Zuhdi Abdo, MD
Adult Reconstructive Fellow
Lenox Hill Hospital / Northwell Health
New York, NY
Member Since: 2018
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career? As a Fellowship Member, which AAOS resources do you use most and why?
As a resident, the AAOS provided invaluable ABOS Part 1 study resources as well as access to articles across all my levels of training. The Annual Meetings are always filled with great presentations from leaders in the field and gives you a look at what’s new or coming out from our industry partners. The JAAOS has always kept me up to date in arthroplasty and across Orthopaedics. As a fellow, the online career center has been a great resource for finding open positions across the country. In-person networking at Academy meetings is another way to hear about job opportunities as well as meet your peers and catch up with old friends and colleagues.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
In residency, we passed along a saying originally by Dr. F. Patterson that when you’re faced with several options for patient care, it’s oftentimes the more difficult one that is best for the patient, even if it’s harder for you. The overall idea, both in and out of clinical practice, that you have to continue to work hard and do always do what’s right has been how I have gotten to where I am today.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
Good old-fashioned coffee and listening to music with my headphones on is all it takes. Counterintuitively, I’m not productive at a coffee shop and I feel more productive at home or in the office!
What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
Outside of work, I’ve been getting back into having a gym routine with some of the extra free time afforded in my fellowship year as compared to residency. Work-wise, I’ve been reading more peer-reviewed articles to expand my knowledge, and I’ve been fortunate enough to take part in a reviewer program with the Journal of Arthroplasty.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I enjoy traveling, scuba diving, skiing (thanks to my wife Sam!), video games, Formula 1, football, and cooking!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
The Illiofemoral ligament, aka the “Y Ligament of Bigelow”, was initially described in detail by Henry J. Bigelow in the 1800s. What many people don’t know is that I’m a direct descendant of Dr. Bigelow. It’s no wonder I pursued a career in arthroplasty (and one of the reasons why I’ll preserve the ligament in my anterior hip approach).