TH E OHI O STAT E U N IVER S IT Y

DE PA RTME NT O F O RT H O PA EDICS

Advances in
Patient Care,
Research and
Education

2010 ACCOM P L IS H M EN TS R EP ORT

table of
contents
1 Welcome from Jason H. Calhoun, MD, FACS
3 Mission and Vision
4 The Orthopaedic Program at Ohio State
9 Clinical Highlights
16 Educational Programs
21 Orthopaedics Research
22 Orthopaedics Research Collaborations
24 Department of Orthopaedics
Dear Colleagues and Friends,

These are exciting times to be part of Orthopaedics at The Ohio State University Medical Center.
Things are changing, growing and moving fast, fueled by a shared vision for orthopaedic excellence
and a commitment from the leaders of our vast University and Medical Center to make it happen.
That commitment has been backed up with investments – and sizeable ones, too, in added faculty,
facility space and technology. In response, our talented teams have pushed boundaries, inspired
change and practiced medicine on the cutting edge in every area of orthopaedics.

The revolution is apparent in many ways. Our Orthopaedics staff has more than doubled from just
two years ago, significantly increasing our capacity to serve patients with all kinds of orthopaedic
needs. We have added all-new dedicated programs in six clinical specialty areas. Long a leader in
the orthopaedic specialties of trauma, sports medicine and oncology, Ohio State now advances
medicine in every area of orthopaedics, making ours the most comprehensive program in the region.
Dedicated new facility space, highlighted by the opening of the Hand and Upper Extremity Center
and the new CarePoint East clinic. Investments in advanced new technologies such as MAKOplasty®
have made where we practice as exciting as what and how we practice.

Also key to orthopaedic excellence is a commitment to groundbreaking research and education.

Both are bigger priorities than ever at Ohio State, and new staff and supports have been added to
build the outcomes of these programs. The results have been immediate and dramatic. This year,
the number of research papers published in orthopaedic peer-reviewed publications increased
five-fold over 2009. Funded research tripled in the same period. Our residents are benefiting from
an improved and expanded curriculum and more training opportunities and mentorships in every
specialty area.

We are pleased to share with you the exciting and rapid advancements that have been made this
year in orthopaedic treatment, research and education at Ohio State. We have a vision of becoming
one of the top 10 orthopaedic programs in the country in the next five years – and, I think you will
agree, we have the momentum to achieve it.

Thank you for your interest, and I hope you enjoy reading this first report of accomplishments for the
Department of Orthopaedics at Ohio State.

Sincerely,

Jason H. Calhoun, MD, FACS

Frank J. Kloenne Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery
Professor and Chair, Department of Orthopaedics

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Division leads including: (back row left to right) Jeffrey

Granger, MD, Thomas Ellis, MD, Andrew Glassman,
MD, Ian Alexander, MD and Julie Bishop, MD
(front row left to right) Laura Phieffer, MD, Joel
Mayerson, MD, Christopher Kaeding, MD and Erik
Monson, DPM

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M I SS ION A N D VISIO N
In the words of Steven G. Gabbe, MD, CEO of The Ohio State University Medical Center, Ohio State
is “dedicated to eminence” in medicine – and orthopaedics is a big part of that vision. These are not
empty words, but rather a commitment that is being backed up with significant investments.

Already, these investments are bearing fruit. In all key measures, orthopaedic programs at Ohio
State have improved – in patient care, research
and education. The most well-known measure
– the U.S.News & World Report annual hospital “What is remarkable about Ohio State’s
rankings – says it all: In 2010, Ohio State’s orthopaedics program is what is remarkable
orthopaedics program jumped 13 places to about Ohio State itself – scope.”
number 28 – up from 41 the year before.
Jason Calhoun, MD, FACS
Our goal is to become one of the top 10 Chair, Department of Orthopaedics
orthopaedic programs in the country within the
next five years. Ohio State is aggressively pursuing a strategy of growth and development in key
areas to achieve this goal. But, ultimately, what will get us there has everything to do with something
we already have: a breadth and depth of resources. “What is remarkable about Ohio State’s
orthopaedics program is what is remarkable about Ohio State itself – scope,” says Jason Calhoun,
MD, chair of the Department of Orthopaedics.

Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the country. We have a leading oncology program
in the Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove
Research Institute, a Level 1 trauma center and one of the best sports medicine programs in
the country. Orthopaedics faculty are the physicians for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State’s
Orthopaedics physicians and residents also have access to a busy children’s hospital, conducting
rotations at the nationally recognized Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

The scope of Ohio State’s resources is a major benefit to orthopaedic research and training
programs, too. Faculty and residents routinely collaborate with colleagues at the University’s leading
dental, veterinary, engineering and business schools. “Every one of these schools is conducting
research that they want to collaborate with us on,” Dr. Calhoun says. “The University is a leader in so
many different areas of academics – that influences our ability to conduct research, education and
patient care in so many ways.”

“Ohio State has all of the pieces it needs to be a top-tier orthopaedics program,” he says. “Now, it’s
about bringing all of those pieces together.”

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ORTHOPA E D IC S AT O H I O STATE
Growth was the hallmark of 2010 for Orthopaedics at Ohio State. In every way, it grew – in the
number of faculty, the number of patients served, funding for research studies, number of papers
published, class size of residents and the size and number of clinical divisions.

