Lessons in Orthopaedic Leadership: An AOA Podcast The American Orthopaedic Association

AOA President, Ann Van Heest, MD, FAOA, connected with Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Past President, Dr. Chris Morrey, to discuss their new programs that have been put into place to diversify the orthopaedic specialty, how the AOA is trying to improve healthcare in regional/rural areas, and how they implemented competency based training into their healthcare system. The Australian Orthopaedic Association is hopeful that the future of orthopaedics will continue to improve by training a diverse, competent fleet of surgeons. to provide equitable healthcare. 

AOA President Ann Van Heest, MD, FAOA, connected with New Zealand Orthopaedic Association (NZOA) President, Haemish Crawford, FRACS, to discuss the structure of orthopaedics in New Zealand, the status of the workforce, and the best way to provide value to young orthopaedic surgeons. The discussion led to an in-depth conversation about the challenges New Zealand orthopaedic surgeons are dealing with, including a lack of healthcare providers, inability to find employment after training, and the lack of resources needed to create a better infrastructure. 

AOA President Ann Van Heest, MD, FAOA, connected with Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) Past President, Laurie Hiemstra, MD, PhD, FRCSC, to discuss her unusual path to leadership, her plan for improving diversity in orthopaedics, and the most pressing critical issues affecting the COA. While waitlisting and licensure issues between provinces continue to be a challenge within the orthopaedic specialty, Dr. Hiemstra made it her goal to advocate for underrepresented groups, unify the community, and help develop competent young orthopaedic leaders. 

AOA President Ann Van Heest, MD, FAOA, connected with British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) Past President, Deborah Eastwood, MB, FRCS, to share her path to leadership, the importance of early involvement in your orthopaedic career, and the critical issues facing the BOA today.
 
 Dr. Eastwood discusses key topics such as backlog of cases, unhappiness with the system due to disruption from industrial action, lack of autonomy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion within orthopaedics. With these important matters facing the orthopaedic community, Dr. Eastwood is optimistic that the BOA is headed in the right direction towards a more diverse and representative medical profession. 

AOA President Ann Van Heest, MD, FAOA, connected with South African Orthopaedic Association (SAOA) Past President, Dr. Basil Vrettos, to discuss his path to leadership, the importance of mentorship, the issues that face South African orthopaedists, and the intense training process to become an orthopaedic surgeon in South Africa.
Mentorship has played a vital role in the career of Dr. Vrettos–he believes a mentorship is a two-way street in which both the mentor and mentee can equally learn from each other. It was the influence of his mentors that led to his effort to lead the organization, push for a more diverse profession, and address the critical issues facing the SAOA. 

Host Alexander Aleem, MD, FAOA, welcomed Tanner Mitton, CEO and Alex Thomson, President of Medicratic, a company developed to offer a software solution to address Residency and Fellowship applicant evaluations. Tanner and Alex discuss how a trip to a medical conference in Philadelphia turned into the development of Medicratic. After a deeper discussion on the challenges of the resident application process, Tanner and Alex decided there had to be a more efficient way for Program Directors to go through the large number of applicants. With hundreds of applicants, and a surplus of criteria to filter through, Medicratic allows Program Directors to teach the software the exact traits that they are looking for in a resident that fits the unique mission of their institution.