As we approach the end of this year, our AOAO Committees are hard at work implementing the Strategic Plan the Board set in motion this past March. The Strategic Plan was divided into 4 key areas of focus: Membership Retention and Recruitment, CME, Identity/Distinctiveness and Strategic Partnerships. The Strategic Planning Committee, under the direction of Dr. Ed Armbruster, will oversee the implementation of many new initiatives that resulted from that session.
To help address some of the proposed initiatives regarding member benefits, the Membership Committee was restored but with a new emphasis. Dr. Jim Ingram, Chair, has been hard at work trying to establish, guide and support leadership and mentorship programs as well as value-added member benefits through all phases of your orthopedic career. The Membership Committee is searching for ways to reach out to our students and residents, and to find issues that are important for the Board to address.
As always, communication is essential to success and our Publications and Communications Committee is looking at ways to improve communication with general and specialty section members. With this issue we are announcing our new Editor of The Orthopod, Dr. Steve Heithoff. This is your publication, please let Steve or me know if you have suggestions for content.
The CME Committee will continue the ever daunting planning of the Annual Spring and Fall Meetings, along with the accompanying AOA CME requirements. Along those lines, the committee will be researching ways to partner with an ACCME accredited provider in order to offer CME to our MD counterparts. In addition, after many years of discussion the CME Committee is working on a Board Review style course as an added value. This will be offered at the 2019 Annual Spring Meeting at the Disney Yacht Club.
The Residents and Fellows Committee, let by Chair, Dr. Sean McMillan, will continue its work advocating for resident and fellow research, as well as by medical students.
I am very excited about a new committee that we have just formed. A Program Directors Committee has been established to help with the challenges that face our Residency Programs. Dr. Charles Orth will chair this small group of program directors. The purpose of this committee is to inspire and empower program directors of previously AOA accredited residencies and fellowships in the following areas:
- Promote the osteopathic model of training competent community orthopedic surgeons in the ACGME and CORD
- Promote ACGME accreditation of all previous AOA orthopedic residency and fellowship programs
- Promote osteopathic recognition for all DOs in ACGME training by developing a profession wide osteopathic recognition curriculum
- Promote faculty development useful to all program directors
- To be the voice of and advocate for all DOs training in ACGME residencies and fellowships
- Promote the AOAO Foundation Skills lab and grant opportunities
- Provide a means by which orthopedic training programs may voice concerns with the goal of seeking appropriate resolutions to their concerns
Our profession is changing. We will be defined by how we react to that change. If you have any questions or concerns, please share with me. We are all in this together.