A banner year for faculty recruitment

OSU Medical Center leaders made a very deliberate effort to recruit the best physicians to become
division directors and faculty at Ohio State. It wasn’t a hard sell. Physicians want to be part of the
exciting potential and growth at the Medical Center, so they came on board en masse. In 2010,
the number of total Orthopaedics faculty increased to 41, up from 17 just two years earlier. These
physicians are leaders in their fields. They now lead dedicated service lines in 10 orthopaedic
specialty areas, of which eight are new: foot and
ankle, shoulder, hand and upper extremity, adult
reconstruction/total joint replacement, spine,
“Physicians from Neurosurgery and Spine,
hip arthroscopy, general and musculoskeletal
infection. The addition of talented surgeons to
Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, General Surgery and
the existing orthopaedic oncology and trauma Trauma, Pediatrics and Pediatric Orthopaedics – we all
divisions has significantly benefited the program work together often, and we work together well.”
as well. Jason Calhoun, MD, FACS
Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics
These physicians, researchers and educators
have transformed what was a small but advanced
and highly specialized orthopaedic practice into a fully comprehensive program serving patients with
every kind of orthopaedic need.

The Orthopaedics faculty at OSU Medical Center has served thousands of patients. Through
years of experience, these physicians have perfected the most advanced techniques. But it isn’t
just quantity that sets them apart – it’s the complexity of the cases they see, and their expertise in
designing the newest and most advanced techniques that are improving outcomes for patients.

“We can do everything from microsurgery to treatments for the most extensive infections and
injuries,” Dr. Calhoun says. “On any given day, we could have one surgeon conducting a 14-hour
pelvic osteosarcoma, a sports medicine physician treating the program’s 3,000th ACL, and a
surgeon at the Hand and Upper Extremity Center taking care of a patient with a crushed hand. We
routinely treat patients with the most complex issues.”

Right: O-H-I-O
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Working in close proximity with physicians
from the other specialty areas promotes
the collaborative approach to patient care
and research that is unique to Ohio State.
A multidisciplinary approach to treatment,
research and education isn’t just a tenet of the
program, it’s a daily reality.
“Physicians from Neurosurgery and Spine,
Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, General
Surgery and Trauma, Pediatrics and Pediatric
Orthopaedis – we all work together often,
and we work together well,” Dr. Calhoun says.
More robust educational programs
“Our faculty is excited and passionate about
teaching.” Dr. Calhoun says. “Education is as
core to what we do as taking care of patients
and conducting research.”
Along with the growth in faculty has come an
increase in the number of orthopaedic residents
and a more robust educational program. In
2005, the orthopaedic residency program at
Ohio State consisted of 20 residents, and many
ended up going elsewhere to conduct their
rotations because Ohio State did not employ
faculty in all areas of orthopaedics. All of that
changed in the past five years. In 2010, the total
number of residents increased to 37. A new
fellowship in hand surgery was added to the
previously existing fellowship in sports medicine,
and plans are in the works to add fellows to
almost every other division, as well.
This change has been led by two new residency
program directors: Joel Mayerson, MD, director
of Musculoskeletal Oncology, and Erik Monson,
DPM, director of Podiatry. Supported by new
assistant program directors Julie Bishop, MD,
Shoulder and Sports Medicine, and David
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Flanigan, MD, Sports Medicine, this team has
completely revamped the educational program,
bringing new vision, structure, guidelines and
learning opportunities to residents.
“Our faculty is excited and passionate
about teaching.”
Jason Calhoun, MD, FACS
Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics
As assistant director of resident research, Dr.
Flanigan has put a curriculum in place to get
residents the experience and support they
need to investigate, write and publish research
papers. This includes an assigned research
mentor for every resident. The clinical education
program includes a completely overhauled,
comprehensive curriculum. Dr. Bishop has
structured the program so residents have a
clear understanding of the expectations for their
clinical studies, access to a variety of learning
mediums and innovative means of getting the
hands-on learning they need. Faculty are closely
integrated into the program, ensuring residents
get personalized attention from the leaders in
each field.
Expansion of programs
and facility space
The University has invested heavily in the
Orthopaedics program over the past several
years, in salaries, technology and facilities. This
tangible sign of commitment was punctuated
in 2010 by the opening of the new Hand and
Upper Extremity Center, a designated Level
1 trauma center by the American College of
Surgeons. Uniquely designed to bring surgeons
and physicians from multiple specialties and
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fields together in a single setting, the state-of-
the-art facility delivers the highest standard
of orthopaedic care for both inpatients and
outpatients. The patient-centric design
promotes a small, community hospital-like
setting for patient comfort and convenience.
The Hand and Upper Extremity Center has
become a model for orthopaedic excellence at
Ohio State, and plans are underway to open a
similar center for Sports Medicine.
“We’re able to take care of every orthopaedic
problem – which we weren’t able to do three
years ago – but now we need to be able to do it
at a greater volume and in the kinds of facilities
that promote the highest standards of care,” Dr.
Calhoun shares.
A worthwhile investment
The Medical Center has made a heavy investment
in Orthopaedics over the past two years, and
already these investments are paying off. Revenue
measures are up across the board as a result of
dramatically increased patient visits and greater
practice efficiencies. In 2010, patient revenues
increased by 21 percent over fiscal year 2008.
Below: Grant Jones, MD.
Ohio State’s sports medicine
program offers a comprehensive
array of services including ACL
injury prevention, performance
arts medicine and concussion
services
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CL INICAL H IG H LIG H TS

Foot and Ankle and Podiatry

At The Ohio State University Medical Center, patient care, research and education are conducted
in a truly multidisciplinary manner. One of the best examples of how this approach is applied in
practice is at Ohio State’s Foot and Ankle Center.

