Giants In Orthopaedic Surgery: Jacquelin Perry MD, DSc (Hon)

Abstract

A Note from the Column Editor: This issue of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®is one of the first with the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS) as an affiliate society. Founded in 1983, the RJOS is named for Ruth Jackson MD, the first woman certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 1937 [6]. Thirty years ago, she and five other women identified the need for a society of female orthopaedic surgeons to address common issues encountered by the increasing number of women surgeons in training, practice, and academia. As such, Dr. Jackson secured her place as an orthopaedic pioneer. Among this group was Jacquelin Perry MD, DSc (Hon). Dr. Perry was the second President of the RJOS, but this was not her first foray as a founding member of an orthopaedic society. In 1966, Dr. Perry was one of the 35 spine specialists, and solitary woman, to establish the Scoliosis Research Society [7]. Amy L. Ladd MD, Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at Stanford University, currently serves as the President of the RJOS. She still marvels at how Dr. Perry exemplified focusing on patient care without being deterred by politics or other distractions. “She was very practical, yet so insightful,” Dr. Ladd said. “Her approach was a methodical analysis to improve patient care and everyone around her. She could be very intense and stern, but the endgame was improvement. She didn’t let anything distract her from this.” Dr. Perry’s long and highly productive career spanned seven decades. As an author of more than 400 publications, her commitment to teaching and improving the lives of patients remains legendary. Considered a relentless problem solver, Dr. Perry’s inquisitive mind, intellect, and no-nonsense approach found solutions where others did not even see problems. Her dedication to musculoskeletal health and disease reflected her educational background in physical education, physical therapy, and orthopaedic surgery. A pioneer in gait and motion, she analyzed normal and abnormal conditions, rehabilitation exercise, and sports. Dr. Perry’s orthopaedic career would seem to have no missteps, only a series of strides in a progression to innovation and discovery in surgery, clinical care, education, and research. As one of the first internationally prominent women in orthopaedic surgery, she helped promote and develop other women in the field through the RJOS, and more recently, in science through the Perry Initiative. Her humility would cause her to argue otherwise, but she more than earned the title of the “Grand Dame of Orthopaedics.” — Marlene DeMaio MD, MC, USN (retired) A young Jacquelin Perry knew by the age of 10 that she wanted to be a physician [4]. The work she went on to do throughout her lengthy and distinguished career — a career that stretched until the day before she died — changed lives and altered medical practice (Fig. 1). Fig. 1 Dr. Perry was one of 35 spine specialists, and the lone woman, to establish the Scoliosis Research Society in 1966. Photo courtesy of the Scoliosis Research Society Confucious said, Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life. Her humble nature, despite countless achievements, awards, and acknowledgements, prove no greater example of this phrase. In 2010, Dr. Perry implied that she had “profited from several timely opportunities, and … grabbed each one” [6]. Lisa Lattanza MD and Dr. Perry met while working together at the biomechanics lab at Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Inglewood, California. Dr. Perry was the research consultant at the time. By then, Dr. Perry had long been considered a world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon. Despite this acclaim, she always felt like she had not done anything special. “I think a lot of that came from the fact that she was always doing what she loved, and felt like it was an honor to be taking care of patients and teaching people,” Dr. Lattanza said. Although she would never admit it, countless patients and physicians have benefited from Dr. Perry’s clinical and surgical care, research, writing, teaching, and mentoring.