The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) is an orthopaedic organization.
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Founded at Northwestern University in 1933, the AAOS has grown to include over 36,000 members.[1] The group provides education and practice management services for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals. The AAOS also lobbies and works on public education. The AAOS describes itself as "the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists."[2]
In 1997, the AAOS Board of Directors founded the The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which engages in health policy and advocacy activities on behalf of musculoskeletal patients and the orthopaedic surgeons. The AAOS publishes the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.[3]
The AAOS annual meeting is among the largest medical meetings in the nation with attendance exceeding 30,000.[4] The most recent meeting was held Feb. 15-19, 2011 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.[5] Next year's meeting is scheduled for February 5-9, 2012 in San Francisco, California.[6]
The AAOS has advocated for state and federal tort reform on medical malpractice suits.[7] In 2006 the AAOS joined five other American medical groups[note 1] in endorsing a document called "Principles for Reform of the U.S. Health Care System"; part of the document's preamble stated "Health care coverage for all is needed to facilitate access to quality health care, which will in turn improve the individual and collective health of society."[8]
The AAOS gave its support to the Washington Legal Foundation for a petition challenging an Institute of Medicine report which was expected to call for tougher safety regulations on medical devices. The AAOS was concerned that Institute of Medicine panel did not include a practicing surgeon.[9]