At the Foot and Ankle Center, physicians from three different specialties – orthopaedics, infection
and podiatry – collaborate daily on a wide variety of foot and lower extremity conditions, including
complex issues resulting from diabetes,
infection, injury or persistent foot pain.
Residents in podiatry and orthopaedics conduct At The Ohio State University Medical Center,
rotations at the Center, where they are exposed
patient care, research and education is conducted in
to many different aspects of patient care.
a truly multidisciplinary manner.
“Sometimes, there can be animosity between
orthopaedic MDs and podiatry DPMs,” says Jason Calhoun, MD. “Our doctors work very well together,
all under one roof. This is the standard for patient care, education and research at Ohio State.”

Ohio State’s division of Foot and Ankle Surgery is one of several new orthopaedic service lines added
in just the past two years. Two new faculty members, Erik Monson, DPM, director, Podiatry, and Ian
Alexander, MD, director, Foot and Ankle Surgery, together run the new Foot and Ankle Center. The
Center’s physicians are frequently consulted by referring physicians who have tried, without success,
to relieve patient pain after foot surgery or prolonged treatment.

“Just because a patient has ongoing pain after foot surgery or treatment does not mean there
is no hope,” Dr. Alexander says. “We commonly treat and help patients who have been in this
predicament. But we’d rather see them earlier in the process so that earlier interventions can help
prevent more serious conditions.”

Right: Joel Mayerson, MD (pictured) and Thomas Scharschmidt, MD are the only
fellowship-trained physicians in central Ohio treating patients with sarcoma.
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Shoulder
With the 2005 arrival and 2010 appointment
of Julie Bishop, MD, as director of the division
of Shoulder Surgery, another new orthopaedic
service line at OSU Medical Center was born.
Dr. Bishop and Dr. Grant Jones, who are also
sports medicine specialists, are shaping new
standards for patient care in shoulder surgery
with her leadership in several clinical studies
They were recently joined by Dr. R. Bryan Butler,
a fellowship-trained surgeon who will focus
on treatments for shoulder and elbow injuries.
This recruitment will enable OSU to establish a
fellowship in shoulder surgery in the near future.
Hand and Upper Extremity
One of the best examples of Ohio State’s rapidly
emerging excellence in orthopaedics is the Hand
and Upper Extremity division. In the period
of just one year, the division has doubled in
faculty and more than quadrupled the number
of patients served with conditions ranging
from routine to extremely complex – including
severed hands and nerves, crush injuries,
arthritic fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome,
distal radioulnar conditions, joint replacement,
fractures, tendon lacerations, trigger finger,
thumb joint pain and dislocations.
Specialists from across the campus come
together at Ohio State’s dedicated facility, the
Hand and Upper Extremity Center, to collaborate
on patient treatment in a truly multidisciplinary
manner. A designated Level 1 trauma center by
the American College of Surgeons, the Hand and
Upper Extremity Center is uniquely designed to
provide multidisciplinary care in a single location
for patient convenience. The Center opened in
2010.
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Led by Michael Ruff, MD, the comprehensive
team of the Hand and Upper Extremity Center
includes physicians, surgeons and clinicians
associated with orthopaedic and plastic
surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation,
anesthesiology, sports medicine and outpatient
rehabilitation services. Surgeons are fellowship-
trained in hand and upper extremity surgery and
microsurgery.
Sports Medicine
OSU Medical Center has a long legacy of
excellence in sports medicine practice. Together
with their colleagues in family medicine, physical
medicine, rehabilitation, physical therapy,
athletic training, sports psychology and sports
nutrition, orthopaedic physicians comprise one
of the leading sports medicine treatment and
rehabilitation programs in the country.
The Sports Medicine division provides the
highest standard of patient care using the most
advanced surgical techniques, evidence-based
medicine and research available. The practice
continued its rapid growth in 2010, with more
than 11,500 patient visits, up more than 15
percent over the past three years. The division
also continues to attract major talent, including
the recent recruitment of Timothy Hewett, PhD,
director of research.
OSU Medical Center has a long legacy of excellence
in sports medicine, and orthopaedic surgeons play
leading roles in this comprehensive practice.
Sports Medicine physicians at Ohio State are
involved in many important research studies,
including the first National Institutes of Health-
funded, multi-center study of functional outcomes
following ACL reconstruction. Christopher
Kaeding, MD, co-director, Sports Medicine, is co-
investigator of this $1.3 million study.
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Adult Reconstruction/
Total Joint Replacement
Surgeons at Ohio State are making strides in the
advancement of adult reconstruction of joint
damage as part of the fully comprehensive Adult
Reconstruction and Total Joint Replacement
division. Directed by Andrew Glassman, MD,
the division receives referrals from all over the
region for patients in need of joint replacement
or reconstruction for severe osteoarthritis,
post-traumatic arthritis and avascular necrosis,
among other conditions.
The Adult Reconstruction and Total Joint
Replacement division has, literally, gone from
zero to 60 in no time flat. Two years ago, the
program did not exist; the university had no total
joint surgeons. Today there are three, including
Dr. Glassman, who has performed several
thousand hip replacements and several thousand
knee replacements, and Thomas Ellis, MD, who
has performed over 600 hip arthroscopies, more
than any other surgeon in Ohio.
The Adult Reconstruction and Total Joint
Replacement division does more than perform
surgeries; faculty also participate in the design of
major surgeries and approaches. Dr. Glassman,
who practiced with Charles Engh, MD, one of
the most prominent total joint replacement
surgeons in the world, has designed two total hip
prostheses and more than a dozen partial knee
replacements. Matt Beal, MD recently joined the
division after finishing an adult reconstruction
fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Surgeons also are perfecting an approach to
arthroscopic total joint replacement for morbidly
Right: The Ohio State
University is pleased to now
offer MAKOplasty® knee
replacement surgery–an
innovative treatment option for
people with early to mid-stage
osteoarthritis of the knee.
MAKOplasty® patients can
benefit from quicker recovery,
less impact on healthy bone
and tissue and a more natural
feeling knee after surgery.
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obese patients. “Our goal is to thoroughly three books and has received numerous awards
evaluate these patients who have a high rate of and grants, including most recently a $1.7 million
complications and help them become healthy Department of Defense grant on the study of
enough to have successful surgery,” says Dr. resistant organisms in terrorism.
Glassman.
What sets Ohio State’s program apart is its
Routine to the practice at Ohio State is the foundation in multidisciplinary instruction,
application of advanced techniques and research and treatment, which allows for
technologies, such as minimal incision greater collaboration among colleagues, not
arthroscopy for cartilage and joint repair and only from the Medical Center, but across the
robotics for partial joint replacement, which University campus, as well.
reduce recovery times to a few days, versus
several weeks.
Below: Matthew Beal, MD is part of OSU’s growing adult reconstruction program.
“Our program is multidisciplinary, which has
significant benefits for patients,” Dr. Glassman
says. “Many patients have comorbidities,
including systemic arthritis, lupus and
joint destruction due to renal failure or
immunosuppression. Patients are better cared
for in a setting with disciplines to address all of
those conditions.”

