Orthopaedic Representation in Medical School Leadership: Implications for Musculoskeletal Education

Musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide, yet contemporary medical school curricula continue to inadequately address musculoskeletal (MSK) education. Multiple orthopaedic-related organizations have made recommendations over the past 2 decades with little subsequent progress in both curricula design and residency preparedness. This study aims to quantify the representation of orthopaedic surgeons in medical school leadership positions and discuss its potential impact on MSK education.

We analyzed publicly available data from US allopathic medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) as of December 2024. We reviewed medical school websites to identify the specialties of deans, senior level, and other-level dean positions.

Of 156 qualified allopathic schools, 22 of 3,012 (0.7%) dean-level positions were held by individuals with an orthopaedic surgery training background. This included 2 of 156 (1%) head deans, 8 of 1,114 (0.7%) senior-level dean, and 12 of 1741 (0.7%) other-level dean positions). One (0.9%) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Governing Board members, AAMC leadership, or LCME Membership Roster positions were held by orthopaedic surgeons.

The significant underrepresentation of orthopaedic surgeons in medical school leadership positions and national medical education organizations may contribute to the persistent deficiency of MSK education in our US medical school curriculum. Ongoing efforts should be made to develop new strategies to improve collaboration with educational leaders in MSK disorders to ensure that our undergraduate MSK education receives the appropriate attention and resources.