IDEA Grant in Action: SOMOS Scholarship Program Expands Access to Unparalleled Education

Since its inception in 2022, the AAOS Inspiring Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Grant Program^® has served as a key pillar of AAOS’ commitment to supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts in orthopaedics. Designed to help address institutional inertia toward a lack of diversity in the field, the program delivers concrete financial support to groups doing important grassroots work to bring new perspectives into the OR and beyond.

One such organization, the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS), is helping underrepresented groups in orthopaedics access the finest medical facilities and training opportunities in the country. Having received an IDEA Grant in 2023, SOMOS has utilized its award to support the E. Anthony Rankin Scholarship Program. Bearing the name of pioneering military surgeon E. Anthony Rankin, MD, FAAOS, who notably served as the first Black president of AAOS in 2008, the scholarship offers medical students the chance to gain “exposure to orthopaedic surgery in the military setting and all of the subspecialties within the specialty.”

“Our goal with this scholarship was to join the movement to strengthen the orthopaedic surgery community,” said Marvin Dingle, MD, co-chair of SOMOS’ Diversity Committee. “Our mantra has been to find and support the next Dr. Tony Rankin: a compassionate leader in orthopaedic surgery who has dedicated his life to his country and his community.”

In concrete terms, this support takes the form of invaluable, hands-on training experiences at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, or the Naval Medical Center San Diego. Both prestigious institutions are widely recognized for their commitment to excellence and innovation and, as such, have provided world-class education to students who have taken part in their respective programs. These students have gone on to model this excellence as their own careers progress.

“In just 3 years, we have been fortunate to have supported 27 medical students, chosen from nearly 300 highly talented applicants,” Dr. Dingle said. “Four of these students are currently in orthopaedic surgery residency—a 100 percent match rate. Not only have our scholars already contributed to the orthopaedic surgery community, they have had a lasting impact on the many military surgeons who had the honor of working with them.”

While situated in a military context, the scholarship program offers diverse opportunities across the field of orthopaedics. As the program overview states, “The Orthopaedic Surgery Department at Walter Reed has at least one fellowship-trained attending in every subspecialty: total joint reconstruction, trauma, spine, foot/ankle, hand/microsurgery, sports, shoulder/elbow, oncology, pediatrics.” These programs offer awardees an immersive opportunity to experience the fullest breadth of orthopaedic care in the military setting.

Through this program, SOMOS is taking critical action to address a long-standing lack of access and opportunity for minority groups in the orthopaedic field. Last year, 10 such students were given the chance to take part in these premier programs. Of that cohort, one matched into orthopaedics, and two others have applied to orthopaedic residency programs. By inspiring students from marginalized groups to pursue careers in orthopaedics, the E. Anthony Rankin Scholarship Program has real-world impact that is clear to see.

Unburdened by the financial impact of such prestigious training opportunities, students from underrepresented groups who are awarded by SOMOS are also able to gain unique insights into the peerless commitment to excellence required of military surgeons. As the “global authority in military, veteran, austere, and expeditionary musculoskeletal care,” SOMOS’ inclusion efforts are ushering in a new class of military surgeons who reflect the vibrant diversity of the armed forces and the country as a whole.

AAOS is honored to play a role in making the E. Anthony Rankin Scholarship possible through the IDEA Grant Program. Funding from the program directly benefits initiatives such as this one, which focus on extending access to orthopaedic training and education to underrepresented groups.

“I have had the unique privilege to participate in the approval process for both the AAOS IDEA Grants and the E. Anthony Rankin Scholarships for the past two years,” said Jaime L. Bellamy, DO, FAAOS, FAOA, who acts as both a SOMOS liaison and a member of the AAOS Diversity Advisory Board. “The AAOS IDEA Grant Program supports a diverse pathway of individuals who choose orthopaedics as a profession. These grants provide opportunities that have not previously existed, allowing underrepresented minorities to get ahead. Providing funding for programs like the E. Rankin Scholarship fosters the development of a diverse workforce in orthopaedic surgery.”

Funding from Stryker, a global leader in medical technology, has helped extend the reach of the IDEA Grant Program. With this funding, programs nationwide that are making strides to address gaps in gender, culture, and ethnicity in orthopaedics have increased access to opportunities for groups who are underrepresented in the specialty.

To learn more about the program and other recipients, visit aaos.org/IDEA.

Tanner Chaille is a member of the Marketing, Communications, and Membership team at AAOS and the marketing liaison for the IDEA Grant Program.