Reunite with classmates, meet new peers: Build connections that shape careers at AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting

Impromptu hallway conversations, unexpected reunions with former colleagues, or finally meeting a long-admired thought leader are among the moments that make the AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting an opportunity to build and renew connections.

The Annual Meeting, to be held at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, March 2 to 6, will bring together orthopaedic surgeons at every career stage for education, networking, and peer engagement. While the formal program delivers essential clinical and professional insights, many attendees note that the meeting’s added value emerges between sessions, when conversations with old and new connections spark collaboration, mentorship, and innovation.

“Some of my favorite experiences from the Annual Meeting are the unscripted moments with former co-residents and medical school classmates,” said David Bennett, MD, pediatric orthopaedic spine surgeon at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. “While the formal program is useful, the real value for me was stepping out of a session, turning a corner, and suddenly catching up with someone I had shared call nights and training with. These conversations often led to honest discussions about complications, career changes, and the realities of practice.”

Beyond personal reconnection, for many surgeons, these interactions become the starting point for clinical collaboration, research partnerships, and long-term professional support.

“I’ve attended 16 Annual Meetings, and over the years, it has broadened the network, leading to important collaborations, which has ultimately been one of the biggest benefits of the Annual Meeting,” said Seth L. Sherman, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Stanford Medicine.

For senior and chief residents, the Annual Meeting can be a transition point when training intersects with the broader profession.

“I attended the AAOS Annual Meeting regularly through residency and in my early attending years,” Dr. Bennett added. “These meetings still shape my perceived value of the gathering.”

This perspective is also shared by educators who view the Annual Meeting as a stepping stone for residents approaching their fellowship or starting their practice. In a recent episode of the AAOS Career Podcast, Jaehon M. Kim, MD, FAAOS, spoke with host Rex Lutz, DO, about his longstanding commitment to sending the entire chief class of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City to the Annual Meeting.

“As an attending, I wanted to go with our residents in their chief year because it is such a productive trip,” said Dr. Kim. “The sheer amount of education available at the Annual Meeting — from the Exhibit Hall to the symposia and specialty sessions — is a huge benefit for them. Sending our chiefs has always set the tone that this meeting is an important professional resource, and it is also a meaningful way to say, ‘thank you’ for five years of service.”

Dr. Sherman experienced his first Annual Meeting as a senior resident. “I remember the colossal scale of orthopaedics all under one roof and how powerful it felt to be a part of it all,” Dr. Sherman said. “During residency, I tended to stay within our sports medicine community, but at the meeting, you can and should learn from and connect with surgeons across fields and subspecialties from around the world. AAOS has created this opportunity, and it is important to take advantage of it.”

Alumni events

As the world’s largest gathering dedicated to orthopaedic education and innovation, the AAOS Annual Meeting naturally becomes a hub for alumni events that reconnect graduates spanning decades.

“I made a point of going to alumni events for both my residency program and medical school,” Dr. Bennett said. “These evenings created a sense of continuity that is hard to find elsewhere. You see the people who trained you, the people you trained with, and sometimes the people you helped train, all in one room. It is an important reminder that your career sits inside a larger lineage, not just a single hospital or current job title. One memory that stays with me is a small, impromptu gathering after an alumni reception where a few of us ended up sketching out a multi-center project on the back of a meeting program. That conversation later turned into a real collaboration and a lasting professional relationship.”

Currently, 21 institutions have scheduled alumni receptions to coincide with the Annual Meeting. Most of these events will take place after the meeting’s daily activities conclude on Wednesday or Thursday evening and will attract 30-150 people. Refer to the Annual Meeting mobile app for details and to add receptions to your personalized agenda.

For attendees whose institution is not hosting an event, AAOS offers a full slate of networking and social activities to help spark organic interactions throughout the meeting, including:

• Move Ya Brass – yoga classes;
• French Quarter Run;
• OrthoQuest (an Exhibit Hall scavenger hunt);
• Happy Hour in the Hall;
• Receptions for first-time attendees and new AAOS members; and
• PeerConnect mobile app feature with AI-powered connection recommendations and dedicated PeerConnect lounges for in-person meetups.

To learn more about the experiences that can help establish early professional networks, build more connections within the orthopaedic community, or unwind and have fun after busy days, visit tinyurl.com/am26-connections to learn more.

Jennifer Lefkowitz is a freelance writer for AAOS Now.