Musculoskeletal Infection
Ohio State is home to a specialized program
dedicated to the treatment of infections
that damage bone and surrounding tissues.
The Musculoskeletal Infection division is
led by Jason Calhoun, MD, chair of the
Department of Orthopaedics at Ohio State
and an internationally recognized expert in
the prevention and treatment of infection and
osteomyelitis research.

The Musculoskeletal Infection program is one of

only a handful of such programs in the country.
It is a field of study that has been a passion of
Dr. Calhoun’s for more than 30 years. He has
published more than 140 papers on the subject,

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“We’re working very closely with the Infectious
Disease Group, the Comprehensive Wound
Center and colleagues across the campus in
a truly multidisciplinary process,” Dr. Calhoun
says. “So what we have is all the different
aspects that are necessary for the research,
teaching and education of musculoskeletal
infections, right here together at Ohio State.”
Trauma
The orthopaedic surgeons at OSU Medical
Center’s Orthopaedic service are leaders in the
latest surgical options for patients with complex
fractures and post-traumatic conditions, as
well as chronic conditions such as shortened or
crooked legs from previous surgeries that are
anywhere from a few months to many years
old. Physicians from all over the country consult
with Ohio State surgeons on cases where
orthopaedic surgery has not been successful in
correcting these problems.
The Orthopaedic trauma division is an integral
part of the Level 1 multispecialty trauma services
at Ohio State. The trauma team provides
comprehensive 24-hour service specializing in
patients with multiple system injuries as well
as fractures of the long bones of the upper
and lower extremities and the pelvis and
acetabulum. The team also specializes in the
treatment of elderly patients for whom bone
fragility is a major cause of fractures.
Through its Fragility Fracture Program, the
orthopaedic specialists at Ohio State have
created specialized care protocols for patients
with fractures due to osteoporosis. Patients
receive priority evaluation and are moved to
the operating room expeditiously, lessening
risk of complications including pneumonia and
infections and ensuring early mobility post-
surgery to facilitate rehabilitation and recovery.
Involved in care are orthopaedic surgeons,
medical physicians, physical therapists,
physician assistants, occupational therapists,
nurses, nutritionists and case managers.
Routine to the practice at Ohio State is the
application of advanced techniques and
technologies, such as minimal incision arthroscopy
for cartilage and joint repair and robotics for
partial joint replacement, which reduce recovery
times to a few days, versus several weeks.
“Fragility fracture patients whose surgery is
expedited have decreased morbidity, decreased
mortality, shorter lengths of stay in the hospital
and an increased likelihood of returning to their
pre-injury status,” says Laura Phieffer, MD,
director, Orthopaedic Trauma. “Traditionally,
few fracture patients receive evaluation and
treatment of osteoporosis. Our program strives
to prevent future fractures, with comprehensive
patient education and discharge planning.”
Oncology
The Division of Musculoskeletal Oncology
stands at the forefront of research and patient
care in this rapidly changing field. Until last year,
Joel Mayerson, MD, director, Musculoskeletal
Oncology, was the only fellowship-trained
orthopaedic surgeon in central Ohio who
specialized in treating sarcomas. Now, the team
has grown to two, with the addition of Thomas
Scharschmidt, MD.
Drs. Mayerson and Scharschmidt are part of a
multidisciplinary team of medical oncologists,
radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons and
pathologists focused on early detection and
treatment of musculoskeletal oncology. Since
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primary bone cancers most commonly occur
in children and adolescents, the surgeons work
closely with Nationwide Children’s Hospital of
Columbus to ensure the best possible treatment
for young patients battling the disease. These
surgeons are leading advancements in the field;
for example, Dr. Mayerson has pioneered the
application of devices to keep up with pediatric
patients’ bone growth. By fitting a 10-year-old
boy with an expandable total femur prosthesis,
which lengthens without surgery as the bone
grows, Dr. Mayerson saved the child’s leg and
became the first surgeon in the U.S. to use the
device.
The most common form of bone sarcoma in
adults is chondrosarcoma, which usually occurs
after age 60. Ohio State’s orthopaedic oncology
surgeons are the only physicians in central Ohio
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who are experts in the management of this rare
disease, which is not responsive to radiation or
chemotherapy.
Spine
Spine is yet another division of the Department
of Orthopaedics at Ohio State that has
experienced dramatic growth. Two years ago,
there were no physicians at Ohio State who
specialized in surgery of the spine; today,
there are two: Ronald Wisneski, MD, who
leads the program and Ronald Lakatos, MD.
These surgeons collaborate routinely with their
colleagues in Neurological Surgery in the care of
patients with complex fractures or tumors.
“This is another area where it is very, very
unusual for surgeons in two different specialties
Left: Christopher Kaeding, MD
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– orthopaedics and neurosurgery – to work

together,” says Dr. Calhoun. “But sometimes,
patients need more than brain surgery or bone
surgery. Collaboration between these surgeons
means patients receive the most outstanding
care possible.”

