The Sports Docs Podcast

The future of sports medicine isn't shaped solely in the operating room—it is also driven by visionary leadership, collaboration, education, and innovation. Live from the AOSSM Annual Meeting in Seattle, Drs. Catherine Logan and Ashley Bassett sit down with Corey Parker, MPA, the newly appointed CEO of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), to discuss his vision for one of the world's leading sports medicine organizations.
With more than two decades of executive leadership experience in healthcare, academic medicine, and national physician organizations, Corey shares what drew him to AOSSM and how he plans to help the society continue advancing education, research, advocacy, and member engagement in an era of rapid change.
The conversation explores how AOSSM is preparing surgeons for emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and biologics, expanding mentorship and leadership opportunities for early-career members, and strengthening collaboration across the multidisciplinary sports medicine team. Corey also discusses the importance of serving both academic and private practice surgeons while ensuring the organization remains innovative, financially strong, and increasingly valuable to its members.
Whether you're a resident just beginning your career or a seasoned sports medicine surgeon, this episode offers an inside look at the leadership shaping the future of our specialty.
In This Episode
 Corey Parker's journey to becoming CEO of AOSSM 
 Why AOSSM continues to be a global leader in sports medicine 
 Supporting residents, fellows, and early-career surgeons through mentorship and leadership development 
 Strengthening connections between academic and private practice sports medicine physicians 
 Developing the next generation of leaders within AOSSM 
 Building stronger partnerships across the sports medicine care team 
 Corey's vision for the future of AOSSM and the legacy he hopes to leave 
Key Takeaways
 Leadership is essential to advancing sports medicine beyond clinical innovation. 
 Lifelong education and evidence-based guidance remain central to helping surgeons navigate an evolving field. 
 Mentorship and early career engagement are critical investments in the future of the specialty. 
 Collaboration across physicians, therapists, athletic trainers, researchers, and industry drives better patient care. 
 A strong professional society must continue evolving while remaining focused on its mission and its members. 
About Our Guest
Corey Parker brings more than 20 years of progressive executive leadership in healthcare, academic medicine, and national medical societies. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, where he oversees a complex enterprise of 65 staff and a combined operating budget exceeding $30 million. Previously, he served as Executive Director of Surgical Accreditation at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, where he led accreditation efforts for orthopedic surgery and other surgical specialties nationwide. Earlier leadership roles within major academic health systems further reflect his expertise in operational excellence, financial stewardship, and large-scale team development.
Parker will join the AOSSM professional team on April 6, 2026. He succeeds CEO Greg Dummer, who announced his intent to retire last August. Dummer has served as CEO since July 2016 and will remain with the organization through the 2026 Annual Meeting to support a smooth and successful transition
Follow The Sports Docs Podcast for conversations with leading surgeons, researchers, and innovators who are advancing the field of sports medicine through cutting-edge science, education, and collaboration.
https://www.cloganmd.com/
https://orthopedicnj.com/physicians/ashley-bassett

Recorded live from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Seattle, Dr. Aaron Krych joins Drs. Catherine Logan and Ashley Bassett for an in-depth discussion on the rapidly evolving field of cartilage restoration. The conversation explores how treatment has shifted from simply filling cartilage defects to restoring the entire knee joint through comprehensive patient evaluation, biologic innovations, and advanced surgical techniques.
The Evolution of Cartilage Restoration
Why focal cartilage defects should be viewed as a "whole joint disease"
Moving beyond isolated microfracture
The growing importance of correcting alignment, instability, and meniscal deficiency
Earlier intervention in young athletic patients to preserve long-term joint health
Understanding Natural History
Why untreated cartilage defects can enlarge over time
Risk factors for lesion progression and development of secondary cartilage injuries
Counseling patients on long-term consequences and timing of intervention
Modern Treatment Algorithms
Why strict size-based algorithms are becoming less relevant
Patient-specific factors influencing procedure selection:Age
Activity level
Defect size and location
Subchondral bone involvement
Previous surgery
Overall joint health

Diagnostic Evaluation
The expanding role of advanced MRI
When diagnostic arthroscopy remains essential
Emerging applications of nano-arthroscopy for:Preoperative lesion evaluation
Assessment of graft incorporation
Evaluation of persistent postoperative symptoms

Single-Stage Cartilage Restoration Techniques
AutoCart
Single-stage autologous cartilage restoration
Surgical technique pearls
Cartilage harvest using GraftNet technology
PRP/BMAC augmentation
Technical considerations for successful implantation
Osteochondral Options
When bone involvement changes the treatment strategy
Indications for:Osteochondral Autograft Transfer (OATS)
Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation

