Lessons in Orthopaedic Leadership: An AOA Podcast

David Martin, MD, FAOA takes us on a profound exploration of orthopaedic board certification's past, present, and future landscape. As Executive Medical Director of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS), Dr. Martin provides podcast host, Dr. Douglas Lundy, rare insights into how the certification process shapes both individual surgeons and the entire profession. Dr. Martin articulates a clear vision that balances competing priorities: "We need to increase the value of board certification and decrease the burden." This tension – maintaining rigorous standards while respecting surgeons' time constraints – drives the evolution of assessment methods. The podcast reveals how the ABOS approaches this challenge.
Whether you're a medical student considering orthopaedics, a resident preparing for boards, or an experienced surgeon maintaining certification, this conversation offers valuable perspective on why rigorous professional standards matter – not just for career advancement, but for patient safety and the profession's continued autonomy. Subscribe now to hear more thought-provoking discussions about the future of orthopaedic surgery.

What if the biggest breakthroughs in joint care are stalled not by science, but by budgets? We sit down with Dr. Josh Jacobs to trace the future of orthopaedic research across funding realities, scientific frontiers, and the mission to keep surgeon scientists in the game. It’s a candid look at how NIH indirect cuts, DOD reductions, and shifting hospital margins collide with the urgent need to tackle periprosthetic joint infection, chronic pain, and the rising burden of osteoarthritis.

Dr. Jacobs explains why NIAMS remains a vital engine for musculoskeletal research, how advocacy can reshape priorities, and why better grant quality—paired with clinically informed study sections—may be the fastest way to win a larger share of federal dollars. 

If you care about the future of joint replacement, surgeon scientist careers, and truly personalized musculoskeletal care, this conversation connects the policy dots with the lab and the OR. Subscribe, share with a colleague who writes grants, and leave a review with your take on where orthopedic research dollars should go next.

What happens when a respected orthopaedic chair steps away from the big title to get back to the OR, residents, and real day-to-day impact? We sit down with Dr. Keith Kenter to unpack a rare leadership arc—building an academic culture in Kalamazoo, navigating post-COVID administrative sprawl, and ultimately returning to Missouri to reclaim core values: teaching, operating, and mentoring. It’s a candid look at ego, identity, and the quiet power of influence without authority.

Dr. Kenter shares how he elevated scholarly activity, promoted faculty, and designed a longitudinal musculoskeletal education program, then watched his role expand across multiple surgical services until the clinical work he loved slipped out of reach. Family, foresight, and timing opened a door at Mizzou, where strong culture and deep bench strength offered collaboration, patient-first focus, and the daily satisfaction of training the next generation.

If the story resonates, follow the show, share with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest “leading up” takeaway. Your feedback helps more clinicians find conversations that move our profession forward.

Fracture fixed, problem solved? Not even close. Dr. Andrea Spiker sits down with two orthopedic leaders, Dr. Marc Swiontkowski and Dr. Kyle Jeray, who helped turn a quiet crisis—osteoporosis-related fractures—into a national movement that’s changing how surgeons practice, teach, and lead.

You’ll hear the untold origin story of Own the Bone and why it succeeded where earlier efforts stalled: simple, reliable interventions, clear follow-up, and a registry that reveals what works. There’s a proven playbook, real people at the AOA ready to help, and shared best practices that make programs sustainable.

Owning bone health is an act of professionalism and empathy—treating the person behind the fracture and preventing the next one. If you’ve wondered how to move from “bone broke, me fix” to truly comprehensive care, this conversation gives you the history, the tools, and the push to start today.

Visit the JBJS Orthopaedic Forum to read Dr. Jeray’s presidential address: https://journals.lww.com/jbjsjournal/abstract/2025/11050/out_of_left_field__leadership_lessons_i_didn_t_see.18.aspx.

Want to know why some orthopaedic practices deliver faster care at lower cost with happier patients? Doug Lundy, MD, MBA, FAOA sits down with Dr. Gerry Williams, FAOA to map the strategy behind ancillary ownership—and why control, not just margin, is the quiet superpower of modern MSK care.  The heart of the episode is surgical workflow. When surgeons lead ASCs, standardization and team expertise turn operating rooms into high-performance lines: quicker turnovers, fewer complications, and lower total cost of care. Dr. Williams explains he is bullish on private practice with scale: integrated MSK groups that know their costs, invest wisely, and keep access open by diversifying revenue. 
 
If you care about the future of orthopaedic care—patient access, training integrity, ASC growth, and how to run a resilient practice—this conversation is a playbook. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with the one change you’d make to your care model after hearing this.