AAOS Now, July 2020
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Ten Key Steps for Chairs, Program Directors, and Faculty to Serve as Allies During This Racial Crisis
“I was heartbroken, because I didn’t have an answer,” recalls a leadership team member of Nth Dimensions when asked, “How can I trust that the people who are supposed to protect me will protect me?” This insightful question, asked in earnest by a first-year resident concerned about making a safe transition into his new hospital setting, is being asked throughout the country by countless other Black and brown residents.
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Orthopaedic Organizations Denounce Racism and Discrimination
The Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS), J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society (JRGOS), American Association of Latino Orthopaedic Surgeons (AALOS), and the Academy are devoted to creating equity in orthopaedic surgery and combating healthcare disparities. It is with heavy hearts that we take this time to denounce not only the acts of overt racism of the past few weeks, but also the systemic racism and continued discrimination in our country.
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We Hear You. We Feel You. We Are Learning From You.
Leadership is the ability to influence others to achieve a common goal. Leadership roles may be formal, appointed positions or informal peer leadership (a.k.a., “key opinion leaders”). At the core, every patient encounter is a leadership opportunity, as the medical team seeks to influence the patient to achieve a common goal (movement from a diseased or injured state to a healthy state, free from the effects of the disease or injury), while respecting the patient’s autonomy and considering as many modifiable social determinants of health as possible. Thus, all members of AAOS—from resident to emeritus—are leaders within their respective spheres of influence.
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Annual Meeting Committees Promote Diversity Among Educational Faculty
AAOS leadership has made diversity an important strategic initiative. The AAOS Annual Meeting is AAOS’ flagship event and showcases the Academy to the world. Further, it is our opinion that cultivating a more diverse faculty at the Annual Meeting is an important step to increase the diversity of our specialty.
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Perfection Is Not Required to Talk About Race
No longer does the definition of a racist person require images of white hoods spewing hateful words. That definition is antiquated and hinders our ability to communicate in meaningful ways.
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Why You Should Consider Applying for a CAP Position
There is a quote commonly attributed to Mahatma Gandhi that encourages one to “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Serving on an AAOS committee is an opportunity to impact the change(s) you want to see within AAOS. In addition, serving on a committee provides the opportunity to develop skills that you may not have previously acquired.
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My Diversity Journey
Diversity. That word has taken on different meanings over the past several years, engendering different reactions from various people. My story with diversity took years to develop, and I cannot really be sure where I am along the developmental pathway.