Valerae O. Lewis, MD, FAAOS, Named Chair of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Membership Council
SAN FRANCISCO (Feb. 14, 2024)—Texas orthopaedic oncology surgeon Valerae O. Lewis, MD, FAAOS, was appointed chair of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Membership Council. She will assume the position following the AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting this week in San Francisco.
Dr. Lewis’ career has been marked by “firsts.” She was the first African American woman to be awarded the MD Anderson Faculty Achievement Award in Patient Care. She was named the inaugural chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) in Houston after a national search in 2014, making her the first woman to chair an orthopaedic department at a freestanding cancer center, to chair an orthopaedic department in the University of Texas System, and the first African American woman to chair an orthopaedic surgery department. She maintains the position today.
Valerae O. Lewis, MD, FAAOS
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Dr. Lewis’ new role continues her commitment to the AAOS. Previously, she served as a member of the AAOS Board of Directors, Diversity Advisory Board, Resolutions Committee and the Committee on Ethics and Outside Interests. She also chaired the AAOSTumor Instructional Course Committee and the Musculoskeletal Oncology Content Committee for the AAOS Education Council. She is also an active member of numerous professional societies, including the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA), the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS), the International Society for Limb Salvage (ISOLS), and the Western Orthopaedic Association (WOA).
Her expertise is treating pediatric and adult patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas of the pelvis and extremities. In 2011, Dr. Lewis started the Multidisciplinary Pelvic Sarcoma Program at MD Anderson that addresses patients’ clinical needs and outcomes. Her research focuses on the gene functions tied to osteosarcoma and development of treatments that may interrupt this process. She is a reviewer on eight top-tier journals and has mentored and directed more than 250 medical students and fellows during her career.
Dr. Lewis attended Yale University and graduated with a degree in psychobiology. She then matriculated at Harvard Medical School, graduating with honors. She completed her orthopaedic training at the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program in Boston and her fellowship in musculoskeletal oncology at the University of Chicago.
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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 to 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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For more information, contact:
| Deanna Killackey | 847-384-4035 | 630-815-5195 | killackey@aaos.org |
| Lauren P. Riley | 847-384-4031 | 708-227-1773 | pearson@aaos.org |