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2021 RUSH ORTHOPEDICS JOURNAL
Like other surgical specialties, orthopedics has long relied on hands- on learning to build trainees' clinical acumen and expertise. Yet one of the greatest lessons we've learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that in-person education isn't always the best approach. In fact, a hybrid model combining virtual and hands-on opportunities can make our orthopedic training and research more effective and efficient. During these extraordinary months, I have been deeply impressed by the resourcefulness of our faculty in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center - and the agility of our residents and fellows - in piloting these new learning approaches. Although we recognize that there is no substitute for hands-on training in many cases, we now have proof that expanding our traditional ways of thinking can be highly beneficial. This theme is echoed throughout our roundtable on page 26, in which three faculty discuss how they transitioned elements of our training for fellows and residents to a virtual platform. Now that we have witnessed the advantages of this hybrid approach, I can confidently say there's no going back. The pandemic has also taught us the value of taking a fresh look at our own continuing education and professional development. As our professional societies moved their seminars and conferences to online formats, we soon recognized the benefits of having platforms that could deliver the latest educational content more quickly and more broadly. The implications have been significant, allowing us to share knowledge faster and to a much wider audience. But perhaps the most valuable lesson that has come out of this experience has been more personal. For many of us, the temporary shutdown of elective surgery in the early months of the pandemic reminded us how much we appreciate the frequent opportunities we have to use our skills and expertise to help our patients. That brief time out of the OR was frustrating and helped us recognize the great privilege of providing patient care. For that lesson alone, I am grateful. Looking ahead, I am confident that orthopedic surgery training here at Rush will continue to evolve to meet the needs of our nation's ongoing challenges, including the pandemic. At the same time, we will remain committed to advancing our specialty by sharing new surgical and technological innovations as they happen. Once again, I would like to extend my gratitude to our faculty for their dedication, which helped us earn another Top 10 ranking by U.S. News & World Report as No. 6 in the nation for orthopedics. The pages that follow highlight just some of the important work that my talented colleagues have done during the past year while maintaining their unwavering focus on preparing orthopedic surgeons for the future. As always, I am honored to help shine a spotlight on some of their outstanding achievements. The William A. Hark, MD-Suzanne G. Swift Professor of Orthopedic Surgery Chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery Rush University Medical Center
Chair's Letter
Joshua J. Jacobs, MD
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