Michael Barbella, Managing Editor03.14.23
Boston orthopaedic trauma surgeon Paul Tornetta III, M.D., Ph.D., FAAOS, has been named first vice president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) Board of Directors. His role is the second in a four-year term of volunteer service during which he will serve as president of the AAOS in 2024-2025. He assumed the first vice president position following the AAOS 2023 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas last week.
"AAOS has given so much to me over the years, and I consider it a privilege and an honor to give back," Dr. Tornetta said. "Together with our new president, Dr. Kevin J. Bozic, I look forward to supporting the AAOS as we work to equip our members with the tools and knowledge needed to shape the future of orthopaedic care."
Dr. Tornetta serves as chief of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and director of orthopedic trauma at Boston Medical Center, and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. He describes himself as a "blue-collar surgeon" who takes pride in promoting a shared decision-making model with patients and fostering lifelong professional learning for surgeons.
Dr. Tornetta is a highly respected professor known for his teaching prowess and efforts to advance orthopedic education and training. Among his many AAOS volunteer positions, he chaired the Education Council for four years and was past chair of the former Evaluations Committee and Annual Meeting Committee, and a member-at-large on the Board of Directors. His leadership in the collaboration between the AAOS, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Orthopaedic Association, Council of Orthopaedic Residency Directors and AAOS Resident Assembly was instrumental in launching the AAOS Resident Orthopaedic Core Knowledge (ROCK) Curriculum last year. Under his leadership and with guidance from ROCK curriculum co-chair Carol Morris, M.D., FAAOS, the ROCK has grown to include 11 subspecialties, nearly 1,000 journal articles and book chapters respectively and input from more than 500 authors.
At Boston University, orthopedic residents selected him four times to receive the annual Robert E. Leach, M.D. Resident Teacher of the Year Award. His reputation for fairness and transparency has earned him longtime recognition as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor every year since 1999 and a Boston Magazine Top Doc since 2006. He is past president of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) and served on the executive committee of the American Orthopaedic Association for more than a decade.
Dr. Tornetta has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers and previously led the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Consortium. The consortium focuses on large-scale studies that will improve surgical best practices for some of the most common bone, joint, and muscle diseases. He has been a steering committee member for trials that won the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) Clinical Research Award and Kappa Delta Award. He has also been awarded the Bovill Award, given to the top paper at the annual OTA meeting, five times.
Dr. Tornetta recently earned his doctorate from the University of Groningen, Netherlands. He earned his medical degree and completed his internship and orthopaedic residency training at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, N.Y. After a fellowship at Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles, he was appointed director of orthopedic trauma at Kings County Hospital Center and the University Hospital of Brooklyn.
With more than 39,000 members, AAOS is the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. It provides comprehensive education to help orthopedic surgeons and allied health professionals best treat patients in their daily practices. The AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related musculoskeletal healthcare issues; and it leads the healthcare discussion on advancing quality.
"AAOS has given so much to me over the years, and I consider it a privilege and an honor to give back," Dr. Tornetta said. "Together with our new president, Dr. Kevin J. Bozic, I look forward to supporting the AAOS as we work to equip our members with the tools and knowledge needed to shape the future of orthopaedic care."
Dr. Tornetta serves as chief of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and director of orthopedic trauma at Boston Medical Center, and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. He describes himself as a "blue-collar surgeon" who takes pride in promoting a shared decision-making model with patients and fostering lifelong professional learning for surgeons.
Dr. Tornetta is a highly respected professor known for his teaching prowess and efforts to advance orthopedic education and training. Among his many AAOS volunteer positions, he chaired the Education Council for four years and was past chair of the former Evaluations Committee and Annual Meeting Committee, and a member-at-large on the Board of Directors. His leadership in the collaboration between the AAOS, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Orthopaedic Association, Council of Orthopaedic Residency Directors and AAOS Resident Assembly was instrumental in launching the AAOS Resident Orthopaedic Core Knowledge (ROCK) Curriculum last year. Under his leadership and with guidance from ROCK curriculum co-chair Carol Morris, M.D., FAAOS, the ROCK has grown to include 11 subspecialties, nearly 1,000 journal articles and book chapters respectively and input from more than 500 authors.
At Boston University, orthopedic residents selected him four times to receive the annual Robert E. Leach, M.D. Resident Teacher of the Year Award. His reputation for fairness and transparency has earned him longtime recognition as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor every year since 1999 and a Boston Magazine Top Doc since 2006. He is past president of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) and served on the executive committee of the American Orthopaedic Association for more than a decade.
Dr. Tornetta has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers and previously led the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Consortium. The consortium focuses on large-scale studies that will improve surgical best practices for some of the most common bone, joint, and muscle diseases. He has been a steering committee member for trials that won the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) Clinical Research Award and Kappa Delta Award. He has also been awarded the Bovill Award, given to the top paper at the annual OTA meeting, five times.
Dr. Tornetta recently earned his doctorate from the University of Groningen, Netherlands. He earned his medical degree and completed his internship and orthopaedic residency training at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, N.Y. After a fellowship at Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles, he was appointed director of orthopedic trauma at Kings County Hospital Center and the University Hospital of Brooklyn.
With more than 39,000 members, AAOS is the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. It provides comprehensive education to help orthopedic surgeons and allied health professionals best treat patients in their daily practices. The AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related musculoskeletal healthcare issues; and it leads the healthcare discussion on advancing quality.
