Many leaders in the orthopedic field have played an influential role in shaping how care is delivered.
Here are 10 power players in orthopedics:
Editor's note: Leaders are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
David Altchek, MD: Dr. Altchek is a sports medicine specialist and the founding medical director of Hospital for Special Surgery Florida in West Palm Beach. He is also medical director for the New York Mets and a medical consultant for the NBA.
James Andrews, MD: Dr. Andrews is a sports medicine surgeon, and he leads the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Fla. He is a former president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and is known for his work in advocating for injury prevention in youth sports as well as his work performing surgery on professional athletes.
Richard Berger, MD: Dr. Berger was the first physician to perform hip and knee replacements in an outpatient setting. In March 2021, he surpassed his 12,000th outpatient joint replacement. Dr. Berger works at Chicago-based Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and is an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center.
Brian Cole, MD: Dr. Cole is a prolific sports medicine specialist who has performed more than 20,000 surgeries. He was the 2020-21 president of the Arthroscopy Association of North America. His research has focused on cartilage restoration and regenerative medicine, and he has published more than 1,000 articles and lectured on more than 2,000 occasions.
Neal ElAttrache, MD: Dr. ElAttrache is a recognized leader in sports medicine and has operated on numerous athletes including Conor McGregor, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. He was inducted as the 47th president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine in 2018 and joined the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute's board of directors in 2020.
Daniel Guy, MD: Dr. Guy is the 2021-22 president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He's a Georgia-based orthopedic surgeon and was vice president of the organization.
Joshua Jacobs, MD: Dr. Jacobs is chair of the orthopedic department at Rush University Medical Center. He was a past president of the AAOS and specializes in hip and knee replacement. Dr. Jacobs has done extensive research on materials used for prosthetic devices.
Martha Murray, MD: Dr. Murray developed the Bear anterior cruciate ligament restoration implant. Multiple surgeons have started using the regenerative treatment, and the innovation earned her the 2022 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's Clinical Research Award.
Brendan Patterson, MD: Dr. Patterson is department chair of Cleveland Clinic's Orthopaedic & Rheumatologic Institute. He first joined Cleveland Clinic in 2017 and now oversees the 325-person Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. His areas of expertise are in limb salvage, complex fractures and adult reconstruction.
Marc Philippon, MD: Dr. Philippon is co-chair and co-director of the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colo. He joined the Steadman Clinic in 2005 and is known for his joint preservation techniques in arthroscopic surgery. He has treated nearly 1,000 professional and Olympic athletes and is a trustee with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation.