AANA’s role, affirmed by its mission statement, is to “advance the art and science of arthroscopy and minimally invasive surgery through education, skills assessment, and advocacy.” The success that the association has enjoyed over the last 39 years in each of these areas is a credit to those visionary leaders who came before and to the efforts of countless surgeon volunteers since. AANA’s accomplishments are a testament to these efforts.
Beginning in 1981 with AANA’s inception, surgeon education has been the cornerstone of the association’s focus. With passionate leaders such as Howard Sweeney, whose efforts to successfully shepherd the building of the Orthopaedic Learning Center (OLC) in Rosemont, Illinois, in partnership with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the OLC opened as a cadaver surgical training center in 1994. Thousands of orthopaedic surgeons were trained in that facility, and many of us benefitted in ways that we remember fondly today. As a result of the success of the OLC and to the credit of the leadership of AANA and other partnering organizations, a new state-of-the-art facility, also in Rosemont, and with unmatched capabilities compared to other training facilities across the world, opened in 2015. In this new facility in 2019 alone, AANA volunteer faculty trained over 500 surgeon attendees at its excellent APEx courses, over 200 of which were orthopaedic fellows and residents.
Innovation in Education
While traditional surgeon education and training at AANA’s learning center is a core priority for AANA, our association is actively involved in the development and incorporation of additional, new training methods designed to improve the potential for and impact of educating both AANA members and other orthopaedic surgeons worldwide. Indeed, the purpose of our association must be to remain not only relevant but indispensable to those surgeons that we serve in their quest to provide the best possible care for their patients.
As such, innovation has been and remains a hallmark of AANA’s efforts in education. AANA is actively involved in developing groundbreaking methods for training and testing that have met with tremendous recent successes. Likewise, since many of AANA’s members have historically been innovators in their respective sub-specialty fields, our association has always strived to foster this innovative spirit. One such initiative designed to support the development of AANA members’ ideas is through the development of the AANA innovation exchange concept born in partnership between AANA and AngelMD. The “Innovation Exchange” provides AANA members with an opportunity to showcase and market their ideas and products, relevant to orthopaedic care and emerging technologies, to potential industry partners. The exchange was originally launched in conjunction with the 2019 AANA annual meeting and was conceived of and brought to fruition by Drs. Louis McIntyre, AANA’s immediate past president, and Ray Thal. The innovation exchange allows AANA members the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of AANA judges in a “Shark-Tank” like format. Unfortunately, due to the necessity to cancel the 2020 AANA annual meeting, surgeons were not able to share and promote their product ideas, designs, and services during the scheduled “AANA20 Innovation Exchange Pitch Competition.” This competition, though, is sure to play an important role as part of the 2021 AANA annual meeting program in Chicago.
Another example of AANA’s commitment to innovative educational efforts, the Copernicus initiative, has created a new paradigm for surgeon education by developing techniques that objectively evaluate surgical performance called proficiency-based progression (PBP) training. Headed by Dr. Richard Angelo, an AANA past president, and with invaluable support from colleagues such as Drs. Richard “Rick” Ryu, Robert Pedowitz, and Tony Gallagher, PBP training offers a superior alternative to current “apprenticeship“ teaching models that have historically been relied on for surgical training. PBP training can be defined as the acquisition of a skill set to a predefined proficiency benchmark. Only after that benchmark is achieved does learning progress to the next set of skills within a curriculum. Using the PBP training techniques, a trainee must acquire and successfully reach the benchmark for a basic surgical skill, such as tying an arthroscopic knot to proficiency before inserting a suture anchor to proficiency. Addressing trainee mistakes by the instructor as they occur, so called proximate feedback, is critical to the success of this training modality. It facilitates the opportunity for the trainee to focus on and correct errors in technique. The deliberate practice of defined skills allows the trainee to incrementally master more advanced techniques. Ultimately, summative feedback then offers an overall impression of the trainee’s progress which allows for a determination as to whether the proficiency benchmark is attained for the complete procedure.
Through the tireless efforts of Dr. Angelo and others, procedures such as Bankart shoulder reconstruction and rotator cuff repair were separated into defined steps using task deconstruction that allowed for the creation of unequivocally clear steps. Errors were also specifically identified and incorporated into the PBP training protocols. A Delphi panel of experienced arthroscopic shoulder surgeons was then assembled, and the metrics defined, stress tested, and shown to demonstrate construct validity. Dr. Angelo’s Copernicus research culminated in a randomized, prospective, blinded study in which post-graduate year (PGY) 4 and 5 orthopaedic surgery residents were randomized to a traditional apprenticeship style learning cohort or to PBP training. Nearly 70% of the PBP group achieved proficiency in performing the arthroscopic Bankart procedure compared to 29% of the traditional group thus demonstrating the statistical superiority of PBP training.
In September of 2019, the first dedicated AANA PBP training course was completed at the OLC. Again, the results of the program validated the PBP training techniques and demonstrated the superiority of this educational curriculum. The success of this PBP training, as shown by the dramatic improvements in surgeons’ ability to master various surgical techniques, has received much attention and interest. In fact, Dr. James Esch, a previous AANA president and passionate surgeon educator, was scheduled to host a dedicated PBP shoulder training course in conjunction with his annual and very popular shoulder meeting in San Diego in June of 2020. Unfortunately, Dr. Esch’s course was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, this is truly an exciting time for PBP surgical training. The dedication of innovative leaders such as Dr. Angelo in developing these PBP training programs is a testament to what AANA members can accomplish.
A PBP curriculum will likely form the future foundation not only for surgeons in training but also for practicing surgeons interested in improving their skills. In addition to the validated Bankart and rotator cuff repair PBP procedures that have already been completed, AANA members are currently developing metrics for both hip labral repair and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. If objective skills credentialing becomes a requirement in the future, Dr. Angelo and his dedicated colleagues have developed a template for its implementation. And without Dr. Angelo’s visionary leadership and relentless commitment, this Copernicus initiative and the success that it has achieved would simply not have been possible. Dr. Angelo has changed the trajectory and priorities for surgical education, and his efforts will positively impact the care of patients throughout the world.
Virtual Reality and Simulation
As impressive as Dr. Angelo and colleagues’ efforts have been in advancing and improving surgeon training, AANA is “pushing the education envelope” on other fronts as well by developing virtual reality arthroscopic surgical simulations in a partnership with the Swiss-based surgical simulator company, Virtamed. AANA simulation work groups consisting of AANA member volunteers, under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Tauro, are diligently striving to develop curriculum content. These work groups have maintained an ambitious schedule to incorporate teaching and testing methodologies into these simulators. Such simulations can very realistically reproduce surgical procedures, and Virtamed virtual simulators are now housed in a dedicated and secure area at the new Orthopaedic Learning Center in Rosemont. This past October, AANA debuted and dedicated the “AANA J. Whit Ewing, M.D. Simulation Room” with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The room is named in honor of the late Dr. Ewing, a founding member of AANA, former AANA president, and a pioneer of the “hands-on” advanced skills courses that AANA offers today. This high tech room, a welcome addition to AANA’s other innovative arthroscopic education infrastructure offerings, is equipped with 8 Virtamed arthro-S simulators. These simulators give users the ability to select a training module by joint, such as knee or shoulder, or help to improve fine motor skills by offering the user the simulated version of the Fundamentals of Arthroscopy Surgical Training, or FAST program, developed under the leadership of Dr. Robert Pedowitz.
Over the last three years, AANA’s expert work group volunteers have introduced new pathologies and procedures into these simulators. Users can experience simulated cases with proximate feedback tailored to their needs, thus providing for the most personalized learning experience available. The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) now requires residents to complete surgical simulation training during their orthopaedic residencies. There are benefits to performing simulated skills since some procedures have a steep learning curve that requires a high number of repetitions before trainees have the manual dexterity to accomplish it correctly. Simulators allow trainees to practice without any harm to a patient. And while simulation training is not a substitute for the apprenticeship model, it will continue to increasingly serve as an integral component of training. As Dr. Tauro recently remarked, “Our simulators allow repetitive practice and can be tailored to each surgeon’s individual needs with feedback on performance. They are very realistic and are a big part of the future of learning and of perfecting surgical skills.” No matter the joint preference or the amount of time that the user may have available to practice, the “AANA J. Whit Ewing, M.D. Simulation Room” offers a convenient place for orthopaedic surgeons to refine old techniques and to learn new ones. These simulators are being increasingly integrated into all AANA OLC courses and are currently available to all AANA OLC course participants.
