Becker's has reported on seven orthopedic surgeons and leaders who have retired from their posts or announced retirement plans since late last year.
While the average physician retires in their mid to late 60s, burnout could be forcing some surgeons out even sooner. Factors including low reimbursement rates, regulatory burdens and boredom are driving orthopedic surgeons out early.
The seven orthopedic surgeons and leaders stepping down in 2024:
1. James Andrews, MD, a sports medicine specialist who treated athletes including Michael Jordan, Troy Aikman, Jack Nicklaus and Hulk Hogan, retired in January at the age of 81.
2. Glen Crawford, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and trauma and fracture care specialist at Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Portsmouth, N.H., retired in January. Dr. Crawford volunteered treating musculoskeletal patients in Haiti, Vietnam, South Africa, Bhutan and Tanzania.
3. Sports medicine surgeon Michael Stuart, MD, retired from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic after 35 years. He first joined Mayo Clinic in 1988 for an orthopedic surgery residency. He was the team physician for USA Hockey for six Olympic Games, served on the International Ice Hockey Federation medical committee and was a second medical opinion physician for the NHL Players Association.
4. Anthony Melonakos, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with ProMedica Physicians Orthopaedic Surgery in Monroe, Mich., retired at the end of 2023. He first started practicing in Monroe in 1982 and performed more than 12,000 procedures.
5. COO Michael H. Boblitz, the first and only administrative leader at Charlottesville-based University of Virginia Health System Orthopedics, retired at the end of 2023 after 47 years.
6. Orthopedic medtech company Enovis' president and COO, Brady Shirley, plans to retire in 2024.
7. James Andrews, MD, Auburn (Ala.) University football's orthopedic surgeon and medical director, retired from his role at the end of the 2023 college football season.