American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Celebrates 90 Years!

The first formally organized body representing orthopaedic surgery was the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA), established in 1887. This group met annually for fellowship and the advancement of orthopaedic surgery knowledge and science. In 1931, the AOA formed two committees which eventually changed the entire structure of the American orthopaedic community. The first committee was charged with establishing a permanent organization which would be more broadly based than the AOA and would not have the AOA’s membership restrictions. This was the beginning of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) which was founded in 1933. The second committee was formed to investigate the establishment of an orthopaedic specialty board.

Learn more about the history of ABOS

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