Ting Cong, MD
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellow
UPMC Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
Since the beginning of my residency at Mount Sinai in New York, I have always found the Academy to provide exceptional resources for the orthopaedic surgeon-in-training. For me, these included the Orthopaedic Video Theater (OVT) which I use to this day in preparation for surgery, and the excellent question bank which I used for preparing for my in-training and board exams. As I progressed in my academic training, I have also begun to pay significant attention to the AAOS consensus statements on the treatment of major orthopaedic conditions (such as hip fractures), which are updated on a consistent basis.
As a Fellowship Member, which AAOS resources do you use most and why?
My interest in academics continues to bring me to revisit the AAOS research resources, which provide information such as standardized Patient Reported Outcome Measures, which I find useful for study design.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
Dr. Michael Julius from the University of Toronto once stared me down and said, "Don't find a job. Find your calling." It took me a few years in college to fully understand his meaning. I now more than ever make decisions based on my gut feel.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
An exceptional team isn't found. It's built. The more you contribute, the more you get in return. Pretty soon the work doesn't seem so bad anymore.
What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
Staying organized - getting all items checked off before a day is done, and incorporating a healthy dose of exercise.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
Ski, bike, documentaries, and aimlessly explore new places on foot with my wife.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
Moving from China to Norway to Canada as a child, I attended 12 different schools before 12th grade...