American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons names Elisha “Eli” T. Powell IV, MD, FAAOS, to Board of Directors
NEW ORLEANS (March 4, 2026)—Alaska orthopaedic surgeon Elisha “Eli” T. Powell IV, MD, FAAOS, has been named a member-at-large of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Board of Directors. He will assume the role following the AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Elisha “Eli” T. Powell IV, MD, FAAOS
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Dr. Powell has been deeply involved in AAOS leadership, serving as Alaska’s Board of Councilors representative for the last six years. In his BOC role, he also chaired the BOC Advocacy Resource Committee. He also served on the Data Safety Monitoring Board for the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium (METRC) since its inception.
A distinguished veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Powell was chief of orthopaedics at the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as head team physician and chief of sports medicine for the Academy’s NCAA Division I athletics program. He later deployed to Iraq, where he commanded the largest hospital in the region and received the Bronze Star. In addition, he served as president of the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) and completed his military career as hospital commander at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, AK, where the hospital was twice selected as the best in the Air Force.
Dr. Powell has held leadership roles in organized medicine, including as president of the Alaska State Medical Association and chief of the medical staff at Providence Alaska Medical Center. He has authored numerous publications in orthopaedic literature and has served as a physician for the U.S. Men’s National Alpine Ski Team. In 2017, he received the J. Leland Sosman Award for outstanding medical coverage and service to the U.S. Ski Team.
Dr. Powell specializes in sports medicine, with decades of experience caring for professional, collegiate and recreational athletes. He is president of Orthopedic Physicians Alaska, the largest provider of musculoskeletal care in the state. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Dr. Powell earned his medical degree from the University of Florida and completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Washington.
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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 |