Project description:PurposeThe purpose of this study was to report demographic trends in terms of ethnicity/race and gender among the membership and leadership positions of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine (AOSSM). Over the years both AANA and AOSSM will increase in diversity through their committee membership and leadership positions.MethodsAANA and AOSSM membership and leadership were reviewed for the years 2010, 2015, and 2020. Race/ethnicity was divided into Caucasian, Asian, African American (AA), Hispanic/Latin/South American (HLSA), and Middle Eastern (ME). Gender was limited to male or female, based on name and photographic depiction.ResultsDiversity in AANA and AOSSM committee and leadership positions is summarized in Table 1 and Table 2, respectively. In 2010, 166/191 (87%) AANA committee members were Caucasian, as compared with 125/186 (67%) in 2020. Asian committee members were similar in 2010 (13/191, 7%) and 2015 (13/216, 6%) but increased to 17/186 (10%) in 2020. HLSA committee members increased from 5/191 (3%) 2010 to 11/186 (6%) in 2020. AA committee membership increased from 2/191 (1%) in 2010 to 5/186 (3%) in 2020. The diversity of AANA Board of Director leadership positions increased, with Caucasian representation decreasing from 14/14 (100%) 2010 to 11/12 (92%) in 2020 and Asian representation increasing from 0% in 2010 to 1/12 (8%) in 2020, with HLSA, AA and ME remaining the same with 0/12 (0%). In AANA, men comprised 181/191 (95%) committee members in 2010 and 166/186 (89%) in 2020. The percentage of female committee members increased from 10/191 (5%) in 2010 to 20/186 (11%) in 2020. In 2010, 73/79 (92%) AOSSM committee members were Caucasian compared to 62/81 (77%) in 2020 with AA having the largest increase in committee members from 0% in 2010 to 6/81 (7%) in 2020 (Table 2). Within AOSSM, men comprised 73/79 (92%) committee members in 2010 and 70/81 (86%) in 2020. The percentage of female committee members in AOSSM increased from 6/79 (8%) in 2010 to 11/81 (14%) in 2020.ConclusionThere has been a progressive trend toward increasing diversity in both committee membership and leadership positions in AANA and AOSSM from 2010 to 2020. Within AANA, there has been a decrease in the Caucasian representation from 87% in 2010 to 67% in 2020 and an increase in the female representation from 5% in 2010 to 11% in 2020. AOSSM demonstrated a similar trend, with Caucasian representation decreasing from 92% in 2010 to 77% in 2020, in addition to female percentage increasing from 8% in 2010 to 14% in 2020. Although there has been an increase in representation of minority and female orthopaedic surgeons within both societies, there is still room for more diversity and inclusion within committee membership and leadership. It is important to progress toward the understanding of the changes that need to be made and work to implement opening the field of orthopaedic sports medicine.
Project description:PurposeTo evaluate the gender composition of fellows, faculty, and leaders within orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship programs to provide a more complete description of gender diversity within this subspecialty.MethodsOfficial program websites of orthopaedic sports medicine fellowships listed on the Arthroscopy Association of North America fellowship directory were examined. Data collected for analysis included the gender of program directors, fellowship faculty, orthopaedic surgery department faculty, current sports medicine fellows, and fellows who graduated within the last 5 years.ResultsOf the 132 orthopaedic sports medicine fellows in training in the United States in the 2021 to 2022 academic year, 113 (85.6%) were men and 19 (14.4%) were women (P < .001). Within the past 5 years, 419 fellows were listed as completing a sports medicine fellowship, with 375 (89.5%) being men, and 44 (10.5%) being women (P < .001). There was no significant difference in the gender composition of current fellows compared with the composition of fellows within the last 5 years (P = .74). When we examined gender trends in sports medicine faculty, 639 (86.6%) were men and 99 (13.4%) were women (P < .001). There were 14 women (14.4%) orthopaedic sports medicine faculty in leadership positions (i.e., program director or assistant program director) compared with 83 men in such positions (85.6%) (P < .001).ConclusionsOrthopaedic sports medicine fellowships remain heavily male-dominated on all levels, including fellows, faculty, and leadership. There were no differences in the gender composition of current fellows when compared with those who graduated in the last 5 years, suggesting persistent gender disparity and the need for novel initiatives to enhance gender diversity in sports medicine.Level of evidenceIV, descriptive study.
