Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Someday, buildings will be named for Joseph D. Zuckerman, M.D.

Every once in a long while, a leader emerges in orthopedics—which, this particular specialty, means someone whose core genius is the talent to lead in assists. Having Joe Zuckerman in the building, on the phone or scrubbing in, or teaming up with an engineering team to solve difficult clinical problems, means that everyone performs better, understands more, creates new standards of care or is simply uplifted.

Kevin Plancher’s Orthopaedic Summit-Evolving Technologies conference, gave Dr. Zuckerman its Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th annual Summit in Boston on September 20, 2023.

In their dedication to him, they pointed out that Joe is The Walter A. L. Thompson Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone Health and Surgeon-in-Chief of NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital.

His surgical specialty is shoulder arthroplasty and hip/knee reconstructions. However, over the course of his 39-year career, Joe Zuckerman became known more for his significant contributions and commitment to the field of orthopedics—from patient care, education, clinical research, mentorship, to industry innovation.

Dr. Zuckerman was president of the American Shoulder Elbow Society from 2003 to 2004, then president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons from 2009 to 2010. He has trained more than 400 residents and fellows, authored 600+ journal articles and book chapters, and has served as faculty in hundreds of orthopedic courses globally.

“In our 13th year of the Orthopaedic Summit, I couldn’t be prouder to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Joseph D. Zuckerman,” said Kevin Plancher, M.D., MPH, FAOA, FAAOS, Founder of the Orthopaedic Summit, Clinical Professor of Orthopaedics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

“Joe is an internationally acclaimed giant in the field of orthopaedics. He has mentored so many of us and made countless meaningful and revolutionary contributions in educating surgeons around the globe, changing too numerous to count patients’ lives. I couldn’t be more honored to have Dr. Zuckerman come to the stage in Boston today at the Orthopaedic Summit.”

“I am honored OSET chose to award me the Lifetime Achievement Award,” Zuckerman said. “From an early age, I knew I was destined for orthopaedics, and it has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people. I would like to thank my colleagues for their passion and sharing the same vision to advance the field of orthopaedics. I have been fortunate to be able to participate in the evolution of this field to ultimately improve patient care.”

Chiming in on behalf of industry was Exactech’s Vice President of Extremities Marketing, Emery Patton, who said, “Dr. Zuckerman’s extensive knowledge, leadership and professionalism exemplifies why he is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“He has contributed to the development of about 30 Exactech shoulder products over the past 20 years, including many first-to-market solutions, such as our platform humeral stem, augmented glenoids, Equinoxe Humeral Reconstruction Prosthesis and ExactechGPS shoulder navigation.”

“These innovations have helped surgeons improve thousands of patients’ lives. It has been an honor working alongside Dr. Zuckerman, and it is especially fitting to celebrate this achievement as we approach the 20th anniversary of the flagship Equinoxe^® Shoulder System.”