Innovations Lecture Series
Another example highlighting AANA’s focus on innovation is our recently initiated “Innovations Lecture Series” in conjunction with AANA’s annual Specialty Day program. The inaugural presentation was to be delivered this past March by Dr. Stephen Burkhart, another former AANA president. This new lecture series, an addition to AANA’s excellent Specialty Day meeting program, is designed to highlight not only the innovative nature that many orthopaedic surgeons inherently possess but also to feature the impactful contributions that certain individuals have made to arthroscopic and related surgery over the last 40 years. Dr. Burkhart certainly embodies this innovative spirit, and his research efforts along with the surgical techniques, instruments, and implants that he has helped design have resulted in several “paradigm shifts” in the way shoulder disorders are both conceptualized and managed. Dr. Burkhart was, unfortunately, unable to deliver his lecture due to the cancellation of the 2020 AAOS annual meeting. However, Dr. Burkart did provide his presentation utilizing an AANA online platform. He also graciously volunteered to submit the manuscript of his lecture for publication in the Arthroscopy journal. AANA is very excited about the addition of the “Innovations Lecture Series” to AANA’s annual Specialty Day program, and we all look forward to learning from innovators for many years to come.
AANA SOMOS Training Programs
AANA’s commitment to surgeon education as shown by these and other initiatives is evident, but none of these programs could be realized without a sustained effort and a tireless commitment. Another such AANA program that clearly demonstrates this level of commitment by AANA members is the SOMOS/AANA military surgeon training. SOMOS, the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons, members make tremendous sacrifices in support of our country as do all of America’s volunteer military personnel. Dr. Rick Ryu, a previous AANA president, on becoming aware years ago that some of these military orthopaedic surgeons had significant challenges pursuing specialized training, worked diligently to orchestrate a special course at the OLC dedicated to training these SOMOS members. That inaugural course, in 2010, was organized by Dr. Ryu with the able assistance of Drs. Matthew Provencher and J. T. Tokish and was underwritten by AANA’s committed industry partners. These SOMOS/AANA courses have continued year after year and have successfully trained hundreds of military orthopaedic surgeons. In fact, this past September, AANA celebrated hosting its 10th annual SOMOS/AANA course at the new OLC. And while our valued corporate partners have continued to support these worthy courses over the last 10 years, AANA members have personally donated financially to support these courses as well. The success and durability of this training program over the last 10 years is the result of many AANA members’ efforts, including SOMOS surgeons. However, without the unflagging efforts and dogged commitment of Dr. Ryu, this unique training program and its 10-year legacy of success simply would not have become a reality.
This AANA commitment to supporting the training of these inspiring and dedicated SOMOS surgeons has continued via other avenues as well. Through the leadership and resolute efforts of Dr. Robert Hunter, a former AANA president, and other AANA members over the last several years, AANA has recently been successful in securing U.S. military funding that will allow AANA to continue to host annual SOMOS/AANA courses in the years ahead. This funding will provide for future, additional types of training opportunities for these military surgeons as well. Without the vision, leadership, and selfless commitment that Dr. Hunter has demonstrated over the last several years to successfully secure future funding for SOMOS related education, this valuable program’s future would have been highly unlikely to be realized. Dr. Hunter’s legacy of service to these SOMOS members is truly inspiring, and the value that these new training programs will offer U. S. military orthopaedic surgeons will not only improve their surgical skills but is certain to benefit us all in the future.
“AANA5000”
Organizations can only be as successful as its members are dedicated to supporting it. Commitment of such individuals is demonstrated not only by the members’ payment of dues but also through their volunteer efforts in support of the organization. That commitment of members’ time and talents is what sets some organizations such as AANA apart. AANA members are committed often because they recognize value and receive benefits for their efforts that, in turn, serves the entire association well. AANA has worked diligently over many years to provide this value for its members at every level of training and experience.
An ambitious initiative, named the AANA5000 program, designed to grow AANA’s membership from approximately 4,000 members at the beginning of 2018 to a total of 5,000 members by the end of 2020, was launched in February 2018. Efforts were directed at all membership categories but especially at two specific groups: orthopaedic surgery fellows/residents and international orthopaedic surgeons. International outreach efforts incorporated a multipronged approach related to marketing, altering membership criteria through by-laws changes, and by committing AANA staff to promoting AANA at international courses. Likewise, AANA surgeons serving as international course faculty were asked to actively promote international AANA membership opportunities to course attendees. AANA’s efforts to attract orthopaedic fellows and residents centered around coordinated outreach programs in which AANA engaged with these young surgeons and offered partnerships and new benefits to them and to their respective residency training programs.
