Why did you join AAOS?
AAOS is an excellent community with the goal of keeping Members connected and up to date on the most current literature and best practices. The organization continuously improves upon the educational resources provided to residents and faculty, which I have used throughout my training.
How do you define success?
Success can be measured in a multitude of ways, such as an anatomic reduction or a happy patient. However, I prefer to view success as learning from the past to improve upon the future.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
My parents are my biggest inspiration. I watched my father obtain his undergraduate and master’s degrees while working a full-time job and attending every crew race to cheer me on during high school. My mother opened her own business during those same years and is one of the toughest women I know. They have instilled in me core values that have been pivotal to everything I have achieved thus far.
What do you love most about AAOS?
The video library is an excellent resource with videos from experienced surgeons across the country. It is a helpful addition when preparing for cases so I can visualize the steps, especially if it is my first time seeing a specific procedure.
What advice would you give to new members of AAOS?
Get involved early, find mentors, ask questions. Time goes by quickly and it is not long until you are the one making the final decisions!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
When I was 10, before leaving for a lake trip with a friend, my mom told me “be careful, don’t break your leg.” I subsequently sustained a femoral neck fracture while water tubing that required emergent surgery. She appreciates the irony of this now.