Advancing the science and art of orthopaedics. Lessons from history.

Abstract

President Herndon, Second President- Elect Simon, members of the American Orthopaedic Association, and guests: it is a great honor to be elected President of this Association. I am pleased to accept this distinguished office, but the honor is not mine alone. It also belongs to those who made this possible: the teachers, physicians, and scientists who inspired and prepared me to contribute to the profession of medicine; my faculty colleagues at the University of Iowa, who taught and supported me; my children, Jody, Andrea, and Abigail, who have made being their father easy; and my wife, Kitty, who has encouraged and guided me for nearly thirty years. One of the pleasant tasks of the presidency is selecting the topic for the President-Elect's address. In 1887, the founders of the American Orthopaedic Association dedicated their new Association to advancing the science and art of orthopaedics14,98. Their choice of this purpose, more than a century ago, may seem unimportant now, but thoughtful consideration suggests otherwise. Today, I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the role of science in the development of medicine, orthopaedics in particular, and on the importance of a commitment to advancing the science and art of orthopaedics for our future. At the time that this Association was founded, the American public and medical profession did not recognize orthopaedics as a medical specialty and physicians in the United States did not enjoy their current high social and economic status14,31,92,127. Most physicians in the United States learned medicine and received the title of doctor from proprietary schools. To make the largest possible profit, these schools maximized the number of students and minimized the quality of education. Few faculty members had more than a high-school degree. The schools were not …