Spine surgery at Ohio State includes traditional

and minimally invasive procedures for cervical, Below: Ajit Chaudhari, PhD, leads Ohio State’s biomechanics laboratory.
thoracic and lumbar spinal diseases, including
adult degenerative, inflammatory, congenital,
metabolic, neoplastic and traumatic spinal
disorders. Surgeons specialize in operative and
non-operative solutions including disectomy
and fusion, pharmaceutical therapy and
rehabilitation.

Spine surgeons at Ohio State exercise a

conservative approach to surgery. “Only about
five percent of patients who have back pain
need an interventional procedure,” says Ronald
Wisneski, MD, director of Spine. “Spine surgery
certainly is appropriate for conditions that
require reconstruction, but many conditions
benefit from less invasive treatment. When we
determine that a patient would benefit from
surgery, you can be assured we’ve evaluated
every possible alternative.”

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ED U CAT IO N A L P RO G RA MS

Advancing Education for the Future Leaders of the Field

With the growth of Orthopaedics at Ohio State, education has become a major focus and
priority. A newly designed and innovative curriculum is structured to significantly increased
faculty participation and now offers a host of
advanced learning opportunities unmatched
by orthopaedic education programs at other “We are doing some extremely novel things to
hospitals and medical centers. advance orthopaedic education. We are providing
residents with a depth and breadth of educational
“We are doing some extremely novel things
opportunities immediately at their disposal.
to advance orthopaedic education,” says Joel
Mayerson, MD, program director of orthopaedic Joel Mayerson, MD
residency. “We are providing residents with a Director, Muskuloskeletal Oncology
and Orthopaedic Residency Program
depth and breadth of educational opportunities
immediately at their disposal, which has taken a
lot of the burden of instruction off of them. It has been a major undertaking, which has been possible
only because of the institutional support we have received to create this program.”

The transformation of the Orthopaedics education program has been led by Dr. Mayerson and his
team of assistant program directors: Julie Bishop, MD, Shoulder and Sports Medicine, who designed
and is implementing the clinical education curriculum, and David Flanigan, MD, Sports Medicine,
who designed and implemented the orthopaedic research education protocol. Dr. Flanigan also
directs the new OSU Cartilage Restoration Program which is one of only a few such programs in
the country.

Training in All Orthopaedic Subspecialties

The new orthopaedic curriculum includes clinical training in each of the 10 subspecialties available
at Ohio State. Few other hospitals or academic programs offer formal education in so many
orthopaedic subspecialties, including the rarer ones like oncology and musculoskeletal infection. The
pediatrics rotation is a collaborative effort with Nationwide Children’s Hospital. All this is a big part
of Ohio State’s appeal.

“This specialized training is very important,” Dr. Mayerson says. “Every doctor who performs surgery
is going to need to understand how to manage infections. Every general orthopaedic physician is
going to experience patients with tumors – they need to know how to refer them appropriately.”

