The Board of Specialty Societies (BOS) serves as a resource and advisory entity to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition, the BOS promotes unity and collaboration between the specialty societies and the AAOS.
Leadership
The BOS is led by four officers – secretary, chair-elect, chair, and past-chair. Each position is a one-year term. The secretary and chair-elect are elected each year by the BOS with the aid of its Nominating Committee. The chair is the immediate former chair-elect. The chair, chair-elect, and secretary serve on the AAOS Board of Directors.
Candidates must be BOS representatives. The BOS officers shall assume the BOS liaison responsibilities within the AAOS Councils and provide updates to the BOS routinely. They evaluate and report the success of the restructuring annually to the BOS member organizations and the AAOS Board of Directors. If necessary, they refine the structure and procedures. Leadership will also
form workgroups and project teams as needed.
Representatives
There shall be a minimum of two representatives and a maximum of three representatives appointed from each BOS member organization.
- At minimum, one society member, who is an AAOS Fellow or Associate, and the executive director shall be required representatives. The AAOS Fellow or Associate shall serve one three-year term and shall be eligible for one additional three-year term.
- The remaining one representative shall be an AAOS Fellow or Associate who shall be a society board member or liaison to the society’s board and shall serve one one-year term and shall be eligible for two additional one-year terms. The executive director will serve as a representative during his/her tenure as the society’s lead staff member.
Each organization may appoint up to two society members as BOS representatives for its slotted seats. The executive directors of the member organizations are also BOS representatives. The term for the executive directors is for the duration of their employment with the society.
The slotted seats are as follows:
- One representative (with ties to the society’s board)
- One representative
- Executive Director Representative
Meetings & Attendance
The BOS committees and roundtables meet throughout the year. The BOS meets during the AAOS Annual Meeting, the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference, and the Fall Meeting.
Major activities at these meetings include:
- Providing a forum for the facilitation of communications and collaboration among the member organizations and with the AAOS
- Exploring health policy, education, communications, research, membership, and governance issues and formulating specific recommendations for the consideration of the AAOS Board and other AAOS leadership bodies
- Providing recommendations regarding proposed advisory opinions, resolutions, and bylaws changes from the AAOS Fellowship
- Meeting with Congress and other federal officials to promote the interests of orthopaedic surgeons and their patients during the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference
- Creating and implementing educational programs for the enhancement of BOS members’ competence, as well as improving members’ practice environments and the delivery of patient care