Since the program was initiated 2½ years ago AANA’s total membership has grown from 3,968 members at the beginning of 2018 to 5,896 members in April of 2020. This represents 48% growth in AANA’s membership since the AANA5000 initiative was begun and is the largest growth that AANA has enjoyed since its inception almost 40 years ago. This growth has been achieved primarily through increases among orthopaedic fellow and resident members and very significant increases seen in international membership as well. In fact, AANA members are now represented in 81 countries across the globe.
The success of AANA5000 program is a credit to many individuals including the AANA staff in Rosemont, Illinois, and the diligent efforts of Laura Downes, AANA’s CEO. Laura personally traveled to many of these international courses where she actively promoted international membership to course participants. This exceptional growth in AANA membership, however, could not have been possible without the innovative ideas and enthusiastic efforts of AANA’s membership committee chaired by Dr. Paul Caldwell. Christine Nogal, AANA’s marketing director, was also instrumental in organizing and overseeing these membership recruitment efforts.
AANA Journals
Another reason that orthopaedic surgeons are attracted to AANA has been and continues to be AANA’s crown jewel of education, the Arthroscopy journal. The journal not only attracts new members but also supports current members by providing consistently excellent and timely content, maintaining very high quality, and by routinely incorporating new and innovative improvements. Dr. James “Jim” Lubowitz, Editor-in-Chief, and his editorial support staff produce an outstanding product, and under Jim’s leadership, exciting additions to the journal’s offerings, such as engaging podcasts and an improved, informative social media presence, has elevated the journal to even greater heights. Similarly, new peer-reviewed offerings including Arthroscopy Techniques our on-line journal and the highly anticipated and newly launched Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation (ASMAR) open-access journal have been excellent additions. Arthroscopy currently has an impact factor of 4.43 and is ranked fifth out of 76 journals in orthopaedics, seventh out of 82 journals in the sports sciences category, and enjoys it’s largest worldwide circulation to date. Likewise, under the capable leadership of previous AANA president Dr. Nicholas “Nick” Sgaglione, who serves as the chairman of the Journal Board of Trustees, an AANA task force has recently and successfully renegotiated a 5-year contract with our valued publisher, Elsevier. AANA looks forward to a continued and highly productive partnership with Elsevier in the years ahead for our highly respected and successful journal.
Collaboration
AANA’s industry partners and other stakeholders continue to support AANA’s educational mission and their contributions, as always, are very much appreciated. In fact, AANA currently collaborates with the greatest number of industry partners in its history. Their support is critical to maintaining the level and quality of AANA’s many and diverse educational offerings. Also, collaborations with other like-minded organizations have been an increasingly important focus for AANA as well. Such relationships have helped improve educational offerings, reduced the risk of redundancy, and have fostered relationships that serve our members and their patients well. In the past year alone, AANA has formally collaborated with a large number of societies and other organizations to support education and to provide additional value for our members including relationships with the AAOS, Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), Orthopaedic Summit and Evolving Techniques (OSET), SOMOS, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine (AOSSM), and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AFOS) to name just a few. These relationships have been both productive for AANA and well received by its members. AANA will continue to strive to support these important partnership opportunities in the future.
Challenges
Even with the success that has resulted from AANA’s dedicated efforts to develop and offer educational opportunities, AANA faces challenges due to increased competition not only from other orthopaedic specialty societies but also from industry partners’ surgeon-education initiatives. An online MDLinx search of upcoming educational offerings for orthopaedic surgeons lists no fewer than 158 scheduled conferences and continuing medical education courses for orthopaedic surgeons to choose from. This wealth of options creates an environment that tests AANA’s capability to “stand out in the crowd.” Likewise, the opportunities that meeting attendees have to travel to and participate in educational courses, such as those that AANA offers, may become increasingly more limited due to the economics of physicians’ practices and increasing administrative burdens.
There is nothing like competition to bring an organization’s priorities into focus. AANA is thriving, in part, by proactively and diligently striving to develop new educational tools and offerings that will provide its members the learning experiences that they desire. Examples include adapting OLC courses to accommodate for more personalized, one-on-one training. Also, newly developed peer-reviewed on-line educational offerings that AANA has championed provide worldwide access to educational materials whenever and wherever the learner wants. “All-access AANA passes” allow for approximately 50 hours of recorded educational content that includes over 200 faculty presentations addressing hip, knee, shoulder, foot/ankle, and wrist/elbow from the 2019 AANA annual meeting to literally be at the learner’s fingertips. State-of-the-art technology makes it easy to view sessions when convenient, and the opportunity to earn up to 48 AMA PRA category 1 credits from the comfort of one’s home, office, or while traveling, definitely expands opportunities for both AANA’s members and for surgeons everywhere. AANA’s arthroscopy self-assessment programs, or ASAP, allow the learner to refine one’s skills and close knowledge gaps using directed and specific online content. These scored and recorded self-assessment exams, or SAEs, count toward the MOC 2 requirement and can allow one to earn up to 10 category 1 credits. Other online educational opportunities offered by AANA include “CME packs” and “Course Lecture Pearls” that allow the learner to experience what it’s like to attend an AANA course anytime and anywhere. One can review key lectures, captured from recent AANA live courses, that offer exclusive insights into current, innovative surgical techniques while also earning category 1 credits. AANA’s recently launched and innovative online offerings have been quite successful. In fact, utilization of AANA’s online education products increased revenues 275% in 2019 compared with 2018.
