Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards (OREA), a new recognition program that celebrates significant contributions to musculoskeletal research and its role in improving patient care. These awards reflect AAOS’ continued commitment to promoting high-quality, impactful research and honoring those who shape the future of orthopaedic medicine and musculoskeletal care.

“As AAOS transitions from the Kappa Delta Awards to OREA, it is critical that the OREA represent more than recognition — they are a reaffirmation of our profession’s commitment to discovery, innovation, and improving lives,” said David S. Jevsevar, MD, MBA, FAAOS, chair of the AAOS Research and Quality Council. “By honoring outstanding clinical, translational, and basic science research, we elevate the body of knowledge that drives the future of musculoskeletal care.”

OREA categories
Building on a rich history of celebrating groundbreaking musculoskeletal research, the new program includes three AAOS Research Awards as well as the long-standing Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) Clinical Research Award.

OREA includes several distinct awards to celebrate the full spectrum of orthopaedic research:

• The Improving Musculoskeletal Patient Care Through Outcomes Research (IMPACT) Award recognizes exemplary outcomes-based research that has measurably advanced musculoskeletal patient care, informed clinical practice, or influenced healthcare policy. This award is ideal for researchers whose work demonstrates direct and sustained impact on quality of care or health system improvement.
• The Orthopaedic Research Bridging Innovation and Translation (ORBIT) Award honors transformative translational research that bridges the gap between basic science and clinical application. This award is for researchers driving innovative solutions from bench to bedside, particularly those addressing unmet clinical needs or advancing orthopaedic technologies.
• The New Emerging eXperts in Translational Science (NEXT) Award celebrates early-career investigators poised to become future leaders in orthopaedic research. This award supports rising talent whose promising work contributes to the future of musculoskeletal science and patient care.

In addition, AAOS continues its partnership with OREF to solicit manuscripts for the 2026 OREF Clinical Research Award. This prestigious award, which includes a $20,000 prize, honors a body of clinical research that demonstrates excellence in design, methodology, and clinical relevance, with a clear impact on orthopaedic practice.

Applications and nominations are open now through Aug. 31, 2025. Award recipients will be recognized at the AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. To learn more about eligibility, criteria or to submit an application, visit the AAOS Research Awards webpage.