Embargoed:
12:01 a.m. PST
February 9, 2012
For more information, contact:
Kayee
Lauren Pearson
Joshua Jacobs, MD, Named American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons First Vice President
SAN FRANCISCO—Orthopaedic surgeon Joshua J. Jacobs, MD of Chicago, Ill., officially took the role of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) first vice president at its 2012 Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
“It’s an honor to work with the talented and accomplished individuals who make up the Academy’s Board of Directors, volunteers and staff leadership team. These experts collectively invest a significant amount of time and energy in determining how our profession can be improved. Orthopaedic surgery is a specialty that dramatically innovates year after year; that innovation ultimately is patient-focused and patient-driven,” said Dr. Jacobs.
Dr. Jacobs is a board-certified and practicing adult reconstructive orthopaedic surgeon with an expertise in total joint replacement and a research interest in the biocompatibility of orthopaedic biomaterials. Currently, Dr. Jacobs serves as the William A. Hark, MD/Susanne G. Swift Professor and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He is a partner and member of the Executive Committee of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush—a private practice—and also is an adjunct professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the McCormick Technological Institute at Northwestern University.
He graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor of science in materials science and engineering, earned a doctorate of medicine with honors from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, then completed an orthopaedic surgery residency in the Combined Harvard Orthopaedic Surgery Program in Boston, Mass. Subsequently, Dr. Jacobs completed a fellowship in joint replacement surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago under the tutelage of Dr. Jorge Galante.
“I have been attracted to the medical profession from early on with an interest in basic sciences, engineering, and how human disease can be mitigated by application of the natural sciences,” said Dr. Jacobs. “Orthopaedic Surgery was a natural career path; it allows me to pursue my interests in materials science and medicine.”
Dr. Jacobs had previously served for six years as chair of the AAOS Council on Research. He is past president of the Orthopaedic Research Society and the United States Bone and Joint Decade. He also served as a trustee of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and is past chair of Committee F04 on Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices of the American Society for Testing and Materials International. Dr. Jacobs completed a four-year term on the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Advisory Council and has chaired multiple National Institute of Health study sections.
“In my role with the U.S. Bone and Joint Decade, I focused on raising the level of awareness of the public, professionals, and policymakers concerning the tremendous burden of musculoskeletal disease on our society. This has helped to prepare me for a leadership role in the AAOS. It is critical for our profession, and for the patients that we serve, that public policy facilitates access to specialty musculoskeletal care in order to mitigate this burden. Going forward, the AAOS will continue to be a leader advocating for continued access to orthopaedic surgical specialists, and for enhanced public investment in orthopaedic research.”
On the importance of volunteering for the AAOS, Dr. Jacobs said, “the Academy is the voice of the orthopaedic profession and the premiere organization that provides up-to-date knowledge and research so that orthopaedic surgeons can practice the highest level of care.”
In addition to his dedication as a volunteer in the orthopaedic education and research community, Dr. Jacobs has won several research awards including the Ann Doner Vaughan Kappa Delta Award, has published more than 175 peer-reviewed manuscripts, has co-edited three books and co-authored more than 35 book chapters. He has presented extensively at a variety of national and international continuing medical education venues.
“The leadership of the Academy is doing great work—and continues to look ahead to develop more quality initiatives to coincide with the AAOS’ longstanding commitment to excellence. As a clinician, educator and researcher, the priorities of the AAOS are well aligned with my own. I continue to be enthusiastic about rolling up my sleeves and doing the important work of our Academy,” said Dr. Jacobs.
A primary issue of focus for Dr. Jacobs and the Board of Directors will be to intimately work on the reform of healthcare delivery. “The AAOS has to be very involved to ensure that patients are represented, and continue to have access to high quality healthcare,” said Dr. Jacobs.
Despite his busy schedule of operating, teaching, lecturing and research, Dr. Jacobs enjoys spending time with his wife, Faye, and their three children Ross, Max and Eve. He also enjoys long-distance cycling and being a “frustrated baritone saxophonist.”
###
About AAOS
For more information on bone and joint health, visit orthoinfo.org