Major Programs

The Academy provides continuing medical education for its members and others to help them maintain high levels of skill and competence in the practice of orthopaedic surgery. Each year the Academy offers more than 20 continuing medical education courses across the country for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals.

Annual Scientific Meeting

The Academy's Annual Meeting, which is the largest orthopaedic meeting in the world, features the presentation of approximately 300 scientific papers and 180 instructional courses. Registrants attend symposia on a variety of educational topics. The meeting also includes more than 1,200 scientific poster and technical exhibits.

Publications

The academy publishes medical and scientific publications and electronic media materials that provide ongoing learning of new techniques and research results in orthopaedics. It is one of the first medical organizations to offer its members online education, primarily through a special orthopaedic knowledge online (OKO) section of the AAOS Web site. OKO provides a vast array of CME courses and research references.

Public Awareness

The Academy is committed to increasing the public's awareness of musculoskeletal conditions, with an emphasis on preventive measures. Its public service advertising programs address such issues as the prevention of injuries, bone health, hip fractures, back pain and the importance of musculoskeletal research. It also maintains a patient education Web site, Your Orthopaedic Connection, that contains nearly 400 articles on a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. (orthoinfo.aaos.org)

Patient Advocacy

The Association was formed to carry on advocacy activities on behalf of patients and the orthopaedic profession to ensure the highest quality of musculoskeletal care and access to specialty care. The Association's tax status allows more advocacy activities than were possible by the Academy. The Association is active at both the national and state levels.

Headquarters

The Academy and Association headquarters are located at 6300 N. River Rd., Rosemont, IL 60018. More than 1,600 active volunteers, assisted by 230 employees, coordinate the various Academy and Association programs and projects. The Association also has offices at 317 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Washington D.C. 20002