Susan Bukata, MD, has been named chair of the department of orthopedic surgery at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Health, according to a May 6 release.
Dr. Bukata is the fourth woman in the United States to lead a health system's orthopedic surgery department.
She previously worked at UCLA Health, where she served as an orthopedic surgeon, professor and vice chair of orthopedics clinical operations, among other positions.
Dr. Bukata said she chose UC San Diego Health in part because of the innovative research environment — she is internationally recognized for her work on bone fragility disorders.
She was elected to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Leadership Fellows Program in 2012 and received an American Orthopaedic Association Traveling Fellowship in 2018, the release said.