By Christy M.P. Gilmour, Juleah Joseph, and Katherine Sale

Opportunities for involvement open to PGY-3, PGY-4, and PGY-5 residents

This summer, resident members will be able to apply for opportunities on some AAOS Committees. Voting member slotted seats with 2-year terms for residents at the PGY-3 level or above have been approved on the Biological Implants, Biomedical Engineering, Patient Safety, and Research Development Committees of the Council on Research, Quality Assessment and Technology (CORQAT). The seats will be posted on the Committee Application Program (CAP) section of the AAOS Web site and announced in Headline News Now.

Applicants must provide a letter from their residency program director, indicating the residency program’s support to enable the resident applicant to fully participate in the committee, including attendance at all committee meetings.

Patient Safety
“The Patient Safety Committee is at the forefront of keeping members abreast of the latest product and drug alerts and developments of infections or infectious diseases affecting musculoskeletal health,” explains committee chair Robert L. Brooks, MD. “It also develops educational materials relating to patient safety.”

Each year the committee produces a number of informative articles for AAOS Now and develops and maintains informational and opinion statements. Patient Safety Alerts are produced as necessary to quickly inform members of product recalls and safety concerns. The committee also maintains relationships with agencies that are leaders in patient safety, such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Joint Commission.

The resident member would need permission from his or her program director to participate in the committee’s meetings at Annual Meeting and in Rosemont and will be required to participate in at least 4 committee meetings during the 2 years.

Biological Implants
According to committee chair Scott D. Boden, MD, “The Biological Implants Committee monitors and reviews the latest trends with implantable biologics, tissue components, and devices that directly affect the practice of orthopaedic surgeons.”

Currently the members are involved with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Tissue Engineered Medical Products subcommittees in developing relevant standards that reflect the needs of clinicians, researchers, and industry.

The committee produces informational statements on topics such as the use of musculoskeletal tissue allografts and cell- and tissue-engineered products. It also presented a scientific exhibit on musculoskeletal allograft tissue safety at the 2008 Annual Meeting.

Biomedical Engineering
“The Biomedical Engineering (BME) Committee reviews and monitors scientific regulatory developments in biomedical engineering as they relate to orthopaedic surgery,” says committee chair William M. Mihalko, MD, PhD.

Each fall the committee meets with the ASTM F04 Committee (Medical and Surgical Devices); ASTM membership is provided to all BME members during their tenure of service. Members are also encouraged to participate in the spring ASTM meeting. The committee’s 2008 scientific exhibit, featuring adverse event reporting and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch program, resulted from discussions between committee members and FDA personnel about improving the quality and quantity of data collected through that program.

Residents interested in this committee should have an undergraduate or graduate degree in material science, physics, or engineering.

Research Development
The Research Development Committee (RDC), which organizes the annual Research Capitol Hill Days and selects the Kappa Delta and OREF Clinical Research Award winners, is chaired by Denis R. Clohisy, MD. “The RDC helps communicate the importance of musculoskeletal research funding and meets regularly with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and other critical National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes,” he says.

Under an R-13 multiyear NIAMS grant, the RDC initiates musculoskeletal research symposia highlighting cutting edge research topics and publishes subsequent summary articles and supplement publications. These symposia also encourage the participation of young orthopaedic investigators through the Young Investigator initiative. Finally, the RDC manages both the Clinician Scientist Development Program and the Traveling Fellowship Program.

Watch for more information
“CORQAT committees are excited about adding the perspective of residents,” says council chair Kristy L. Weber, MD. “We look forward to the opportunity to mentor residents and introduce them to AAOS committees.” Complete descriptions of the committees, including composition and charges, can be found on the CAP Web site. Interested candidates should check the CAP Web site (www.aaos.org/cap) in early June for vacancies.

Christy M.P. Gilmour is the liaison to the Research Development Committee and may be reached at gilmour@aaos.org

Juleah Joseph is the liaison to the Biological Implants and Patient Safety Committees and may be reached at joseph@aaos.org

Katherine Sale is the liaison to the Biomedical Engineering Committee and may be reached at sale@aaos.org

Apply now for the LFP
The Leadership Fellows Program (LFP) offers an exciting opportunity available to all AAOS fellows who are age 45 and younger as of January 31, 2009. LFP fellows have the following opportunities:

• Involvement in educational programs to enhance leadership skills
• Learning how the AAOS is organized and
• functions
• Connecting with a mentor (a senior Academy leader); AAOS fellows who are willing to serve as advisors and confidants to LFP fellows while establishing a professional and personal long-term relationship are encouraged to apply as mentors.
• Assignment to an AAOS committee upon completion of the program

LFP applications for fellows and mentors are now available online. Access the fellow applications at http://www.aaos.org/lfpapp, or click on “Leadership Fellows Program Application” under the “Hot Topics” on the AAOS home page, www.aaos.org

Participation in the LFP is a year-long commitment with 6 mandatory meetings. Please review the LFP schedule before you complete the application to ensure you will be able to attend all meetings. The deadline for submitting an application as either a fellow or mentor is June 15, 2008. If you have any questions, contact Jennifer Shapiro at (847) 384-4343 or shapiro@aaos.org