Chibuzo Akalonu, MD
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Adult Reconstruction
Texas Bone and Joint
Pearland, TX
Member Since: 2020
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
Early on, I leaned heavily on AAOS educational resources to build my foundation of orthopaedic knowledge. The Annual Meeting then took that further and showed leading experts discussing where orthopaedics is going. More recently, AAOS ACCELERATE was an excellent resource during my job search. At every stage so far, the Academy has had something waiting for whatever I needed next.
As a Candidate Member, which AAOS resources do you use most, and why?
JAAOS is my mainstay. It has been instrumental in broadening my knowledge base and keeping me current with the literature. Orthopaedic Video Theater (OVT) is my go-to for case preparation. Being able to watch a technique before I perform it has made me a more confident and better-prepared surgeon.
What's the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
When I was an intern, my residency chair, Dr. George Russell, taught us the idea of compounding knowledge: “Read on an orthopaedic topic for at least an hour a day outside of work, no matter how tired you are.” Compounded over five years, that habit gave me an excellent residency experience. On the nights I got back late after operating, I could still hear his favorite line: "How bad do you want it?"
What's your go-to productivity trick?
Do the important things early in the morning. Anything that requires uninterrupted focus, I do before the day starts—nobody is texting you at 4 a.m. (unless you're on call).
What's one thing you're currently trying to make a habit?
A daily period of Spanish immersion. A large share of my patients in Texas are Spanish speakers, and I want to be able to connect with them in their language.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
Reading and soccer have been constants for me and more recently I've been learning to play golf.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know.
I'm an excellent salsa dancer.