New Leadership

ROSEMONT, Ill. (March 15, 2021)—New Orleans orthopaedic surgeon Felix H. “Buddy” Savoie III, MD, FAAOS, was named first vice president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Board of Directors. His new role is the second in a four-year term of volunteer service that includes his serving as president of the Academy in 2022-23.

Felix H. “Buddy” Savoie III, MD, FAAOS Download Image

“It is both an honor and a privilege to serve the Academy in this leadership capacity,” said Dr. Savoie. “I am grateful for this opportunity and will continue to advocate on behalf of our members and for our patients–all with the end goal of delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.”

Dr. Savoie has been recognized as an integral member of virtually every respected organization relating to shoulder and elbow surgery, arthroscopy, and sports medicine. He has held numerous leadership positions and served as president for several organizations including the Arthroscopy Association of North America (2010), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (2016), Orthopaedic Learning Center (2016), and Louisiana Orthopaedic Association (2016).

In addition to building a successful clinical and surgical practice, Dr. Savoie has devoted his career to grow and advance the field of orthopaedics. In his volunteer role, Dr. Savoie currently serves as a member of the Education Council, Research and Quality Council, Committee Appointment Program Committee, and the Orthopaedic PAC. He has trained hundreds of medical students, residents and fellows, including a host of surgeons who visit from across the world to observe and rotate with him year-round. He has authored more than 1,000 publications and continues to develop new academic and clinical research using his own data, alongside other international innovators. He serves as a Board examiner for ABOS and has been a member of the Editorial Board and reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed journals including The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Journal of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery, Journal of Arthroscopy, Clinical Orthopaedics Related Research and American Journal of Sports Medicine.

A native of Paincourtville in southern Louisiana, Dr. Savoie is the oldest child in a family of nine. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Louisiana State University. He completed his internship and orthopaedic residency at University of Mississippi, then pursued additional specialty training through an A-O fellowship in Basel, Switzerland, Hand and Microvascular fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Mayo Clinic and Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy fellowship in Richmond, Va. He also obtained additional training in shoulder surgery with Dr. Richard Hawkins in London, Ontario, Canada. He is Board Certified by the ABOS, with a subspecialty certification in Sports Medicine.

In 2007, after spending years with a successful private practice in Mississippi, Dr. Savoie was recruited by Dr. Raoul Rodriguez, then Chairman of the Tulane Department of Orthopaedics, to rebuild the department and revive the medical community after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Savoie accepted the challenge, moved his family to New Orleans, and became Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics, Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine, and Director of the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine. In 2015, he was named Chairman, and now holds the Ray J. Haddad Professorship of Orthopaedics. A father of five, and grandfather of ten, he lives with his wife, Amy, in the uptown area of New Orleans.

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About the AAOS

With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. The AAOS is the trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal health. It provides the highest quality, most comprehensive education to help orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals at every career level best treat patients in their daily practices. The AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related musculoskeletal health care issues and it leads the health care discussion on advancing quality.

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