Julie B. Samora, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAOS, named chair of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Board of Specialty Societies
NEW ORLEANS (March 4, 2026)—Ohio-based pediatric hand surgeon Julie B. Samora, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAOS, has been named chair of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Board of Specialty Societies (BOS). Dr. Samora brings nationally recognized expertise in pediatric upper extremity surgery, healthcare quality improvement and organizational leadership to the role. She will assume the position following the AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Julie B. Samora, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAOS
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Dr. Samora has held numerous leadership roles within AAOS, including secretary and chair-elect of the BOS, chair of the AAOS Healthcare Safety and Patient Safety Committees, and member of the Committees on Evidence-Based Quality and Value, Communications, and BOS Nominating Committee. She has also served on the joint Board of Councilors / Board of Specialty Societies committees, including the Bylaws and Professionalism Committee. In her BOS leadership role, she also serves on the AAOS Board of Directors.
In addition to her AAOS service, Dr. Samora is a founding member of Pride Ortho and has served as president of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS) and member-at-large of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA). Her national society leadership includes committee service with the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons (ABJS) and the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS), where she currently serves as an oral examiner.
An accomplished researcher and educator, Dr. Samora has authored more than 160 peer-reviewed manuscripts and co-edited the Springer textbook Quality Improvement and Patient Safety in Orthopaedics. Her scholarly work focuses on advancing evidence-based care, healthcare quality and safety, and equity and inclusion in orthopaedic surgery.
Dr. Samora earned her medical degree, a doctorate in cellular and integrative physiology, a master’s degree in public administration with a specialization in public health and a master’s degree in public health from West Virginia University School of Medicine. She completed her orthopaedic surgery residency at The Ohio State University and a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery at Harvard University. She currently serves as chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Akron Children’s Hospital.
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About AAOS
With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. 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. AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments, and related musculoskeletal healthcare issues; and it leads the healthcare discussion on advancing quality.
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For more information, contact:
| Nicole Winston-Ramirez | 847-384-4162 | winston-ramirez@aaos.org |
| Deanna Killackey | 847-384-4035 | killackey@aaos.org |