Three orthopedic surgeons were honored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the organization announced Sept. 2.
Dave Atkin, MD, received the 2021 Humanitarian Award. He has spent more than 25 years working to serve underserved communities. He's director of Operation Rainbow, which provides free orthopedic surgery for indigent children and young adults. Dr. Atkin has led more than 60 surgical missions and helped create 25 arthroscopy centers in host nations.
Joseph Zuckerman, MD, received the 2021 William W. Tipton Jr., MD, Leadership Award. Dr. Zuckerman is chair of orthopedic surgery at New York University Langone Health in New York City and oversees almost 200 surgeons. The department achieved national prominence and a top-10 ranking in National Institutes of Health funding for basic orthopaedic research under his leadership.
Lisa Lattanza, MD, received the 2021 Diversity Award. She co-founded The Perry Initiative, which encourages women to explore careers in orthopedic surgery and engineering. The annual programs have reached more than 14,000 young women, and more than 25 percent of medical students who participate choose to go into orthopedics.