Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital;
Thornhill Family Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
It is a distinct pleasure to welcome you to our Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). I was honored in 2015 to be named the new Chairman of the Department following the footsteps of some giants in the field, Dr. Clement Sledge (1970-1995) and Dr. Thomas Thornhill (1996-2015).
Orthopaedic Surgery at BWH has a rich history of excellence in clinical care, basic research, education, and many novel innovations in orthopaedic care have been developed in all of the sub-specialties. As the new Chair, I hope to continue this great tradition of excellence and also bring new energy to the Department in order to raise the bar in every aspect of clinical orthopaedic surgery as well as in translational research and education.
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery continues to grow and expand its network to provide the highest quality clinical care for our patients and their families. Our outstanding orthopaedic surgeons and physicians who are all faculty of the Harvard Medical School and specialize in all facets of musculoskeletal care can provide state-of-the-art clinical expertise for our simple to our most complex patients. Our Department boasts of nationally - and internationally - prominent surgeons in all areas of specialty care. These include the Divisions of Joint Replacement, Spine Surgery, Cartilage Repair, Foot and Ankle, Hand and Upper Extremity, Orthopaedic Oncology, Trauma, Podiatry, Shoulder Surgery, Sports Medicine, and Women’s Sports Medicine. Our faculty can provide clinical expertise in every musculoskeletal disorder that a patient may have.
Major innovations that advance the art of medicine must be based on solid basic science research in order to help future patients. One of our Department’s core missions is to conduct novel research which can truly advance orthopaedic science. Our talented clinicians have partnered with our basic science researchers in regenerative medicine and bioengineering to engage in collaborative translational research which is geared towards rapid clinical applications. In addition, our Clinical Research program in orthopaedic outcomes is considered a national leader in the field.
As the Chair, I am very proud of the spectrum of musculoskeletal research activities that are ongoing here at BWH. In particular, with the opening of our new Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, there will truly be a collaborative environment between many subspecialties to engage in innovative translational research to help patients afflicted with various musculoskeletal disorders. An inspirational example highlighting the success of such collaborations at the BTM is the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation that was inspired by the Boston marathon bombing tragedy and is now a major foundation that spearheads musculoskeletal trauma research.
As the final core mission of our Department, we are dedicated to educating the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons as well as teaching the musculoskeletal sciences to the residents and medical students associated with Harvard Medical School. We are intimately involved in the training of 60 Orthopaedic residents in the Combined Harvard Orthopaedic Residency Program (HCORP) as well as having world class fellowships in all of our sub-specialties. Our program attracts the brightest students, residents, and fellows in the country who in turn provide great orthopaedic care where ever they ultimately practice. They are our proud legacies.
Since my appointment as Department Chair in 2015, my goal has been to foster an atmosphere of teamwork in all avenues of clinical care as well as in research and education. The strength of working together to achieve a common quality outcome is a powerful theme for both our Department and our institution. I hope that our visitors, whether you are a patient or family member needing orthopaedic care, or you are visiting us as students and scholars, will take notice of our Department’s commitment to excellence and a palpable energy level of compassion and enthusiasm. Should you have any concerns or simply want to reach out, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Sincerely,
James D. Kang, MD
Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Thornhill Family Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
For over a century, a leader in patient care, medical education and research, with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery.
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