AANA Branding
Just as AANA has reinvigorated its traditional educational offerings and developed exciting new opportunities to learn, so also should any successful organization like AANA regularly re-evaluate the way it presents itself to its members, its members’ patients, and the general public. As such, AANA recently completed an organized examination of how AANA’s mission and goals are perceived by its members, other stakeholders, and the public at large. This effort included an evaluation of AANA’s current brand platform, messaging, and marketing communications and materials. Professional consultant support coupled with strategic planning sessions and input from critical stakeholders, including AANA members as well as industry partners, was obtained. After much consideration, a new brand platform was crafted with a refreshed logo and a tagline that more accurately reflects AANA’s mission and goals for the future. AANA’s new logo was to be launched in conjunction with this year’s 2020 AANA annual meeting but will now be launched separately. With AANA’s current growth, its recent development and implementation of new and exciting educational opportunities, and its planned initiatives, AANA is truly “Advancing the Scope.”
Advocacy
The word “advocacy” is included within AANA’s mission statement and is a core component of our commitment to our members and to the entire orthopaedic community. Advocacy is essential to promote relevant diagnostic and treatment procedures, advance reasonable reimbursement policies, and protect against unfair regulatory requirements. AANA has been and remains on the forefront of advocacy efforts. Among important current issues that AANA’s advocacy initiatives have impacted are clinical practice guidelines, appropriate use criteria, coding and reimbursement and, most importantly, patient access to care. AANA’s advocacy efforts under the leadership of AANA’s advocacy committee chairperson, Dr. Eric Stiefel, in conjunction with Drs. Louis McIntyre and Bill Beach, both former AANA presidents, and other stakeholders including the AAOS, was recently successful in overturning the government’s “shoulder as one anatomic site” policy that would have potentially resulted in insurance company denials for legitimate work performed. This is just one example of how AANA’s advocacy efforts strengthen and improve orthopaedic surgeons’ ability to care for their patients and to be fairly compensated for their efforts and dedication.
AANA’S Culture of Volunteerism
The commitment and dedication of AANA’s surgeon volunteers is both commendable and humbling. These busy orthopaedic surgeons make extraordinary efforts to give their time, share their experience, and serve others. Much of this volunteer effort is accomplished within the not-so glamorous committee structure that is critical in supporting AANA’s initiatives and educational offerings, including both didactic and cadaver lab experiences as well as online learning. These sacrifices that include time away from AANA members’ clinical practices, families, and their own lives demonstrates the commitment and culture of volunteerism that represents the key to AANA’s success.
Only after the cumulative efforts of AANA members are tabulated does this commitment become clearer. With the assistance of AANA’s staff, an analysis of AANA members’ dedication of time to the association was quantified. In the last 12 months, over 1,000 AANA members have donated over 25,000 hours of service to our association. Also, no member is reimbursed a dime for his or her time. This level of commitment and effort is not only inspiring but also critical to AANA’s previous and future success. Your contributions have not only sustained AANA, but your ongoing commitments will serve to continue to improve our association immeasurably.
AANA members’ volunteer efforts extend beyond their time and energy commitments. Many AANA members also generously support the organization through personal financial contributions above and beyond their annual dues requirements. AANA’s fundraising and development arm has designated specific classifications designed to recognize and encourage individual giving such as the Jackson Society and the newly established Caspari Society. These generous donations from AANA members have been organized and overseen by AANA leaders such as Dr. Mark Getelman and Dr. Alan Curtis, previous chairpersons of AANA’s development committee. As a result, AANA member individual giving has skyrocketed. In 2016, $24,665 in additional funds was donated to AANA by its members in support of educational initiatives. Contributions from AANA members has increased exponentially and, in 2019, individual AANA members donated $582,208. This represents a 2,360% increase in giving compared to just three years before. There is only one explanation: AANA members are committed to the association and find it worthy of their generous donations. For those AANA members who have unselfishly donated their time, expertise, and financial resources in support of our association and its mission, please accept my and AANA’s sincere gratitude.