Right: Alan Litsky, MD, ScD, BioMaterials laboratory

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In each subspecialty, residents receive instruction
on 12 topics related to that area. The orthopaedic
education team identifies the corresponding
peer-reviewed articles and work with faculty on
lecture materials. Lectures are regularly attended
by faculty – often as many as 30 at a time.
“Medical students and residents are very
excited about the renewed educational
commitment of our faculty,” says Julia Panzo,
orthopaedics residency program manager.
“Residents are getting more interaction with
faculty than ever before – quality interaction – so
they really look forward to attending lectures
and conferences.”
Innovating Basic Training: The
Objective Structured Clinical
Examination
There are many innovative components to Ohio
State’s orthopaedics curriculum, one of which
is the Objective Structured Clinical Examination
(OSCE) program. This course, used in many
medical fields to teach students how to conduct
proper patient histories and physicals, has not
been widely incorporated into orthopaedics
curricula. It was introduced in the Ohio State
orthopaedics education program last year, with
great success.
The course places residents in real-life situations
with professional actors trained as patients with
a variety of common orthopaedic problems,
including orthopaedic trauma, spine, shoulder
and knee problems. The sessions are conducted
in OSU’s Clinical Skills Laboratory – a high-tech
training center with “real” patient examination
rooms and reception areas connected to
observation rooms where faculty and students
view and record the interactions.
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T H E O H I O S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y M E D I C A L C E N T E R
The actors, who are experienced in OSCE
“performances” in many medical specialties,
come with realistic-looking moulage “injuries”
and are trained by Dr. Bishop in their condition
and how to behave with the resident. The
residents are tested on the questions they
ask, physical exam skills, maneuvers and
interpersonal skills with the patients.
“With the pressure on attending physicians,
there isn’t always time for them to observe
residents conducting patient exams. Programs
like this are incredibly important.”
To encourage greater participation and learning,
students are now divided into four “stations,” where
an attending physician teaches five to six residents
on a different part of the anatomy with specific
learning objectives for each group.
Currently, Dr. Bishop and her team are
conducting a survey of orthopaedics programs
across the country to understand how others
provide core competency training.
More Interactive Instruction
in Anatomy
Another area of innovation in orthopaedic
education at Ohio State has been in the
instruction of musculoskeletal anatomy.
To encourage greater participation and learning,
students are now divided into four “stations,”
where an attending physician teaches five to
six residents on a different part of the anatomy
with specific learning objectives for each
group. The result is a much more interactive
experience. “Residents are completely involved
and participating, so they prepare more and the
learning is much greater,” Dr. Bishop says.
O R T H O PA E D I C S A CCO M P L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T
New Dedicated Lab Space for
Arthroscopic Training
Ohio State recently received a grant to
instruct students in arthroscopy in a dedicated
laboratory. The grant has allowed students to
learn how to conduct arthroscopic procedures
with advanced and basic knee, shoulder and hip
problems, instructed by attending physicians in
each subspecialty.
Expansion of Training in Core
Competencies
There is growing awareness of the importance
of more structured resident training in
orthopaedics. Last year, Ohio State received
the honor of being awarded a grant from the
American Orthopaedic Association to continue
and expand its innovative core competency
program. Orthopaedic residents at Ohio State
were involved in identifying and submitting the
grant for the program.
A new lecture series was established by Mike
O’Brien, administrator for the department, on
business and management topics. The series
focuses on financial management and resources
as well as coding and compliance. The entire
Orthopaedic faculty at Ohio State has jumped
on board to help make the curriculum a success.
“The culture of residency education in
orthopaedics is changing,” Dr. Bishop says.
“We’ve put a lot of emphasis on it, so the entire
department has pitched in. They see that it really
is making a difference.”
Last year, Ohio State received
the honor of being awarded
a grant from the American
Orthopaedic Association
to continue and expand its
innovative core competency
program.
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Building a Foundation for
Advanced Research
Another essential component of the orthopaedic
curriculum at Ohio State is research. Drs.
Mayerson and Flanigan have restructured the
approach to instructing residents in research
best practices.
There is an entire course on research education
covering how to read a research paper, write an
Internal Review Board application, execute the
study, write the manuscript and submit it for
publication.
“Having access to faculty from all of the different
schools at Ohio State allows residents to do
research in many different fields of study. That
is an amazing opportunity,” Dr. Mayerson says.
“The amount of effort we have gone through
to make sure we’re providing our students with
so many opportunities to learn, and so many
resources and support to be successful, is what
makes this curriculum superior.”
Below: University Hospital East, a key site for OSU orthopaedic services

Residents have two systematic reviews during

the residency – one in which they work together
with another resident to review an article on
a specific topic, and another in which they
create their own manuscript. Junior residents
are paired with senior residents, and each is
assigned a faculty mentor – one clinical and one
from the basic sciences – with whom they meet
periodically to ensure they are keeping up with
their goals. There also are progress reports along
the way.

Due to the University’s size and leadership

in many different academic fields – not
only medicine – residents have unlimited
opportunities for research. They have
unparalleled access to faculty and resources,
including busy hospitals in oncology, trauma and
pediatrics, and top-notch research programs
in veterinary medicine, engineering and many
other fields.

Already, this emphasis on resident research has

yielded results, with residents publishing at least
half of the more than 100 articles by orthopaedic
faculty last year.

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O R T H O PA E D I C S A CCO M P L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T

O RT HOPA ED IC R E SEA RC H
One of the most important facets of an academic medical program is its commitment to research
that translates into improvements in patient outcomes. As The Ohio State University Medical
Center’s Department of Orthopaedics expands its clinical services, it has also experienced rapid
growth in its research programs, particularly when measured by sponsored funding and scholarly
publications.

“Becoming a top program means serving more patients, not just in the clinic and operating room,
but in the laboratory and in collaboration with other specialists to find improvements in delivering
care,” explains Jason Calhoun, MD, chair of the Department of Orthopaedics. “We see research as
an integral part of our efforts to improve our patients’ lives by solving real-world problems, not as
something separate from our daily work with
patients.”
Established research programs in oncology, sports
This approach is demonstrated by the medicine and trauma have expanded, and the
acceleration of research programs over the Department has grown to add investigations in areas
past two years. Since fiscal year 2008, the such as musculoskeletal infection, joint replacement,
Department’s sponsored research funding has
hand surgery and spine surgery. In many cases,
grown from $218,488 to $1.2 million annually.
The Department has added a grants specialist,
collaboration with specialists from veterinary
Lisa Durham, PhD, to work with faculty in medicine, family medicine, engineering and other
identifying opportunities for funding and OSU Medical Center departments is key to the
preparing applications. program’s success.
“Many of our longtime faculty have significant experience in conducting research programs, which
means not only coming up with a plan for how to improve care, but in developing a proposal, finding
funding, managing the work and reporting the results,” says Dr. Durham. “But as we grow, newer
faculty and residents can really take advantage of the resources offered by Ohio State to create a
research program that leads to long-term professional achievements. That’s what we are aiming to
accomplish.”

Established research programs in oncology, sports medicine and trauma have expanded, and the
Department has grown to add investigations in areas such as musculoskeletal infection, joint
replacement, hand surgery and spine surgery. In many cases, collaboration with specialists from
veterinary medicine, family medicine, engineering and other OSU Medical Center departments is
key to the program’s success.

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ORTHOPA E D IC R E SEA RC H COL L A B ORATI ON S

• The OSU Movement Analysis and Performance (MAP) Program is co-directed by Ajit Chaudhari, PhD, and Laura
Schmitt, PT, PhD. Housed in a 4,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art laboratory adjacent to the Martha Morehouse
Medical Plaza, this program focuses on biomechanics, functional motion assessment and rehabilitation.
Investigators simulate real-life environments such as a pitching mound and running track to study how the body
moves during athletic activity, and how to treat and prevent injuries to joints caused by motion.

