ROSEMONT, IL--(Marketwire - August 5, 2009) -
Charles L. Saltzman, MD, was installed as
President of the
American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society
(AOFAS) at the Society's 25th Annual Summer Meeting in Vancouver,
Canada on July 17, 2009. In this position he also serves on the Board of
Directors of the
Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Outreach & Education Fund
(OEF).
Charles L. Saltzman, MD, Salt Lake City, Utah is Chair of the Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Utah. A graduate of Brown
University, Providence, Rhode Island, Dr. Saltzman received his medical
degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He did his
internship and completed residency training at the University of Michigan
in orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Saltzman completed a fellowship in Foot and
Ankle Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale with Kenneth A. Johnson, MD.
He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Dr. Saltzman spent 14 years at the University of Iowa where he was
Professor in three departments (Orthopaedic Surgery, Bioengineering, and
Physical Rehabilitation). He has served on the faculty for many AOFAS
education courses and programs and has served in many professional
associations including the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is
the current treasurer of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. He has
been a principal investigator on several major OREF and NIH grants. Dr.
Saltzman serves as a reviewer on several other journals, including the
Journal of Biomechanics, Journal of American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons, Spine, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Clinical Orthopaedics
and Related Research and the Journal of Orthopaedic Research. He is the
co-author of Surgery of the Foot and Ankle, considered the standard for
textbooks in this field. At the 2009 AOFAS Annual Summer Meeting, he was
the presenting author of the 2009 Roger A. Mann Award for Outstanding
Clinical Paper.
In his Presidential Address, Dr. Saltzman spoke of his hopes for the
Society in the coming years. "I learned that in life -- including work life
-- culture trumps strategy. The Iowa departmental culture, set by Arthur
Steindler and Ignacio Ponseti to value questioning, learning, mentoring,
educating, sharing insights and findings and improving organizational
societies, resonated with my upbringing and training. I am convinced that
this approach is fundamental to ensure the future of our field and to
continuously improve patient outcomes."
He continued with his goals for AOFAS members as they work with their
patients, "I call on you to avail yourself of the opportunities to serve
your home community and your professional community, the AOFAS. In your
home communities try to continue to help those less fortunate. Although we
in the United States have outstanding medical opportunities, those
opportunities are not available to all... What this means is that all
patients should have access to needed medical treatments for our personal
practices to uphold the full ethical underpinnings of our medical mission.
In the nation that has enjoyed unparalleled prosperity in the last fifty
years, this remains the major failing of our medical system.
"I know changing this is difficult. I know there are many practical reasons
why medical justice is hard to achieve. I submit to you again, that with
the privilege of being a physician comes the responsibility to ensure that
all four principles are followed, and that medical justice is distributed
to all. I ask you to consider this when you go home to work in your
communities. I would like you to ask yourself and your partners and your
hospital, what can we do to serve all those who need care? How can we make
the system more responsive to all patient needs? How can I help ensure the
ethical principle of justice is applied in my home community?"
To learn more about AOFAS or to locate an AOFAS surgeon in your area,
please visit its Web site at
www.aofas.org
About AOFAS
The AOFAS promotes quality, ethical and cost-effective patient care through
education, research and training of orthopaedic surgeons and other health
care providers. It creates public awareness for the prevention and
treatment of foot and ankle disorders, provides leadership, and serves as a
resource for government, industry and the national and international health
care community.
About Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons are medical doctors (MD and DO) who
specialize in the diagnosis, care, and treatment of patients with disorders
of the musculoskeletal system of the foot and ankle. This includes the
bones, joints, ligaments, muscles tendons, nerves, and skin. Orthopaedic
foot and ankle surgeons use medical, physical, and rehabilitative methods
as well as surgery to treat patients of all ages. They perform
reconstructive procedures, treat sports injuries, and manage and treat
trauma of the foot and ankle.
Orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons work with physicians of many other
specialties, including internal medicine, pediatrics, vascular surgery,
endocrinology, radiology, anesthesiology, and others. Medical school
curriculum and post-graduate training provides the solid clinical
background necessary to recognize medical problems, admit patients to a
hospital when necessary, and contribute significantly to the coordination
of care appropriate for each patient.
-- Education
-- AOFAS members have the following credentials:
-- Completed four years of medical school. The curriculum covers basic
and clinical sciences, surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, family
medicine and all other medical specialties.
-- Completed five years of accredited graduate medical education
(residency training) in orthopaedic surgery.
-- Many orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons also complete advanced
fellowship training in foot and ankle surgery.
-- Satisfactory completion of the national medical licensing examination.
-- Continuing medical education credits over a specific time period.
-- Board certification: Certified by or eligible for examination and
certification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery or the American
Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery.
-- Each member must hold membership in the American Academy of
Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
When selecting a medical provider to care for your feet and ankles, be sure
to ask him/her about:
-- Medical school education
-- Accredited residency training
-- Areas of practice specialization
-- Experience in your prescribed treatment (surgical and/or non-surgical)
To view this release in a media-rich format, go to:
http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2009/aofas90804/index.html
Contact Information: Contact:
Judy Datz
Communications Manager
847-384-4379