Acknowledgements
It has been a great honor and privilege to serve as AANA’s 2019-2020 president but, without the support and guidance of many individuals, I would not have been blessed with this opportunity. While it is not possible to mention all that have been instrumental on this journey, I must acknowledge certain people who have been especially important and impactful to me. First, to AANA’s 2020 program committee chairperson, Dr. Julie Dodds, I want to express my sincere gratitude for her efforts in crafting, with the support of her committee, an outstanding educational program this year. It was both highly innovative and educational, and the quality of the presentations would have been representative of her and her team’s efforts. AANA received a record number of abstract submissions this year, and the quality of the scientific presentations would have been outstanding. I also wish to thank our honored international surgeons representing Colombia, AANA’s 2020 designated guest nation, for their willingness to participate and to share their knowledge and experience with us all. To each of the AANA staff, under the leadership of the very capable Laura Downes, thank you for everything that you have done to support me, AANA’s Board of Directors, and AANA’s 5,800 members this past year. Others to thank include my very capable office team in Mississippi including my nurses Amanda Perry, Brittany Cohn, and Molly Herrington, my research coordinator, Emily Moffat, and our sports medicine fellowship director, Madison McCluer. Likewise, I wish to respectfully thank each of my practice partners at Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center who have sacrificed that I might enjoy opportunities to pursue this path.
Dr. Walter Shelton, one of my practice partners for the last 25 years and a former AANA president, deserves special mention as he has not only been an influential mentor to me but also recently received AANA’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award. Walter was to have been given formal recognition during AANA’s 2020 annual meeting but, due to the meeting’s cancellation, was not able to be formally acknowledged. This award, chosen by AANA’s Board of Directors every year, is given to an AANA member whose commitment to and accomplishments on behalf of AANA have been significant and far-reaching. This award is a symbol of Walter’s leadership within AANA, but it is also a reflection of the influence that Walter has had on me throughout my entire career as his partner in Mississippi.
I also want to sincerely thank our current and our previous Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center’s sports medicine fellows for their trust in and support of our fellowship program over these past 25 years. Similarly, I wish to thank the physicians at Tulane University, including Drs. Michael O’Brien and Wendell Heard, who provide additional excellent surgical training for our fellows as well. Lastly, but certainly not least, I thank my great friend Dr. Felix “Buddy” Savoie. Buddy, a former AANA president and previous partner of mine before he assumed the orthopaedic surgery department chairmanship at Tulane, has been the most important and impactful individual in my professional life. His unwavering support and guidance have enabled much of the success that I have enjoyed. Buddy’s unique abilities and leadership qualities are to be much admired, and I have always tried to emulate these attributes throughout my career.
Just as I have benefitted tremendously from my associations with these and other inspiring individuals, I can report to AANA’s membership that our association will remain in the most capable of hands in the future. AANA’s Board of Directors’ experience, capabilities, and judgment are exemplary and most reassuring as our association navigates the constantly changing environment related to both surgeon education and health care. With Dr. Brian Cole assuming the 2020-2021 AANA presidency and followed successively by Drs. Mark Getelman and Dr. James Stone as AANA’s future presidents, I have every confidence that AANA’s mission will be supported and its continued success assured.
Lastly, I want to thank my wonderful wife of 30 years, Cindy, for her unwavering devotion to me and to our children. Cindy’s selflessness and commitment to our family and to the AANA family, despite her own professional commitments serving as a fellowship-trained pediatrician at an academic medical center, has allowed me the luxury to pursue my professional goals. I love you with all my heart. And to our three children, Eric, Evelyn, and Adam, you are the loves of my life, and I am so very proud of each of you. Thank you for your unwavering support and for the sacrifices that each of you has made in support of my professional pursuits as well.
This past year serving as AANA’s president has been the most rewarding of my career. The opportunity to learn from and interact with individuals of such tremendous ability, experience, and character is the gift of a lifetime. Likewise, the chance to engage with and support the interests of the many individual AANA members that I have had the great fortune to meet has been extremely satisfying for me personally. For every ounce of my individual effort I gained a thousand pounds of reward. Thank you for the opportunity to report on the many successes that our association has enjoyed over the last year, and its challenges, and for allowing me the chance to share any insights that I may have gained along the way.