Project description:BackgroundThe South African Journal of Sports Medicine (SAJSM) and the South African Orthopaedic Journal (SAOJ) are two open access, peer-reviewed journals which provide ongoing education to the sports medicine community.ObjectivesThe purpose of this review was to appraise articles with a sports orthopaedic focus published in SAJSM and SAOJ. A secondary aim was to evaluate trends regarding the focus of the articles, levels of evidence, authors' affiliations, and country of origin.MethodsAn electronic search of the SAJSM from 1982 to 2021 and SAOJ from 2008 to 2021 was conducted to identify relevant articles. The eligibility of the articles was determined according to the following inclusion criteria: SAJSM articles with reference to musculoskeletal anatomy and/or an injury in any sport, and SAOJ articles focusing specifically on sports, sports teams and low-velocity traumatic injuries in sports people.ResultsThis study included specific sports orthopaedic articles in SAJSM (n=161) and SAOJ (n=41). The articles originated from 67 institutions in 19 countries. In SAJSM, the majority of articles were published by local authors (n=44, 61%). There was a non-significant difference in the proportion of articles from local and international institutions in SAOJ. In SAJSM, the sports covered most frequently included rugby, cricket, running and soccer, whereas in SAOJ most articles referred to low-velocity injuries. With regard to trend analysis, a significant decline in articles with Level V evidence published by SAJSM was observed (p<0.001). Similarly, articles with Level V evidence published by SAOJ showed a decline, although it was non-significant.ConclusionThe focus of SAJSM in particular is relevant to sports played, injury patterns and the healthcare resources for sports people in South Africa. The level of evidence published by SAJSM has improved significantly over time.
Project description:BackgroundCannabidiol (CBD) is a known pain modulator that is garnering increased attention in the orthopaedic world. There may be a considerable knowledge gap among orthopaedic sports medicine providers and their perception of its therapeutic value.PurposeTo (1) examine the knowledge and beliefs of sports medicine orthopaedic providers with respect to CBD, (2) deliver an educational component, and (3) elucidate potential barriers to its widespread application.Study designCross-sectional study.MethodsA 3-component, 25-question online survey was distributed to members of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the Arthroscopy Association of North America between July and October 2022. The first 20 questions assessed baseline knowledge and opinions regarding CBD, followed by an educational component, and then 5 questions assessing whether the respondents' opinions had changed after learning more about CBD. Responses were compared according to age, practice setting, and state's cannabinoid legalization status using the chi-square test, and changes in opinions from before to after the educational component were compared using the paired t test.ResultsThere were 101 survey responses, for a response rate of approximately 1%. Most respondents believed that there is a role for CBD in postoperative pain management (76%), acute pain and inflammation after an injury (62%), and chronic pain (94%). Most respondents admitted that they were not knowledgeable about the mechanism of action (89%) or their state's laws (66%) concerning CBD. A minority (25%) believed that CBD has psychoactive properties. While most respondents (76%) did not believe that they would be stigmatized if they were to suggest CBD to a patient, only 48% had ever suggested CBD. Notably, 94% of respondents had encountered patients who reported trying CBD to treat pain. After reading the fact sheet, 51% of respondents stated that their opinion on CBD had changed, and 63% felt inclined to investigate the topic further.ConclusionMost survey respondents believed that CBD has a role in postoperative and chronic pain management. Although there was a relative familiarity with CBD, there was a knowledge gap, suggesting that increased attention, education, and research are necessary.
