New Leadership

ROSEMONT, Ill. (March 15, 2021)––Orthopaedic surgeon Karen M. Sutton, MD, FAAOS, was named a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Board of Directors. She will serve the organization in the capacity of a member-at-large under 45 years of age.

Karen M. Sutton, MD, FAAOS Download Image

Dr. Sutton is an associate attending orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and a member of the Sports Medicine Institute and Women’s Sports Medicine Center at HSS. She is a sports medicine surgeon with surgical expertise in arthroscopy of the shoulder and knee. She is also chief medical officer for World Lacrosse, head team physician for US Lacrosse and team physician for U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

Dr. Sutton’s passion for sports medicine stems from her years playing lacrosse at Duke University where she was team captain for three years, Regional All-American, Academic All-American, and led her team to the NCAA Final Four^®. As head team physician of US Women’s Lacrosse, Dr. Sutton is responsible for providing care for national team athletes. She was elected to the Sports, Science and Safety Committee for US Lacrosse where she advises the Board of U.S. Lacrosse on injury prevention and management. She also served as team physician for Yale University Athletics, Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn., and the professional Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). During her fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine, she assisted in the orthopedic care of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins and the New England Revolution.

A national authority on sports injuries and prevention, Dr. Sutton has made substantial contributions to research. She has published over 50 publications and given over 100 presentations on topics from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to treating the female athlete to shoulder issues in breast cancer. Dr. Sutton is also an elected member of the American Orthopaedic Association, acknowledging scholarship in orthopedic surgery. She serves on multiple committees on the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine and is a reviewer of leading orthopedic journals, including The American Journal of Sports Medicine, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and The Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.

As an active member of the AAOS, Dr. Sutton served on the AAOS’ Diversity and Advisory Board, the Research and Quality Council, the Women’s Health Advisory Board, and as an AAOS social media ambassador.

Dr. Sutton began her academic career at Duke University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in biochemistry, graduating with distinction. She earned her medical degree at University of Maryland. She completed her orthopaedic surgery residency at Yale University School of Medicine followed by fellowships in sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine and pediatric sports medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine. She was an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Yale University.

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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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