Outgoing AAOS President Annunziato (Ned) Amendola, MD, FAAOS, stressed the importance of being a strong advocate and urged attendees to engage with legislators and other leaders.
Published 3/5/2026
Annunziato (Ned) Amendola, MD, FAAOS, the 2025 AAOS president, concluded his term by emphasizing the importance of leadership and what can be accomplished when focused leadership guides a strong and enduring organization like AAOS.
“Leadership is the cornerstone of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ identity as a member-driven organization,” Dr. Amendola said on Wednesday during the Your Academy event. “True leaders unify a diverse membership, anchor the mission of the organization, nurture professional growth, ensure relevance, and advocate for both the profession and the patients it serves. In this era of rapid change, the importance of thoughtful, strategic, and inclusive leadership cannot be overstated.”
During his speech, titled “The Impact of Leadership on Moving Forward,” Dr. Amendola discussed many of the ways he worked together with the Board of Directors, Board of Councilors, Board of Specialty Societies, and volunteer leaders to move AAOS forward — the focus of his tenure as the 93rd president.
Changes to strategic plan
The 2024-2028 Strategic Plan reflects AAOS’ continued evolution and growth toward the future, provides direction for AAOS’ ongoing activities as the leader in musculoskeletal health, and prioritizes advocating for members and their patients.
In the last year, AAOS councils, committees, and staff worked to add additional focus to one of the strategic plan’s key elements: patient engagement.
In addition, the strategic plan was modified to add a strategic objective that positions research as a core member benefit and explores ways to support orthopaedic research.
As an example of how AAOS supports work that addresses both research gaps and the needs of its specialty societies, it launched the AAOS Orthobiologics Registry in partnership with the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy Association of North America, and the Biologics Association. The registry will focus on patient-reported outcomes, longitudinal tracking, and ensuring high quality data collection.
A changing landscape
Dr. Amendola also discussed how AAOS leadership is addressing the changing landscape of orthopaedic practice.
“Orthopaedic surgery, like the rest of medicine, is undergoing profound transformation,” he said. “Emerging technologies, regulatory changes, reimbursement pressures, value-based care, consolidation, and expanding patient expectations all shape modern practice. We represent a diverse membership, and over the past decade, there’s been a shift from private practice to larger groups and hospital employment, and it continues to evolve. A member-driven organization depends on leadership to interpret these forces and respond strategically.”
To best address these changes, AAOS leadership continues to collaborate with orthopaedic state societies, regional organizations, and specialty societies.
For example, AAOS has expanded support for state societies through the Board of Councilors State Orthopaedic Societies Assistance Fund, with increased annual support as part of a multiyear pilot program. This investment strengthens state societies through projects in education, technology, outreach, membership, and governance, ensuring they have the resources to thrive.
AAOS also continues to collaborate with its strong specialty societies through its commitment to research grants, funded annually based on AAOS investment performance, to seed projects that close evidence gaps and advance subspecialty knowledge.
Importance of advocacy
Being a strong leader also means being a strong advocate, Dr. Amendola said, listing the many issues affecting patient care and surgeon autonomy, including government regulation, Medicare reimbursement, scope-of-practice battles, and liability reform.
“Effective leaders engage with legislators, collaborate with coalitions, and communicate member perspectives with authority,” Dr. Amendola said. “Without such advocacy, orthopaedic surgeons risk losing their voices in shaping the future of healthcare delivery.”
Advocacy is just one of the ways that AAOS provides member value. The AAOS Annual Meeting is another. AAOS leadership continues to work to ensure that offerings at the meeting remain current, evidence-based, accessible, and relevant.
“Students, residents, and Fellows represent the future of the profession, and should engage,” Dr. Amendola stated, speaking of the need to invest in mentorship, early-career leadership opportunities, and tailored educational resources to ensure that new surgeons are prepared, confident, and connected.
A strong force
AAOS’ next president, Wilford K. Gibson, MD, FAAOS, will continue AAOS’ history of strong leadership. This ongoing strength in leadership, together with many of the important decisions made last year, has placed AAOS in a very solid position, Dr. Amendola said.
“Our profession of orthopaedic surgery is experiencing significant demand, driven by the growing and aging population, the increasing demand for technological advances, and the desire of individuals to remain active throughout their lifespan,” he said. “It is essential that we acknowledge and celebrate our accomplishments and the positive impact we have on the lives of our patients.”
Leah Lawrence is a freelance writer for AAOS Now.