Health Policy Fellowship

AAHKS believes in the importance of engaging young, future leaders to assure they remain involved throughout their careers.
Advocacy
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What Health Policy Fellows are Saying

The HPF is a great way of networking with fellow AAHKS leaders and understanding the mission of the organization. It’s important exposure to the health policy issues that affect our patients and profession. – Juan C. Suarez, MD

The AAHKS Health Policy Fellowship was an incredible valuable program that changed the way I see and practice medicine. The fellowship gave me an insight not only into the challenges facing orthopedic surgeons today, but an added insight into the leadership workings of AAHKS itself. I am extremely honored to have been selected for the program. – Bradford S. Waddell, MD

The AAHKS health policy fellowship was the best professional experience I have had early in my practice. It is a great opportunity for younger arthroplasty surgeons to learn about advocacy and get more involved in our organization. I am grateful for the networking opportunities and the career mentorship from senior surgeons that the fellowship provides. What I learned through the two-year fellowship has also helped shape my interest in health policy research. We as surgeons should be leading the conversation on issues facing us and our patients. – P. Maxwell Courtney, MD

The health policy fellowship was an invaluable experience. I expanded my network during political retreats attended by giants in our field and was immersed in the detail and intricacies that are involved in forming policy. In addition, the HPF gave me the opportunity, in some small way, to contribute to the AAHKS mission and help our specialty continue to focus on providing value to our communities. – Vasili Karas, MD, MS

Throughout the past decade, there have been many developments in the laws and regulations affecting patient care reimbursement for hip and knee surgery. The legislative and regulatory bodies dealing with this area have undergone significant changes. The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) sees a pressing need to develop strategies in dealing with these changes, and to exercise influence over the law-making process. This involvement is necessary to maintain adequate compensation and reimbursement for services performed by hip and knee surgeons, as well as to insure the quality of services rendered.

AAHKS believes in the importance of engaging young, future leaders to assure they remain involved throughout their careers. The Health Policy Fellowship (HPF) provides you with an opportunity to get involved in the policy-making process and to help you become an effective advocate. The goal of this program is to provide you with the requisite exposure, training and skills to advocate the health policy efforts of AAHKS.

AAHKS Health Policy Fellowship Model

The Fellowship is a two-year program that provides exposure to the various legislative and regulatory bodies that impact our members’ ability to render healthcare services to their patients. This part-time model can be integrated into a full-time practice or training program.

Fellows are expected to:

  • Attend the AAHKS Legislative Retreats, AAOS National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference, AAHKS Board of Directors Meetings at AAHKS and AAOS Annual Meetings, and various Council/Committee meetings of the AAOS, AMA, BOS and AAHKS, as appropriate.
  • Participate in the AAHKS Advocacy Committee Conference Calls and attend other forums as deemed significant to the Mission of AAHKS.
  • Develop a topic for a presentation or publishable paper to be presented at the AAHKS Annual Meeting in the second year of the Fellowship.
  • Practice close communication with the designated mentor or chair of the Fellowship program.

Eligibility Requirements

  • The HPF is open to orthopaedic surgeons in the United States now entering or currently participating in a Joint/Adult Reconstruction Fellowship, or who have completed this fellowship and are within the first four years of their clinical practice of orthopaedic surgery.
  • Prior experience in areas of Health Policy or Health Care Economics is advantageous but not required.
  • Applicants should be eligible as Candidate or Fellow members in AAHKS and United States citizens.

Mentorship

AAHKS leadership has made an integral commitment to Health Policy Fellows that they will work closely with senior volunteer mentors who can provide technical expertise related to daily activities, assist in accessing AAHKS resources, and help identify the collaborative opportunities within AAHKS. The program encourages co-authorship of papers and articles with mentors as appropriate.

Pictured l. to r. – Brian P. Gladnick, MD, Sharon L. Walton, MD, U.S. Representative French Hill (R-AR 2nd Dist.), C. Lowry Barnes, MD and Nicholas B. Frisch, MD

Applications Open in August Each Year

Applicants must be AAHKS members. To be considered for the HPF, please email or post the requirements listed below to Joshua Kerr, Deputy Executive Director, at jkerr@aahks.org or 9400 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 230, Rosemont, IL 60018 no later than September 30:

  1. Cover Letter
  2. Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae
  3. Personal statement: In 500 words or less, tell us why you want to be a Fellow. Tell us what your health policy interests and strengths are and why you have interest and strength in these areas.
  4. Entering and current fellows should include a letter of support from the Director of their Adult Reconstruction Fellowship
  5. Actively practicing applicants should include two letters of support from AAHKS Fellow Members who have in-depth knowledge of the applicant’s practice and advocacy interest.

Current and Past Health Policy Fellows

2024-2025

Robert Burnett, MD

Brian P. Chalmers, MD

Ameer M. Elbuluk, MD

Carl L. Herndon, MD

Ramakanth R. Yakkanti, MD

2023-2024

Christopher F. Deans, MD

David E. DeMik, MD, PharmD

F. Johannes Plate, MD, PhD

Christopher D. Skeehan, MD, FAAOS

Meghan A. Whitmarsh-Brown, MD

2022-2023

Anna Cohen-Rosenblum, MD, MSc

Peter A. Gold, MD

Hayden L. Joseph, MD

Eli Kamara, MD

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

 

2021-2022

Jenna A. Bernstein, MD – HPF Report

Leonard T. Buller, MD – HPF Report

Charles P. Hannon, MD, MBA – HPF Report

Ugo N. Ihekweazu, MD

Beau J. Kildow, MD

2020-2021

Brian M. Culp, MD

Justin T. Deen, MD – HPF Report

Chad A. Krueger, MD – HPF Report

Sean S. Rajaee, MD, MS

Sharon L. Walton, MD, MS – HPF Report

2019-2020

John Andrawis, MD, MBA – HPF Report

Mo Halawi, MD – HPF Report

Joseph Kavolus, MD

2018-2019

Stephen M. Engstrom, MD – HPF Report

Vasili Karas, MD, MS – HPF Report

Linda Suleiman, MD

2017-2018

Nicholas B. Frisch, MD, MBA – HPF Report

Juan C. Suarez, MD – HPF Report

Brad S. Waddell, MD – HPF Report

2016-2017

Chancellor F. Gray, MD – HPF Report

Roshan Shah, MD, JD – HPF Report

2015-2016

P. Maxwell Courtney, MD – HPF Report

Alexander S. McLawhorn, MD, MBA

Adam A. Sassoon, MD, MS

2014-2015

Stephen T. Duncan, MD

2013-2014

Christine M. Pui, MD

Louis S. Stryker, MD

2012-2013

Adam J. Rana, MD

2011-2012

Atul F. Kamath, MD

2010-2011

Gregory E. Raab, MD

2009-2010

Neil P. Sheth, MD

2008-2009

Sanaz Hariri, MD

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