Scott Duncan, M.D. New Head of Orthopedics at Boston Medical Center, BUSM

Scott Duncan, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. is the new chief of orthopedic surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and chair of the department of orthopedic surgery at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). Dr. Duncan’s most recent role was system chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at Ochsner Health System in New Orleans, Louisiana. He served as section head of hand and upper extremity surgery.

“Dr. Duncan is a true leader in his field, and has demonstrated a clear commitment to his patients, his research and to educating tomorrow’s physicians, ” said Kate Walsh, president and CEO of Boston Medical Center, in the January 6, 2015 news release. “He will be an integral member of the BMC team, and we are confident that his leadership and clinical skills will benefit both our patients and our staff.”

As indicated in the news release, Dr. Duncan is an international expert and thought leader in the areas of upper extremity trauma; revision carpal tunnel surgery; small joint arthroplasty; and reconstructive surgery of the wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder. He frequently presents at medical schools and conferences around the world on topics such as: shoulder arthroscopy, hand trauma, thumb injuries, and utilizing iPads and iPhones in an orthopedic surgery practice. Duncan has served as an international visiting professor of orthopedic surgery, most recently at the Medical College of Peru in Lima.

“Dr. Duncan will be a strong faculty leader, ” said Karen Antman, M.D., provost of BU Medical Campus and dean of Boston University School of Medicine. “He is an accomplished surgical investigator with many years of experience in academic administration and research. Orthopaedic surgery will continue to grow and thrive clinically and academically under his guidance.”

Dr. Duncan earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, then followed that up with his M.D. and M.P.H. at the University of Washington (UW) Schools of Medicine and Public Health. He holds an M.B.A. from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Campbell Clinic, University of Tennessee, and did a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery and microsurgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery at Cornell University Medical College.

Asked about how he will begin this new role, Dr. Duncan told OTW, “My first step is to really get to know and understand the people that I will be working with on a personal level. So much of life is really determined by the quality of the relationships, and the bridges that we can build amongst each other, especially when engaging coworkers in an ever changing healthcare environment. The next steps will be working collaboratively with administration, other departments, and my colleagues/partners, to continue to build upon the reputation of this already well respected academic orthopaedic surgery department, medical center, and school of medicine. It is an exciting time to be in healthcare. Both Boston and Massachusetts are leading the way, and I look forward to contributing anyway possible to the benefit of the patients that our institutions serve.”