The Conversation I Hate to Have

Eeric Truumees, MD

Chicago's O'Hare airport is often the site of impromptu medical conferences. As I was returning from a Spine Summit hosted by the North American Spine Society, I met several orthopaedic surgeons—including AAOS President and —who had attended a patient safety meeting in Rosemont. Edward Dohring, MD, who had attended the Spine Summit, was also present. While waiting for our flights, we discussed issues surrounding patient safety, particularly those relating to breaking "bad news."

When Adventure and Safety Collide

Peter Pollack

"If you tell somebody to quit smoking or to wear a seatbelt, nobody listens to you because it's boring," explained Stuart E. Fromm, MD. "I wanted to do something that was exciting." Dr. Fromm, an orthopaedic surgeon in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, produced and directed "The Ultimate Adventure—Yin and Yang," a 40-minute action film that emphasizes both the thrills of extreme sports and its safety concerns.

Building Better Bones

Alan S. Hilibrand, MD

With the end of summer heralding the return to school and more consistent family schedules, the AAOS is again offering numerous resources, information, and tips to educate patients, their families, and communities about the importance of nutrition and exercise in building and maintaining bone health.

Pat on the Back...

Members of the 2016–2017 American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Board of Directors: Jeffrey E. Johnson, MD, president; Thomas H. Lee, MD, president-elect; J. Chris Coetzee, MD, vice president; William C. McGarvey, MD, secretary; Bruce E. Cohen, MD, treasurer​; Mark E. Easley, MD, immediate past president; Bruce J. Sangeorzan, MD, past president; John G. Anderson, MD; Scott J. Ellis, MD; Mark A. Glazebrook, MD, MSc, PhD; and Gregory P. Guyton, MD, members-at large.

Members Endorse AAOS Resolutions and Bylaw Amendment Recommendations

Richard N. Peterson, JD

AAOS fellows casting ballots were overwhelmingly supportive of recommendations on all AAOS resolutions and bylaw amendments in 2016. Fellows were asked to vote on seven AAOS resolutions being considered under the 5-year review process. They also considered two Association bylaw amendments.  At the time of the 2016 balloting, the AAOS had 25,213 active, emeritus, and inactive fellows eligible to vote. Ballots and information on voting were delivered by email, fax, and U.S.

The Need for Surgeons to Have Flexibility

Jeffrey M. Smith, MD

As surgeons, we know the importance of precision. We are exact. We are meticulous. And we are this way because a misstep could cause serious, irreversible injury. But that obsessive compulsiveness does not need to permeate every aspect of our world. By learning to master mental and emotional flexibility, we can receive more happiness and joy from our normally rigid practices and lives. I live in San Diego, the host city for the upcoming AAOS Annual Meeting in 2017.

In Memoriam

June 19, 2015 Winnetka, Ill. Leland H. Johnson, MD Jan. 8, 2011 Burlingame, Calif. David W. Mack, MD Jan. 3, 2016 Springfield, Ill. Gregory O. Munson, MD May 30, 2016 Winter Park, Fla. Lawrence T. Shields, MD March 12, 2015 Newton, Mass. James W. Simmons Jr, MD Aug. 1, 2016 San Antonio, Texas Edwin Robert Wilson, MD Jan. 13, 2015 Wayne, N.J.

Sound Off: Why Orthopaedic Surgeons Need a Curriculum

Richard H. Gross, MD

When I was preparing for my certification boards in the early 1970s, the process was fairly simple. Orthopaedics had just three main journals—The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, and Orthopedic Clinics of North America—so "keeping up" with the literature was not an impossible task. Specialization was in its infancy and fellowships were few, so the knowledge base was implicitly aimed at the competence of a community orthopaedic surgeon.