Vermont Medicine Magazine
DEPARTMENT OF Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation ~ 2012 Annual Report
Selected Highlights
- Faculty published research in journals such as American Journal of Sports Medicine; Journal of Orthopaedic Research; European Spine Journal; Journal of Biomechanics; and the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
- Faculty members serve on many national associations, editorial boards and study sections, including the International Federation of Pediatric Orthopaedic Societies, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Special Emphasis Panel, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Research Committee, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Trauma Program Subcommittee.
Claude E. Nichols, M.D., Chair
The department’s research efforts continue to thrive under the leadership of Bruce D. Beynnon, Ph.D. Dr. Beynnon continues his National Institutes of Health funded work on identifying risk factors associated with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Dr. Beynnon and James Slauterbeck, M.D., are attempting to demystify the possible causes for ACL injury by examining joint geometry, hormonal changes, and dynamic etiologies for this multifactorial problem. Maria Roemhildt, Ph.D., is using a novel in vivo rat model to characterize the macro-, micro-, and genetic changes in articular cartilage exposed to supraphysiologic loads.
The faculty in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation has long been acknowledged for its clinical activities. This year is no different. The clinical facilities at the Orthopaedic Specialty Center in South Burlington were expanded to accommodate increasing demands for musculoskeletal care. Significant changes to the Physiatry section, under the medical directorship of Roger Knakel, M.D., will enhance that group’s ability to care for their patient population. Resident education has been the department’s educational focus. New guidelines from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Residency Review Committee have allowed radical changes to be instituted in the residents’ PGY1 year. S. Elizabeth Ames, M.D., the Program Director, has developed a novel curriculum for the first year residents that will enable them to meet the challenges of the future. The year includes didactics on professionalism, ethics, basic science, and fundamentals of research, as well as an increased exposure to orthopaedics. We look forward to assessing the merits of these changes.
The department is participating in healthcare reform at local, state and national levels. Adam Shafritz, M.D., serves as president of the Vermont State Orthopaedic Society and serves on the Health Care Professional Technical Advisory Group to the Green Mountain Care Board to aid in their efforts towards healthcare reform in Vermont. David Halsey, M.D., chairs the Health Policy and Practice Committee of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and sits on the same committee for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
As the clinical arena, medical student education, resident education, and healthcare politics evolve, the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation continues to move ahead with the times.
Last modified January 24 2013 09:42 AM
