Toronto
Sport and Exercise Medicine
Toronto, ON
Residency
University of Toronto, St. Michael’s Hospital
Family Medicine
Toronto, ON
Doctor of Medicine
Saba University School of Medicine
Saba, Dutch Caribbean
Masters of Science
Saba University School of Medicine
Saba, Dutch Caribbean
Bachelor of Science (Hons)
McMaster University
Kinesiology
Hamilton, ON

Certifications

  • Diploma in Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM)
  • Certificate of Added Competency in Sport and Exercise Medicine 
  • Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
  • FIFA Diploma in Football Medicine - Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • Immediate Medical Management on the Field of Play (IMMOFP) - The Rugby Football League, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Specialty Interests

  • Sport and exercise medicine
  • Physical activity promotion
  • Emergency medicine
  • Sideline and event coverage

Professional Memberships

  • College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
  • Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine
  • Ontario Medical Association
  • Canadian Medical Association