Moving Forward: AAOS’ Path to Change

The recent 2025 Fellowship vote has concluded, and the approved bylaws amendments will help position AAOS to better serve our members and the broader orthopaedic community for years to come. Although the outcomes—detailed in the sidebar below—are certainly important, I want to take a moment to reflect on the journey that brought us here.

The practice of orthopaedics is constantly evolving, and for AAOS to remain a trusted leader in our field, we must evolve as well. But change for its own sake is not our goal. The AAOS Board of Directors is committed to advancing our mission, pursuing our vision, and upholding our core values:

• Mission: serving our profession to provide the highest-quality musculoskeletal care
• Vision: the trusted leaders in advancing musculoskeletal health
• Core values:
  • leading to serve
  • shaping our future
  • excellence together

• leading to serve
• shaping our future
• excellence together

A major milestone in this journey was launching the 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, which focuses on four primary goals:

1. Members: be the professional home for our members throughout their lifetime
2. Patients: lead health transformation to optimize value for all
3. Culture: modernize governance to ensure an adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable organization
4. Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community: engage the MSK community to advance knowledge and improve health

Each goal is essential, but modernizing governance was the catalyst for the amendments to our bylaws. I am grateful that these amendments were widely supported, and I am very satisfied with the transparent process that was utilized to develop and communicate these changes.

From the beginning, our goal was to be collaborative and transparent. The amendments were not created in isolation or driven by personal agendas. They were shaped through open, two-way communication with our members.

The Board made a conscious effort to listen, not just hear. We used a variety of channels to engage with members: the Annual Meeting, the Combined National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference/Fall Meeting, Board of Councilors (BOC) and Board of Specialty Societies meetings, the AAOS website and AAOS Membership App, social media, town halls, and our member publications. Under the leadership of then-BOC Chair Joel Mayerson, MD, FAAOS, we also conducted a nationwide “listening tour” that included all states and invited participation from BOC and state and regional society members. In addition, Armando F. Vidal, MD, FAAOS, then-BOS chair, engaged all BOS representatives from the specialty societies. AAOS leadership held several one-on-one meetings with leaders of the orthopaedic specialty societies to engage in discussions about the proposed changes.

Once the proposed amendments were finalized, we set out over several months to communicate and explain in detail the rationale for the changes. We shared updates through email, social media, videos, and articles, and we responded to member questions in near-real-time. This open exchange of ideas led to a thoughtful, well-informed vote and a set of bylaws that will help AAOS thrive now and into the future.

To every member who read the amendments, asked questions, and cast a vote, regardless of how you voted, thank you. Your engagement reflects your commitment to our shared mission. I am honored to serve as president of an organization made up of passionate, dedicated professionals who care deeply about AAOS and the patients we serve.

Annunziato (Ned) Amendola, MD, FAAOS, is the 2025–2026 AAOS president and professor of orthopaedic surgery and chief of sports medicine at Duke University.

The outcomes

AAOS recently announced the outcome of the 2025 Fellowship vote. The balloting process was administered by an independent, third-party election platform to ensure the validity of the voting results and eliminate any potential for bias or influence. The platform met industry standards for data protection, ballot integrity, and member confidentiality.

As required under the bylaws, at least 10 percent of Active and Emeritus Fellows submitted ballots.

This year’s voter turnout exceeded past participation, allowing every Fellow the opportunity to make their voice heard and underscoring the importance of the issues at hand. Members’ participation in the 2025 balloting process—regardless of how each voted—reflects a strong commitment to AAOS and plays a critical role in strengthening our governance process and our organization.

The outcome of the voting is as follows:
Proposed bylaws amendments
The required affirmative vote of more than two-thirds of those Fellows casting ballots was achieved.

• Bylaws Amendment 1: Association and Academy—Proposed Governance Changes—adopted
• Bylaws Amendment 2: Association and Academy—Timeline for the Submission of AAOS Resolutions and Bylaws Changes; Timeline for Sending the Fall Meeting Materials to Board of Councilors/Board of Specialty Societies Members—not adopted

Five-year review resolutions
The required affirmative vote of more than 50 percent of those Fellows casting ballots was achieved.

The recommendations on the following AAOS resolutions up for 5-year review were all adopted:

• Association Resolution 1: Evaluation/Management (E/M) and CPT Codes—retain
• Association Resolution 2: AAOS Policy on Medical Care in the United States and Health Care—retain
• Association Resolution 3: Supply of Orthopaedic Surgeons—retain
• Academy Resolution 4: Process of Academy Approval of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines—retain
• Academy Resolution 5: Additional Subspecialty Certificates in Orthopaedic Surgery—retain

AAOS looks forward to beginning the careful, transparent work of implementing the new bylaws amendments, along with the development of supporting governance policies and procedures. The Board of Directors remains committed to listening, learning, and working collaboratively to support all members, the orthopaedic community, and the patients they serve.

For more information, visit aaos.org/governancechanges or email governance@aaos.org.

Now is the time to volunteer

The Committee Appointment Program (CAP) volunteer application period is open now through Aug. 1. Members who have an interest in contributing to the mission and vision of AAOS are encouraged to visit aaos.org/cap to view and apply for available volunteer positions that interest them.