As you may have heard by now, I will be stepping down from my role as executive director of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS), effective December 31, 2027, when my current contract is completed. As the ABOS has been an important part of my life for many years, this decision comes with mixed emotion.
I can still remember seeing an ABOS Board Certification certificate on the wall in one of my professor’s offices when I was a resident. As a surgeon early in my career, I made it my goal to obtain ABOS Board Certification, understanding the value of that credential. Little did I know that not only would I obtain ABOS Board Certification and ABOS Subspecialty Certification in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, but that I would also have the incredible opportunity to lead the ABOS, first as board president, and then since 2016 as executive director, contributing to programs that ensure the value of ABOS Board Certification. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the board and the profession of orthopaedic surgery.
During my tenure, it has been my goal to lead the organization with dignity and follow the ABOS mission of protecting the public. I am proud to have played a significant role in the launch of the ABOS Web-Based Longitudinal Assessment (ABOS WLA) Pathway. In addition, the development of the ABOS Knowledge, Skills, and Behavior (ABOS KSB) Program has allowed the ABOS to be a leader in competency-based medical education. I am also proud that the ABOS was extremely successful in finding ways to continue our processes during the COVID-19 pandemic in a safe, reliable, and efficient manner, maintaining high standards and ensuring ethical and effective care for our patients.
More recently, we have changed our policies to allow fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons to take the ABOS Subspecialty Certification Examination before obtaining ABOS Board Certification. In 2025, more than 200 orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons took advantage of this opportunity. For those who do not want to earn ABOS Subspecialty Certification, we also created an Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine Practice-Profiled Examination during my tenure.
Throughout my time as executive director, I have maintained my ABOS Board Certification and my ABOS Subspecialty Certification in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. I have seen patients at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center during my tenure at the board and will continue to do so after stepping down. I will also continue to be a proud member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), a group that I am honored to have been a member of for decades.
The AOSSM and the ABOS have an outstanding professional relationship, thanks in part to the leadership of Greg Dummer. I have enjoyed working with him and wish him all the best in his retirement.
I look forward to working with the next executive director on a smooth, successful transition. We are not done yet, and we will not slow down. It is business as usual at the ABOS and we will continue to move forward, implementing the board’s directives and making sure we stay true to our mission.