• Orthopaedic researchers also work closely with veterinary colleagues at the Orthopaedic Molecular Medicine
Suite and Applied Research Laboratory, directed by Alicia Bertone, DVM, PhD. A multidisciplinary team
investigates musculoskeletal biology and molecular medical therapies that are associated with musculoskeletal
disease in both animals and humans. The laboratory primarily focuses on healing articular cartilage, accelerating
bone repair, genetic markers of orthopaedic diseases, and medications for joint disease and gene therapy.

• The Orthopaedics Ergonomic Laboratory, directed by Steven Lavender, PhD, studies how the body responds
to real-world working conditions and creates biomechanical models to provide information on how joints react
during exertion. Researchers work to improve our understanding of the risks human joints are exposed to during
work and to quantify risk factors for injury.

• The Orthopaedic BioMaterials Laboratory, under the direction of Alan Litsky, MD, ScD, is a multifunctional
materials testing facility where a variety of basic and applied biomaterials research is conducted, including
static, fatigue and viscoelastic materials evaluation; implant stability testing; bone and ligament strength
determinations; and fracture fixation rigidity testing. Projects include the development and evaluation of
reduced-modulus bone cement, quantification of the mechanical degradation of bioabsorbable implants and
implant micromotion measurements.

Other large-scale research efforts involve
collaboration with industry and military experts.
Jason Calhoun, MD, and co-investigator Li-
Yan Yin, MD, are completing the third year of
a four-year, $1.7-million project sponsored by
the U.S. Department of Defense to determine
which antibiotic or combination of antibiotics
is best suited to treat extremity infections from
blast wounds, a major source of morbidity
and mortality among U.S. soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
“Back in 2003, we began to hear from military
physicians about the problems wounded soldiers
were facing from persistent infections with
unexpected patterns of resistance,” shares
Dr. Calhoun. “A number of orthopaedic and
infection specialists from around the country
have put their heads together and worked with
the U.S. military to find ways to respond to this
problem rapidly, and I believe we are making a
difference. I’m proud to be part of it.”

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O R T H O PA E D I C S A CCO M P L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T
The Department of Defense grant is one of
the first of many expected federally sponsored
orthopaedic research programs at Ohio State.
Efforts are currently focused on gaining National
Institutes of Health funding.
“Traditionally, orthopaedic research has been
funded largely by industry, private foundations
or the investigators themselves,” Dr. Calhoun
says. “That’s not the problem; that’s part of
the solution. But a bigger part of the solution
is in broadening our horizons and looking at
some of the big challenges facing American
medicine, such as hospital-acquired infections,
rehabilitation, antibiotic resistance and limb
regeneration, to name a few. Orthopaedic
specialists can play a major role in creating
advances in those areas, particularly in
collaboration with the kinds of experts one finds
at a large research university.”
A further measure of the Department’s success
is its expanding presence in published academic
research. Typically, the faculty would produce
about 25 to 30 peer-reviewed manuscripts a
year. One of Dr. Calhoun’s goals is to increase
that dramatically by placing a greater emphasis
on not only producing but also reporting the
results of research. He recruited an experienced
medical editor, Maurice Manring, PhD, to
lead efforts for increased productivity in peer-
reviewed journals.
“You can put a lot of work into a very good
idea, but ultimately, if you don’t publish, it’s not
going to be known, discussed or make much
of a difference,” says Dr. Manring. “Our faculty
are dedicated, talented and have good ideas. In
many cases, the only thing keeping them from
seeing their work published is the process of
polishing the work, preparing it for submission,
responding to reviews, making revisions and
proofing it. We work to make sure those things
are done correctly and expeditiously.”
So far, that work has roughly tripled the number
of peer-reviewed manuscripts produced by
“It is gratifying to see these results, and I take them
as an indicator that we are on the right track. We’ve
been able to build on a solid foundation of existing
programs as well. But when I look at the people who
have joined us over just the past year, and talk with
them about what they’re planning and working on,
I’m confident that we not only can sustain this level
of growth but greatly expand upon it.”
Jason Calhoun, MD, FACS
Chair, Department of Orthopaedics
Orthopaedics. In 2010 the Department had
more than 100 manuscripts published or
accepted for publication.
“It is gratifying to see these results, and I take
them as an indicator that we are on the right
track,” Dr. Calhoun says. “We’ve been able to
build on a solid foundation of existing programs
as well. But when I look at the people who have
joined us over just the past year, and talk with
them about what they’re planning and working
on, I’m confident that we not only can sustain
this level of growth but greatly expand upon it.”
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DEPARTM EN T O F O RT H OPA E D I C S
The Department of Orthopaedics at The Ohio State University Medical Center is dedicated to providing both innovative
services for patients with musculoskeletal disorders and superior education for future orthopaedic surgeons. We serve
hospitals and clinics across the region. Our surgeons are fellowship-trained.

Adult Reconstruction/Total Joint

We perform hip and knee surgeries at University Hospital East and University Hospital. Many difficult cases are referred
to us by other surgeons, including revision surgeries and co-morbidities. Our total joint service division is staffed by
physicians Andrew Glassman, MD, director of the Total Joint and Adult Reconstruction Center; Matthew Beal, MD, and
Thomas Ellis, MD, who directs the hip preservation service.

Andrew Glassman Matthew Beal Thomas Ellis

Trauma
Our orthopaedic trauma team is a key service at many central Ohio hospitals and serves patients from across the region.
Laura Phieffer, MD, directs our orthopaedic trauma program. She is joined by Michael Quackenbush, DO, and Corey Van
Hoff, MD. Other department specialists also are called upon to evaluate and treat emergencies and help heal traumatic
orthopaedic injuries.

