About the Awards
As the Kappa Delta Awards conclude their current cycle, AAOS is proud to introduce the Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards (OREA) to continue recognizing groundbreaking contributions to musculoskeletal science.
These prestigious honors recognize individuals and teams whose work exemplifies scientific rigor, innovation, and clinical relevance across the research continuum—from emerging discovery to impactful translation. We encourage those interested in research recognition to explore this new, mission-driven awards program. Awards include:
- Improving Musculoskeletal Patient Care Through Outcomes Research (IMPACT) Award — Recognizes exemplary outcomes-based research that has measurably advanced musculoskeletal patient care, informed clinical practice, or influenced healthcare policy. Ideal for researchers whose work demonstrates direct and sustained impact on quality of care or health system improvement.
- Orthopaedic Research Bridging Innovation and Translation (ORBIT) Award — Honors transformative translational research that bridges the gap between basic science and clinical application. This award is for researchers driving innovative solutions from bench to bedside, particularly those addressing unmet clinical needs or advancing orthopaedic technologies.
- New Emerging eXperts in Translational Science (NEXT) Award — Celebrates early-career investigators poised to become future leaders in orthopaedic research. This award supports rising talent whose promising work contributes to the future of musculoskeletal science and patient care.
We encourage applications from researchers across academic, clinical, and industry settings whose work aligns with the values of excellence, innovation, and impact in orthopaedic research.
Submissions for the 2026 AAOS Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards will be accepted in electronic format only no later than 11:59 PM CDT on Sunday, August 31st. Late submissions will not be considered.
“As the AAOS transitions from the Kappa Delta Awards to the Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards (OREA), it is critical that the OREA represent more than recognition—they are a reaffirmation of our profession’s commitment to discovery, innovation, and improving lives. By honoring outstanding clinical, translational, and basic science research, we elevate the body of knowledge that drives the future of musculoskeletal care.”
~ AAOS Research and Quality Council Chair David S. Jevsevar, MD, MBA, FAAOS
OREF Clinical Research Awards
AAOS is soliciting manuscripts for the 2026 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) Clinical Research Award. One $20,000 OREF award will be bestowed, provided manuscripts of requisite quality are submitted.
Manuscripts should represent a large body of cohesive scientific work generally reflecting years of investigation. Manuscripts must be submitted by members (or candidate members) of the AAOS, ORS, Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA), or Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society (CORS).
Submissions for the 2026 OREF Clinical Research Awards will be accepted in electronic format only no later than 11:59 PM CDT on Sunday, August 31st. Late submissions will not be considered.
The Arnold I. Caplan Award for Distinguished Research in Orthobiologics (Caplan Award)
The Caplan Award is an annual research award celebrating the legacy of Arnold Caplan, PhD., a pioneer in the field of orthobiologics and Medicinal Signaling Cells (MSCs). The award honors the career achievements of researchers whose work has significantly impacted the development of new therapeutic solutions in orthobiologics and MSCs.
Submissions for the 2026 Caplan Award will be accepted in electronic format only no later than 11:59 PM CDT on Friday, August 1, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.