It Is What It Is*

Abstract

Fellows, honored guests, board members, speakers, and, most importantly, the Fellowship Class of 2004: I have had the unique opportunity to fill the president's shoes. While a resident at the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1969, an unexpected tennis challenge arose, something not infrequent in my career, and I hadn't brought my tennis gear. Dr. Herndon lived in an apartment across the street and was kind enough to let me use his sneakers... I wish I could say the match was 6-0, 6-0! First, please join me in expressing appreciation to the many spouses, parents, teachers, friends, and significant others for their support of the new fellows during their long formative years. It is a rare privilege and a great personal honor for me to address you on this most important occasion. I am filled with awe, humility, and inspiration to join the list of people preceding me in this capacity. Today you are being inducted into the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). You have probably wondered what it is to be a member of the Academy. Well, today I will share my concept of the Academy's vicissitudes, foibles, successes, and failures and synthesize it as: “It is what it is”—truly the secret of most of life's imponderables. Today you become a member of one of the largest and most respected medical organizations on the planet. You represent the future replacements for all of the Academy's leadership; some of you will fill their shoes. By virtue of your induction, you will raise the level of computer literacy among our fellows by 300%! Well... It is what it is. Many challenges face orthopaedic surgeons over the next decade: the malpractice crisis, increased federal regulations and scrutiny, decreased reimbursement, and the ability of our specialty to remain whole without fractionalization. I have …