Choosing between autograft and allograft techniques
Alignment Matters
Why cartilage restoration cannot succeed in an overloaded compartment
Indications for combining osteotomy with cartilage restoration
Medial high tibial osteotomy (HTO)
Distal femoral osteotomy (DFO)
Benefits of patient-specific instrumentation for osteotomy planning and execution
Lessons Learned
Dr. Krych shares valuable experience on why successful cartilage restoration depends on more than the graft itself.
Key factors influencing outcomes include:
Proper patient selection
Mechanical alignment
Knee stability
Meniscal integrity
Patient commitment to rehabilitation
Key Takeaways
Cartilage restoration has evolved from treating isolated defects to preserving the entire joint.
Modern decision-making is individualized rather than based solely on defect size.
Addressing alignment, instability, and meniscal deficiency is often just as important as restoring cartilage.
Biologic augmentation and single-stage procedures continue to expand treatment options.
Successful outcomes rely on appropriate patient selection and meticulous surgical technique.
Featured Guest
Dr. Aaron Krych is an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Mayo Clinic specializing in cartilage restoration, complex knee preservation, ligament reconstruction, and sports-related injuries. His clinical expertise and research have helped shape many of today's modern cartilage restoration strategies.
Subscribe to The Sports Docs Podcast for conversations with leaders in orthopedic sports medicine, surgery, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and athlete performance.
www.cloganmd.com
https://orthopedicnj.com/physicians/ashley-bassett

Today’s episode is going to focus on surgical management of primary and recurrent anterior glenohumeral instability in athletes. 
We are joined today by two outstanding guests! 
Dr. John Kelly is a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of Shoulder Sports Medicine at UPenn Ortho. He is Co-director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship and is a team physician for the Philadelphia Union. Dr. Kelly is the former President of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association and Vice President of the Arthroscopy Association of North America.
Dr. Matt Fury is an orthopaedic surgeon at the Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic who specializes in sports-related injuries to the shoulder, elbow, and knee as well as complex shoulder conditions.  Dr. Fury graduated from LSU Medical School in New Orleans before completing his orthopaedic surgery residency at the Harvard Orthopaedic Residency Program.  He then completed specialized fellowship training at the world-renowned Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. 
So, without further ado, let’s get to the Exhibit Hall!

Today’s episode is going to focus on osteochondral allograft transplantation, and specifically how basic science research can and should impact your clinical practice.
We are joined today by Dr. Brian Cole, a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center, Chair of Surgery at Rush Oak Park Hospital and Section Head of the Rush Cartilage Restoration Center.  He is also a past president of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and a team physician for the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox.
 So, without further ado, let’s get to the Field House!

Dr. Sabrina Strickland is an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and an attending surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery . She is active member of many societies and research groups, including the International Cartilage Repair Society and the International Patellofemoral Study Group.

Dr. Seth Sherman is the Director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at Stanford University Orthopaedics and is a Stanford University Football team physician. He is Chairman of the AAOS Sports Medicine/Arthroscopy committee and is also a member of the International Patellofemoral Study Group.

Both Dr. Strickland and Dr. Sherman publish and lecture extensively on the topic of knee joint preservation, cartilage restoration and specifically patellofemoral cartilage disease - so we’re excited to hear them speak more this topic!

We are narrowing the focus of our conversation today to osteotomies. We just did a two-part episode with Dr. Cassandra Lee that tackles all the different cartilage restoration options for the patellofemoral joint. So go check that out if you want to hear more about when to choose OATS vs. OCA vs. MACI. But for today: let’s chat about osteotomies.

In this episode, we discuss:
What are some key findings to look for on exam and imaging to determine if a realignment osteotomy is needed?

We are familiar with the tibial tubercle trochlear groove (TT-TG) measurement, but what is the Sagittal TT-TG (sTT-TG) distance and what does it tell us?

How should a tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) be customized to address different areas of cartilage pathology? (Check out our Instagram - @thesportsdocspod - to see different types of TTOs based on location of cartilage lesion and/or presence of instability in the setting of malalignment.)

How can the TTO surgical technique be modified to minimize risk of complications when performing a complete tubercle detachment? Image 3 shows four surgical tips for lessening complication risk.

There are other osteotomies besides TTO to address patellofemoral pathology — including a derotational distal femoral osteotomy. What are the indications for this procedure?