Joseph Buckwalter, IV, M.D., professor of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and the Arthur Steindler Chair of Orthopaedics at the University of Iowa, has been named the 2021 winner of the Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedics Award by the American Orthopaedic Association.
Joseph Buckwalter, IV, M.D. Wins Orthopaedics Award
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Dr. Buckwalter has received a College of Medicine Teacher of the Year Award, has served as Head of the Department for 14 years and senior editor of the Journal of Orthopaedic Research (JOR) for more than 25 years.
The former chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Council on Research, Dr. Buckwalter has also served as President of the Orthopaedic Research Society, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the American Orthopaedic Association. His research has been recognized with the Kappa Delta Award, the Cabaud Award for Research in Sports Medicine, the American Orthopaedic Association Award for Distinguished Achievement in Orthopaedic Research, the Orthopaedic Research Society and American Orthopaedic Association Alfred Shands Award for Research, the Orthopaedic Research Society-Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Distinguished Investigator Award, the Orthopaedic Research Society Fellow Award, the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Basic Science Award, the University of Iowa Inventor Award and the University of Iowa College of Medicine Impact Scholar Award.
“I am deeply honored by the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Distinguished Contributions to Orthopedics Award,” said Dr. Buckwalter to OTW. “More valuable than recognition, this award gave me the opportunity to honor the opportunities I’ve had and the support that made my contributions possible; and, to thank the organizations and people who gave me those opportunities.”
“Among the experiences sponsored by the AOA that contributed to my success are the ABC traveling fellowship, the International Visiting Professorship at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Center in Oxford and service as an officer of the AOA. Work with the Orthopaedic Research Society, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons gave me a better understanding of what Orthopaedic Surgeons participating in these organizations can do to better serve our patients.”
Reflecting on Those Who Guided Him
“For more than four decades it has been my good fortune to be part of the Iowa orthopedics department; a department that since its founding by Arthur Steindler in 1913 has emphasized and valued excellence in patient care, teaching and research, as well efforts to advance and strengthen orthopaedics nationally and internationally; departmental commitments and values that continue under the leadership of Larry Marsh.”
“In addition to current and past faculty and residents, my Iowa mentors and sources of inspiration include Ignacio Ponseti, who taught me to value and enjoy basic research, Adrian Flatt who stressed the importance of functional anatomy and biomechanics and Mike Bonfiglio who gave me a lifelong interest in orthopaedic pathophysiology.”
“Over many years orthopedic leaders from other institutions gave me thoughtful advice and frequent encouragement: Larry Rosenberg, taught me the techniques of connective tissue biochemistry research, Henry Mankin, stimulated my interest in articular cartilage biology, and Bill Enneking, gave me invaluable experience in oncologic surgery and continually promoted my career. Most important, the person who more than anyone has made my accomplishments possible is my constant, steadfast companion and advisor, unflagging supporter, and dearest and best friend: my wife, Kitty.”
OTW asked Dr. Buckwalter about his tenure as editor of the Journal of Orthopaedic Research and how that influenced his teaching. He said, “My time as editor of the JOR made me a more thoughtful teacher. It gave me invaluable experience in critically evaluating the credibility and importance of research reports; and required that I learn the spectrum of musculoskeletal research topics and techniques.”
“I had to acquire at least a modest level of skill in determining if the conclusions of an article were supported by sound methods, data and data analysis. This was especially challenging when I was faced with conflicting opinions from expert reviewers.”
“Seeing the advances in understanding of the musculoskeletal system in the more than 25 years I served as an editor helped me to better understand the impact of research on how and what we teach. This experience made me better able to help students and residents understand how to carefully evaluate and thoughtfully question and enjoy discussing what they read and what they are taught. It led me to stress that some if not much of what they learn in medical school and residency will be proven inadequate or incorrect during their careers. Therefore, knowing how to assess what they are doing in practice and reports of the outcomes of current treatments and new diagnostic techniques and treatments will make them better clinicians.”
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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