Five Years In: The AAOS Resident Assembly, "Bidirectional Communication," and Early Career Involvement in Orthopaedic...

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery Education
• Medical Association Development
• Trainee Engagement

Background:

• The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) established the Resident Assembly (RA) in 2014.
• The RA was designed to foster "bidirectional communication" between the AAOS and residents.
• This initiative aimed to address residency training issues and disseminate AAOS recruitment efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the development of the AAOS Resident Assembly over its first five years.
• To discuss the future goals of the RA in alignment with AAOS priorities.
• To evaluate the RA's role in communication, education, and recruitment within orthopaedic surgery.

Main Methods:

• Review of the AAOS Resident Assembly's history and growth since 2014.
• Analysis of RA's role in disseminating information and engaging trainees.
• Assessment of RA's impact on AAOS recruitment and membership initiatives.

Main Results:

• The RA has expanded significantly since 2014, with representation from most US and Canadian MD and DO residency programs.
• Increasing participation of medical students from Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Groups has been observed.
• The RA has become a key partner for the AAOS and a valuable recruitment tool.

Conclusions:

• The AAOS Resident Assembly has successfully served as a vital communication channel and recruitment tool for orthopaedic surgery.
• The RA has demonstrated growth and broad representation, engaging early-career professionals and students.
• Future goals of the RA will continue to align with AAOS priorities for leadership development and engagement.