For Immediate Release
March 04, 2026
American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Announces New President
Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA Takes Office
March 4 (New Orleans, LA) – Today, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) announces that Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA took office as the 2026-2027 President. Dr. Chen took office during the interim AAHKS Board of Directors meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. She becomes the youngest person and second woman to lead AAHKS in its 35-year history.
Currently, Dr. Chen is Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and she’s a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery with tenure holding the Charles F. Gregory Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery. Prior to joining UT Southwestern, she served as an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Chief of Arthroplasty and Joint Reconstruction at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She also held the Michael A. Bell Family Distinguished Chair in Healthcare Innovation.
Dr. Chen received her medical degree from Rutgers Medical School, where she graduated with Distinction in Research and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She earned her master’s degree in business administration at Rutgers Business School and was inducted in the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. She then completed her orthopaedic residency at the University of Pittsburgh where she won the Resident Research Day Award, followed by a fellowship in hip and knee arthroplasty at the Rothman Institute.
“I am deeply honored to serve as the next President of AAHKS, and to follow a long lineage of extraordinary leaders who have shaped the field of hip and knee arthroplasty. Standing on the shoulders of these giants, and serving as the second female President of AAHKS, is both humbling and meaningful to me. During my presidency, I hope to implement actionable initiatives that support the well-being of arthroplasty surgeons and address the growing challenge of burnout in our profession. I am also committed to advancing equity and opportunities within our field so that our organization reflects and best serves the diverse patients that we care for. Ultimately, my goal is to help AAHKS continue to lead in education, research, innovation, advocacy and collaboration to support AAHKS members, advance hip and knee arthroplasty, and improve patient care,” said Dr. Chen.
Dr. Chen has been an esteemed member of AAHKS since 2016, having served on the Membership, Finance, International and Women in Arthroplasty Committees, and as a Board Member-at-Large before being elected by the members to join the AAHKS Presidential Line. She also served as an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Arthroplasty, an Associate Editor for Arthroplasty Today and as the 2021 AAHKS Annual Meeting Program Chair. A prolific researcher, Dr. Chen has authored over 500 publications, 65 book chapters and four books.
About the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
Established in 1991, the mission of AAHKS is to be the definitive global authority on excellence in hip and knee care. AAHKS has a membership of over 5,500 surgeons and other hip and knee health care professionals.
Contact:
Kenneth Robinson, Communications Manager
KRobinson@AAHKS.org