Project description:PurposeTo evaluate whether patient demographics are associated with cancellation of elective orthopaedic sports medicine surgical procedures.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 761 patients who were scheduled to undergo an elective sports medicine orthopaedic operation from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent the scheduled procedure (group A) and those in whom the operation was canceled for any reason prior to the surgical date and not rescheduled (group B). Univariate analysis assessed patient factors consisting of age, sex, race, language, marital status, occupation status, type of insurance (Medicaid or Medicare vs private), smoking history, employment status, and history of surgery to determine which demographic factors led to an increased risk of elective case cancellation.ResultsPatients who canceled were significantly older (46.5 years vs 41.5 years, t = 2.432, P = .015) than those who do not. In addition, current smokers (22.5% vs 10.9%, χ2 = 10.85, P = .001), patients with Medicare or Medicaid versus private insurance (16.7% vs 10.0%, χ2 = 5.35, P = .021), non-English-speaking patients (29.5% vs 11.6%, χ2 = 11.43, P = .001), and patients without a history of surgery requiring anesthesia (18.8% vs 9.6%, χ2 = 9.96, P = .002) were all more likely to cancel. When all studied variables were examined in a logistic regression analysis, of the above demographic variables, only insurance status was no longer significant, given its correlation with age and language.ConclusionsIncreased age (≥46.5 years), non-English speaking, smoking, lack of a history of surgery requiring anesthesia, and Medicaid or Medicare insurance were found to contribute to an increased risk of elective orthopaedic surgery cancellation.Level of evidenceLevel III, case-control study.
Project description:IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to determine which components of sports medicine fellowships are most important to applicants when reviewing fellowship websites during the application process.MethodsAn anonymous survey was distributed to 492 fellowship applicants from the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 cycles. The survey included questions about the importance of including components of fellow education, recruitment, and experience on program websites. The weighted average of responses determined each component's rank, with 5 being "very important" and 1 being "not at all important." Responses were analyzed by application cycle, current position, and sex using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.ResultsSixty-five applicants participated in the survey and completed the demographics section, resulting in a 13.2% response rate. According to participants, the most important components to include on fellowship websites were exposure to advanced operative sports medicine techniques (weighted average, 4.62), complexity of cases performed (4.52), and number of cases performed (4.50). Analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences in opinion between application cycles for flexibility for conducting a remote interview (P = .0074), jobs obtained by previous fellows (P = .019), national rank of department (P = .021), program's geographic location (P = .026), protected academic time (P = .038), current positions for criteria for fellows' performance evaluations (P = .028), program's geographic location (P = .0097), and protected academic time (P = .0079). There were statistically significant differences in opinion between current positions regarding flexibility for conducting a remote interview (P = .0026), jobs obtained by previous fellows (P = .012), and national rank of department (P = .0013).ConclusionsOrthopaedic sports medicine fellowship applicants believe that it is most important to include information about the volume and complexity of fellows' cases and their day-to-day commitments on program websites.Clinical relevanceThis information would enable applicants to identify programs that will support professional development and allow program directors to communicate expectations.
Project description:PurposeTo survey orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship program directors to determine the current research productivity of both fellows and faculty in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship programs in the United States.MethodsAn anonymous 18-question survey was distributed via e-mail to all 95 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship program directors in the United States. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Questions included whether fellows are required to complete a certain number of projects during their fellowship year and whether fellows have protected research time.ResultsOf the programs, 31 (33%) responded to the survey. Twenty-four programs (80%) require fellows to complete 1 to 4 projects. Twenty-one programs (71%) provide 4 to 8 hours of weekly protected research time. Twenty-four programs (77%) publish 1 to 2 manuscripts per fellow during the fellowship. Twenty-two programs (71%) have fellows work on 1 to 2 projects at a time. Annually, 26 programs (84%) give 0 to 5 podium presentations, 24 (80%) present 0 to 5 posters, and 15 (48%) report 0 to 5 publications. Twenty-four programs (77%) have research fellows and/or assistants to help with research. The presence of dedicated research assistants and more than 25 annual fellowship program publications were found to be useful screening data for more than 2 and more than 4 average publications per fellow, respectively.ConclusionsThe research productivity of orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship programs may be an important consideration for applicants. Applicants who desire to be productive in research during their fellowship year should consider programs with dedicated research assistants and/or programs that publish more than 25 times annually.Clinical relevanceThis is a descriptive epidemiologic study that helps define the research productivity landscape in orthopaedic sports medicine fellowships. A more accurate understanding of sports medicine fellowship research experience may facilitate a better match between a program's research expectations and an applicant's research interests.
