Friedrich Boettner, MD
Attending Surgeon
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, NY
Member Since: 2010
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
I have used academic educational material as the cornerstone of my professional education. As a foreign-trained orthopedic surgeon, I have significantly benefited from the quality of the materials as well as their online availability. This has allowed me to build the knowledge necessary to pass the board examination and successfully recertify.
As an Affiliate Orthopaedic Member, which AAOS resources do you use most and why?
I love the Self-Assessment exams. They are a great tool for getting up to date with current developments in the field.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
The best advice I received was from Richard Hawkins to " think outside the box to find solutions for unsolved problems". One of the reasons why I continue to love doing research and trying new techniques. There is little I do today the way I was trained 20 years ago.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
Start on time, finish on time. If you do not start your office hours on time you will drag the delay with you all day. Also, schedule a short break after the first 2-3 hours. Our job is not predictable, and it allows you to catch up if there is a delay.
What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
Use my morning drive to do one French lecture. Studying a language keeps my brain active as I am getting older.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I enjoy playing golf, and tennis and more recently started to play pickleball. Lots of fun!! I am also an avid sailor; the Long Island Sound is a great terrain for weekend sailing trips. In the winter I love skiing and travel with family and friends to ski the best slopes in the world.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
My kids made me into a Taylor Swift fan.