Page 5 - SMU_Summer 2019 Issue 2_Web

People such as former AOSSM Board
member Rick Wilkerson, DO, recognized
with the 2018 AAOS Humanitarian Award
for his years of courageous yet humble
volunteer service in places like war torn
Afghanistan and Pakistan to earthquake-
devastated Haiti, to underserved areas
at home in Iowa with the mission of
“cultivating the future of children in need
worldwide.” Or past AOSSM President
Clarence Shields, MD, and his wife,
Barbara, who founded and work tirelessly
to administer Team Heal which provides
athletic training staff and physician
coverage to underserved schools in South
Central Los Angeles, touching the lives
of over 30,000 student athletes since the
early 1990s. Members like our former
AOSSM COD Chair, Chris Kaeding, MD,
who led the work with other members and
lobbyists to achieve passage of the Clarity
Act through Congress, which legally
permits our team physicians to provide
care of their players when they travel out Their thoughtful contributions refuel beyond the challenges that rush us
of state. These are shining examples of and refresh the value of our society, and through our day-to-day lives allows us
how our members are making a difference ultimately, improve the quality of life to recognize how much of a difference we
through medicine, but examples are for orthopaedic patients everywhere. truly can make in this world; to understand
everywhere in our membership at AOSSM. This generosity of spirit extends equally and be grateful for just how much we
Just take the time to look around, we have to AOSSM annual giving campaigns. have. Personally, I am grateful to have
many types of medical champions. Generous contributions from individual the privilege of being a physician, I feel
members total nearly $100,000 a year and honored that people trust me with their
Our Values in Action
are channeled directly to promising new care and I want to continue growing as
There are many ways that AOSSM research efforts. As outlined in the 2018 a physician to deserve this trust. I am also
members can leverage their active AOSSM Research Annual Report, AOSSM privileged to be among a community of
participation in the Society to make grants and awards embrace a carefully physicians as fine as those in our AOSSM
significant differences in the lives of other planned agenda that addresses exciting and honored to have served as AOSSM
members, the success and integrity of opportunities ranging from the science of President for this past year. I thank you
the community, and the advancement acellular bioactive dynamic nanofibrous all for your support and I look forward
of the practice of sports medicine. Every scaffolds and effects of bone marrow to continuing to work with you to keep
year, hundreds of AOSSM members concentrate on intra-articular tissue to more and more people in the game of life.
share their talent by authoring papers the art of improving patient-reported
for our journals, making presentations outcomes data.
at our conferences, serving as mentors It’s said that a generous heart is a
and role models for our next generation grateful heart. Feelings of compassion,
of leaders, and investing brainpower in humanity, and sense of appreciation
our many committees and initiatives. awaken when we give back. Reaching Neal ElAttrache, MD

Summer 2019, Issue 2 | sportsmed.org 3 