Project description:PurposeTo determine the content posted by sports medicine orthopaedic surgeons on Instagram and Twitter and to evaluate the associated engagement.MethodsData were collected from sports medicine orthopaedic surgeons' Instagram profiles and Twitter profiles between December 2020 and June 2022. The median number of total number of likes, comments, and retweets was calculated. The content of posts from both platforms was divided into the following categories: personal life, research, patient testimony, day in the life, pathway to becoming a physician, clinical cases, medical facts, and team coverage.ResultsData from 71 Instagram profiles and 39 Twitter profiles were used in this study. A total of 1,193 posts were identified on Instagram and 1,284 posts were identified on Twitter. The personal life category had the greatest number of posts on Instagram (303, 25.4%), whereas the medical facts category had the greatest number of posts on Twitter (251, 19.5%). Pathway to becoming a physician had the greatest median number of likes on both Instagram (97.5, range 48-2,467) and Twitter (19, range 0-50) and the greatest median number of comments on Instagram at 16 (range 1-203). The team coverage category on Instagram had the greatest percentage of likes per follower at 9.9%. A significantly greater percentage of orthopaedic surgeons posted about day in the life content, medical facts, and research on Twitter in comparison with Instagram. Instagram resulted in significantly more social media engagement than Twitter in all 8 categories (P < .05).ConclusionsInstagram resulted in significantly more social media engagement across all categories in comparison with Twitter with team coverage, personal life, and pathway to becoming a physician being the most popular categories.Clinical relevanceThe information learned in this study may help sports surgeons understand how they may best utilize social media to engage with others and enhance their clinical practice.
Project description:PurposeTo evaluate the process of applying to orthopaedic sports medicine fellowships from the applicant's perspective, with a focus on number of program applications, interviews, interview day importance, and financial burden.MethodsAn anonymous electronic survey was distributed to all orthopaedic surgery residents who applied to orthopaedic sports medicine fellowships in the United States in 2016 and 2017. The survey contained 26 questions, with 10 pertaining to applicant demographics, accolades, and examination scores. A follow up e-mail was distributed at 2 and 4 weeks to increase participation.ResultsThe survey was distributed to 453 sports medicine fellowship applicants; 148 (34.1%) completed the survey. Of the respondents, 130 (87.8%) were male and 18 (12.2%) were female. When analyzing United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, respondents who scored above a 251 on Step 2 CK were more likely to receive more than 20 interviews compared with those who scored lower (P = .013). Previous collegiate or professional athlete status did not influence the number of interviews received. In total, 94 of 147 (64.0%) respondents applied to more than 20 programs, and 73 respondents (49.7%) attended between 11 and 15 interviews. The majority of respondents spent between $4001 and $6000 (49; 33.1%) throughout the application process. Interaction with faculty and case volume/complexity were the most important factors in ranking programs.ConclusionsThe majority of orthopaedic surgery residents pursue at least 1 year of fellowship training following residency, with sports medicine being one of the most popular specialties. The application process for sports medicine fellowships is complex, competitive, and a financial burden for applicants. Most applicants apply to more than 20 programs, spend between $4000 and $6,000 over the course of the application process, and value faculty interaction and case volume/complexity over other factors associated with a program.Clinical relevanceAs other surgical fellowships have detailed their application process from the applicant's perspective, there remains a need for increased transparency of the sports medicine fellowship application in order to offer additional insight and guidance for future applicants.
Project description:Over the last year, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread across the world as a global pandemic, bringing unprecedented changes to the healthcare landscape for patients and physicians. Medical trainees have been similarly affected, as medical schools throughout the United States have implemented remote learning-based curriculums and withdrawn third- and fourth-year students from in-hospital clerkships. Of particular importance is the impact of COVID-19 on current orthopaedic surgery residents applying to subspecialty fellowship programs. Because of the highly transmissible nature of the virus and current social distancing restrictions, orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship interviews are being held virtually during the 2020-2021 application cycle. This transition to videoconference interviewing may de-emphasize an applicant's unique personality or interpersonal interactions that are traditionally captured in a variety of settings during the interview day. In turn, this may lead to increased prioritization of various aspects of the application, such as the applicant's residency program, letters of recommendation, and research productivity. Matching to a sports medicine fellowship program is an inherently competitive process and the COVID-19 pandemic presents novel challenges to orthopaedic residents in their efforts to successfully match. The purpose of this review is to describe the changes made to the orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship interview process resulting from COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 application cycle and discuss how these changes may impact the future fellowship application process. This review discusses the changes made to the orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship interview process caused by COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 application cycle. This review also assesses how such changes may impact the future application process and proposes potential adaptations to the current virtual interview format if it should become the new standard moving forward.