Residents are the future of the orthopaedic specialty. For this reason, the AAOS is proud to announce the new AAOS Resident Assembly (RA)—an organization designed by residents for residents.

All orthopaedic surgery residents currently enrolled in an orthopaedic training program are automatically members. No application or dues payment is required. The RA gives orthopaedic residents a unique community and an active voice within the Academy. It also serves as a vehicle to enable residents to become involved in the AAOS early in their careers.

The RA has been in development since 2011 and was approved by the AAOS Board of Directors at their meeting in September 2014. The project was initiated by the Candidate, Resident, and Fellow Committee (CRFC), which established a Resident Assembly Workgroup. Young Jo Kim, MD, current chair of the CRFC, will work closely with the RA to facilitate objectives and goals that correspond to the Academy’s.

“Four years ago, two sets of residents from different programs came to the CRFC and suggested that we create a resident subgroup within the Academy,” said Dr. Kim. “A poll of residents in 2012 confirmed the interest in and need for such a program. The workgroup examined other resident medical associations and established a mission statement, goals and objectives, and a governance system with bylaws.”

Representation
Each resident training program will be able to select a representative delegate to attend the RA annual meeting, which will be held during the AAOS Annual Meeting. Delegates will vote on objectives and advocacy goals for the RA throughout the year. Each program can establish its own method of selecting a resident delegate to represent the program at the RA annual meeting. Residents should talk to their program director if they would like to be considered for this position.

Residents do not, however, have to be a delegate to become involved in the RA. Any resident can join a committee, attend the Resident Assembly annual meeting, present new advocacy issues or goals for consideration, and contribute to meeting these goals through their time, skills, and ideas.

As a resident, I am excited about this unique new program within the AAOS specifically focused on orthopaedic residents. The RA provides any resident an opportunity to become involved with the Academy early in their careers without the need for applications, dues, or strict time commitments. The RA is designed to address resident issues and topics of interest while fostering greater involvement in the AAOS during and beyond residency training.

Initially, the RA will have five committees, focused on the following issues: technology, education, practice management, research, and health policy. Each committee has specific responsibilities, which residents can contribute to as their schedules allow.

• The Technology Committee will test new technologies and develop technologies that facilitate resident and healthcare productivity.
• The Education Committee will review educational resources and provide educational opportunities to residents.
• The Practice Management Committee will compile information on the fellowship process and provide important information on starting a career in orthopaedics.
• The Research Committee will work with several research societies to facilitate research opportunities, funding, faculty mentors, and the promotion of resident research.
• The Health Policy Committee will address policy issues that affect residents, such as graduate medical education funding, electronic record databases, and involvement in the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Political Action Committee.

Two leadership committees will help direct RA activities throughout the year.

• The Executive Committee will serve as the governing body of the RA and will educate and promote the RA among residents and residency programs. This committee will include a chair, a vice-chair, members-at-large, and the chairs of the five RA committees.
• The Selection Committee will solicit resident involvement within the RA and encourage resident involvement in AAOS activities.

Learn more
A webinar on the RA—what it is envisioned to be and how residents can get involved—will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, at 7:00 p.m. CT. The first RA annual meeting will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2015, during the AAOS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

The RA is the voice of residents to the AAOS, but its strength lies in having every resident’s voice heard. Join us for the webinar and get involved!

Nathan W. Skelley, MD, is a PGY-4 resident at Washington University Orthopaedics and a member of the 2013 AAOS Resident Assembly Executive Committee. He can be reached at skelleyn@wudosis.wustl.edu

Resident Assembly Webinar
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014
7:00 p.m. CT (8:00 p.m. ET; 6:00 p.m. MT; 5:00 p.m. PT)
Sign up: http://adobe.ly/1yDBfcp