Laura Phieffer Michael Corey Van Hoff

Quackenbush

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O R T H O PA E D I C S A CCO M P L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T

General
Jeffrey Granger, MD, John Roberts, MD, and John Sharkey, MD, cover a wide array of common problems within the
musculoskeletal system, and can help determine if patients need referral to one of our subspecialists.

Jeffrey Granger John Roberts John Sharkey

Oncology
Our oncology physicians serve patients from across the region at the Comprehensive Cancer Center- James Cancer
Hospital and Solove Research Institute and also Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Joel Mayerson, MD, directs orthopaedic
oncology and works with Thomas Scharschmidt, MD, as well as a multidisciplinary team of medical oncologists, radiation
oncologists, plastic surgeons and pathologists focused on early detection and treatment of cancer.

Joel Mayerson Thomas

Scharschmidt

Shoulder
Our shoulder specialists treat common upper extremity joint problems such as fractures and damage to soft tissue. We
also perform joint replacements. Julie Bishop, MD, is director of our shoulder division. She is joined by Grant Jones, MD
and R. Bryan Butler, MD.

Julie Bishop Grant Jones R. Bryan Butler

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 T H E O H I O S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y M E D I C A L C E N T E R

Infection
Jason Calhoun, MD, Chair, Department of Orthopaedics, works alongside internal medicine infection specialist Meredith
Deutscher, MD, and surgeon Jeffrey Granger, MD, to prevent and treat musculoskeletal infections. They often consult with
specialists in other areas to address the most challenging cases. They perform research to develop new antibiotics and
methods aimed at preventing orthopaedic infection.

Jason Calhoun Meredith Jeffrey Granger

Chair, Department Deutscher
of Orthopaedics

Sports Medicine
Our physicians provide care for The Ohio State University Buckeyes athletic teams as well as for area colleges, high
schools and other organizations. We are a full-service sports medicine department, with certified athletic trainers, and
provide services in areas such as radiology, casting and pharmacy. We also work closely with specialists in other medical
departments, such as family medicine and rehabilitation. OSU Sports Medicine’s orthopaedics are led by Christopher
Kaeding, MD, the co-director of Sports Medicine for OSU. He is joined by specialists David Flanigan, MD; Julie Bishop,
MD; Grant Jones, MD; Thomas Ellis, MD; Robert Najarian, MD, and John Sharkey, MD.

Christopher Julie Bishop Thomas Ellis David Flanigan Grant Jones

Kaeding

Robert Najarian John Sharkey

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O R T H O PA E D I C S A CCO M P L I S H M E N T S R E P O R T

Hand and Upper Extremity

Our Hand Center team is led by Michael Ruff, MD. He is joined by Hisham Awan, MD; R. Bryan Butler, MD;
Dick Coleman, MD; plastic surgeon Brian Janz, MD; and Ryan Klinefelter, MD.

Michael Ruff Hisham Awan R. Bryan Butler Dick Coleman Brian Janz

Ryan Klinefelter

Spine
Our physicians specialize in operative and nonoperative solutions, including disectomy and fusion, pharmaceutical therapy
and rehabilitation. The division is led by Ronald Wisneski, MD. He is joined by Ronald Lakatos, MD.

Ronald Wisneski Ronald Lakatos

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Foot and Ankle

Ian Alexander, MD, directs this service, which treats deformity, arthritis and painful soft tissue conditions of the foot and
ankle as well as problems associated with diabetes. Jason Calhoun, MD, leads our infectious service and also serves as
chairman of the department. He is an internationally recognized expert and researcher in orthopaedic infections and in the
use of external fixation devices to treat fractures and other injuries to the lower extremities. They are joined by podiatrists
Said Atway, DPM; Alan Block, DPM, MS; and Erik Monson, DPM.

Ian Alexander Erik Monson Said Atway Alan Block Jason Calhoun

Research
The Department of Orthopaedics conducts both clinical and basic science research focused on prevention and treatment of
musculoskeletal injuries and infections. Our programs include investigations into new antibiotics, new implants designed to
facilitate healing, treatments for osteoarthritis, biomechanical testing, and many others.

Ajit Chaudhari Lisa Durham Timothy Hewett M.M. Manring Li-Yan Yin

Alicia Bertone Steve Lavender Alan Litsky Robert Siston

28
donate
today
Dear Friend of OSU Orthopaedics:

Our vision is to become one of the top 10 orthopaedic programs, which requires a strong
endowment. Any financial support to help develop OSU Orthopaedics is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Jason H. Calhoun

Featured funds include:

301839 Ortho Residents Fund
309177 Ortho Library
311899 MSKS Book Fund
310925 Ortho Special Initiative
302456 Ortho Develop-Research
313649 Musculoskeletal Infections
313648 Foot and Ankle Research
313388 Hand and Upper Extremity
303412 Ortho Joint Replacement
313647 Hip Preservation
310715 Ortho Sarcoma Research
311930 Ortho Spine
312728 Ortho Trauma Research & Education Fund
313446 Shoulder Research & Education
313470 Cartilage Restoration
307966 Sports Medicine
313399 Sports Medicine Athletic Injuries
312409 Sports Biomechanics Research
312843 Orthopaedic Ergonomic Research

To give to one of the featured funds listed above, use the enclosed envelope or visit giveto.osu.edu. For more information,
please call the OSU Medical Center Department of Development at 614-293-3752.
1492 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43025
614-293-BONE
800-861-8081
osu.orthopaedics@osumc.edu
ortho.osu.edu

© 2011 The Ohio State University Medical Center UHES20100069