Published 3/30/2026
AAOS announced 17 recipient programs of the 2026 IDEA Grant Program®, which aims to reduce existing barriers in access to orthopaedic education and foster a culture within the field of providing the best care for the communities it serves. The recipients were selected based on the merits of their submissions to support educational, community, and outreach initiatives.
The IDEA Grant Program funds programs that create and expand pathways for individuals to pursue careers in orthopaedics, nurtures a workforce that reflects patient populations, and expands access to AAOS learning and networking opportunities for all aspiring and practicing clinicians. Since its launch in 2022, the program has helped fund programs across the country, distributing over $900,000 to date.
“The programs selected for an AAOS IDEA Grant will help cultivate meaningful and measurable opportunities across orthopaedics, acting as a springboard for change within our profession,” AAOS Community Engagement Advisory Board Chair Holly Pilson, MD, FAAOS, FAOA, said. “This is not about checking a box; this program opens a door for funding directly to the local and regional orthopaedic programs and organizations who are training the current and next generation.”
Program funds are allocated among four tracks: pathway touchpoints, academic pathway retention, community pathway retention, and patient advocacy and health access. Each track aims to support a different tenet of the program’s mission by targeting different types of recipients. The program is supported in part by funding from the medical technology firm Stryker.
2026 IDEA Grant Recipients
Track 1 – Pathway Touchpoints: Track 1 Grants are designed to support single-event programs that promote opportunity for all in orthopaedics through early exposure, mentorship, or sponsorship throughout the pathway at the pre-residency level and below.
- American Association of Latino Orthopaedic Surgeons
- J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society
- OPM Education Inc. dba/Nth Dimensions
- Perry Initiative
- Pride Orthopaedics Inc.
- Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society
- Stanford University
Track 2 – Academic Pathway Retention: Track 2 Grants are intended to support programs/events in an orthopaedic surgery training program or academic practice setting, with a focus on cultivating an orthopaedic culture and workforce that supports all and represents the communities served, whether through recruitment, retention, or other efforts.
- ECHO: Early Exposure in College and High School Students in Orthopaedics
- J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society
- L. Nathan Gause – Truman Medical Center
- Ponce Medical School Foundation
- Pride Orthopaedics Inc.
- Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society
Track 3 – Community Pathway Retention: Track 3 Grants are intended to support programs/events in a community practice setting, with a focus on cultivating an orthopaedic culture and workforce that supports all and represents the communities served.
- International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance
- Sabesan Orthopaedics Research Inc.
Track 4 – Patient Advocacy & Health Access: Track 4 Grants are intended to support programs and events with a focus on improving musculoskeletal health access, patient education, and outcomes.
- Ponce Medical School Foundation
- University of California – San Francisco
To view the list of the 2026 grant recipients and the respective funding awarded to each, review the criteria and general application terms, or find information about the 2027 grant cycle application period, visit aaos.org/IDEA.