2023 at AOSSM: By the Numbers

Your Professional Community

The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine remains the premier professional organization for surgeons and healthcare professionals dedicated to the care of athletes and active people of all ages and abilities. In 2023, the Society supported the field in that goal through the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, including initiatives to support a dynamic and diverse Foundational Community.

AOSSM Members lead in their practices, at their institutions and in their team settings across the country and around the globe. In 2023, the Society launched new benefits including a Find a Doctor platform to help patients connect with expert sports medicine surgeons in their area. This tool enhances the valuable benefits of your AOSSM membership:

• Discounts on elite in-person and virtual/on-demand CME education.
• Subscriptions to peer-reviews journals The American Journal of Sports Medicine and Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach.
• The AOSSM Member Directory to support growing your professional network.
• Access to all Society research and knowledge at your fingertips—including exclusive content from industry partners—with OnePlace, our AI-driven site search engine.
• Free access to SafeSport and the Collegiate Standard of Care Toolkit (also new in 2023!).
• Research grant opportunities only for AOSSM Members.

To support the development of important skills early in their careers, the AOSSM Early Career Engagement Committee hosts a series of free, informal webinars called Nightcaps, focused on hot topics in practice management and career planning. In 2023 they also worked with the Board and professional team to launch a new program, Boosting Orthopaedic Leadership Development (BOLD). The 18 “playmakers” met for the first time at the Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., and over 2 years will engage in formal leadership education and coaching, mentorship and a structured project to orient them to Society operations and governance.

No matter where you are in your career, your Society strives to support your continued learning and success and represent the whole of the sports medicine field. Learn more about who is part of your community and encourage your colleagues to join today.

Leader in Tailored Education

AOSSM continues to deliver education and professional development designed to advance the skills and careers of orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons. Meetings and courses are an excellent opportunity for the community to connect with each other, as well as obtain the latest research and techniques. Virtually, the Society offers a range of learning opportunities from CME webinars to the free Nightcap series designed for early-career surgeons.

Live education in 2023 kicked off with Youth to the NFL, a multidisciplinary two-day event in New Orleans exploring current solutions in the management of football athletes in a team sport setting.

In March, AOSSM partnered with International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Medicine (ISAKOS) for an outstanding Specialty Day at the AAOS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. The day included Kennedy Lecturer Darren L. Johnson, MD, widely considered one of the foremost knee surgeons in the US, and an international tribute to leaders Freddie H. Fu, MD, and Peter J. Fowler, MD.

The Annual Meeting took place July 13-16 in Washington, D.C. More than 2,000 Members, providers, industry professionals and guests came together in our nation’s capitol for the largest dedicated sports medicine event, featuring an all-new Biologics Symposium in partnership with AAOS, the inaugural Residents & Fellows Forum, and more than 260 expert faculty from across the globe.

In addition, AOSSM and ISAKOS delivered a sold-out surgical skills masters’ course, Osteotomies Around the Knee, in October at the OLC Education & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Surgeons from 17 countries on 5 continents experienced didactic and live-lab learning with an international faculty from both organizations.

Furthering the Field Through Research

Research (along with Education and Foundational Community) is a major pillar of the 2022-2027 AOSSM Strategic Plan. The society’s robust agenda invested over $700.000 in promising sports medicine research in 2023. Reporting showed grants received from AOSSM often act as anchor funding for future opportunities and results in a nearly 10x return on investment.

Highlights for 2023 included the award during the AAOS Annual Meeting of a $400,000 multicenter research grant to Jeffrey Nepple, MD, associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. His project, 'Optimizing Outcomes of Hip Surgery in Borderline Acetabular Dysplasia,' will utilize a multicenter prospective cohort study to enroll 700 patients undergoing surgical intervention across 30 surgeons. The Society also hosted a Research Workshop at the 2023 Annual Meeting with representatives from multiple federal and foundation funding agencies on types of grant mechanisms available, where to locate requests for proposals, and the topics of interest to funders.

Investing in the Future

In 2023, AOSSM continued its transformative financial journey with a Board-approved deficit budget plan. This approach was crafted with a multi-year investment mindset, aimed at modernizing the Society and aligning its workforce, resources, and infrastructure to support the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. This visionary strategy underscores a commitment to the organization's future competitiveness and success. Education stands out as a paramount focus, evidenced by the Society’s evolving model for a diverse range of adult learners to remain dynamic, responsive and relevant.

Additionally, the budget plan prioritizes support for early career members, providing resources, mentorship opportunities, and professional development programs to empower the next generation of sports medicine leaders. AOSSM fosters a vibrant and inclusive community that thrives on innovation and collaboration, ensuring a bright future for the Society and the field as a whole.

Thank You to Our Partners

AOSSM gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of our generous Corporate Partners and their commitment to advancements in the sports medicine profession and enhancements in patient care. The Society recognizes and values the role of foundations and industry support in ensuring the best possible patient care and outcomes for a healthy and active future.