July 12, 2023

Dear AAOS Colleagues,

It is with profound sadness that we find ourselves coming to terms with another senseless act of violence and unbearable loss in our orthopaedic community. As details have emerged, we have learned of the fatal shooting yesterday of Benjamin M. Mauck, MD, FAAOS, an orthopaedic surgeon and AAOS Fellow from the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Tenn.

We offer our heartfelt condolences to the Mauck Family, patients, Campbell Clinic staff and the entire Collierville community during this difficult time of sadness and pain. Dr. Mauck was a dedicated physician, colleague, and valued member of our orthopaedic organization. His commitment to healing and devotion to the well-being of his patients touched countless lives, and his death leaves an irreplaceable void.

A physician’s office should be a safe haven for physicians, health care teams and patients, and we need to do all that we can to further prevent these tragedies now and in the future. We will continue our effort to address workplace safety and ensure our practices and health care facilities remain places of comfort, healing and learning.

Workplace violence in health care settings must be addressed through changes in policy and practice. AAOS will continue our advocacy efforts towards passing critical legislation like the SAVE Act which aims to protect healthcare employees from assault and intimidation.

As the trusted leaders in advancing musculoskeletal health, we stand with our members and our communities as we grieve over this terrible tragedy.

Sincerely,

Kevin J. Bozic, MD, MBA, FAAOS
AAOS President