Dipak B Ramkumar, MD
Orthopaedic Oncological Surgeon
Lahey Clinic, Burlington, MA and Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
I first joined the AAOS as a medical student and formalized my membership once I started residency. I have been fortunate to take part in many different AAOS programs throughout my career thus far, including the AAOS Resident Arthroplasty Course, the AAOS Clinician Scientist Development Program, the AAOS/OREF Grant Writing Workshop, the AAOS Board Review course, contribution to the ROCK, amongst others. I have also had the pleasure of working with the AAOS statistical core and statisticians/methodologists through the course of residency, fellowship, and practice, in the development of multiple clinical practice guidelines. More recently, the AAOS Career Center and career workshops at the Academy meetings were instrumental in helping me decide my desired practice type and aid with networking opportunities and to help find a position in orthopaedic oncology. The academy has been integral in facilitating my desire to pursue a career as a clinician scientist, and will continue to be a valuable resource as I mature in both my practice and career.
As a Candidate Member, which AAOS resources do you use the most and why?
I am a big fan of the AAOS Orthopaedic Video Theater, which showcases many of the latest techniques in my subspecialty. Also, the AAOS Learning Portfolio and educational resources have been extremely useful. My most favorite benefit of all however has been the included subscription to the JAAOS, which is often my go-to resource to look for secondary sources and review articles on various orthopaedic pathologies.
What’s the best advice you were given? Who was it from?
I had a long-time medical school mentor of mine, a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, who told me about the 3 As of an early career surgeon - be available, affable, and able! I have taken this advice to heart as I started a new oncology service line at my institution, and it has opened multiple doors and allowed my practice to quickly expand!
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
Making lists and concrete times on when I can reasonably get things done. I try to create internal deadlines for myself and commit to them. Further, I try and break down larger projects into accomplishable tasks that should take no more than 30-45 minutes at a time. Doing so has really helped me get things done!
What’s one thing you are currently trying to make a habit?
In an effort to educate the future generation of orthopaedic residents, I am trying to take a 5-minute “education pause” prior to the start of every surgical case, to go through the indications, approach, surgical plan, potential complications, and potential concerns, with the resident assisting me. I expect the residents to come to the cases prepared with their own pre-operative plan, and taking this short pause has been helpful in identifying potential knowledge gaps as well as rationale for a particular approach to a complex surgical problem. The residents have found this to be very useful as well, and overall this has helped set expectations of what they can expect to do, in terms of assisting me for each case.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I enjoy flying, scuba diving, snorkeling, and traveling. My goal is to visit all 195 countries/territories in the world before 40 (with my wife and family), and I am about 70% of the way there so far!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
I am an avid aviation enthusiast and enjoy plane spotting and flying.