Christon Darden, MD, MS
Orthopaedic Surgery Resident, PGY2
Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine
New York, NY
Why did you join AAOS?
I first learned of the AAOS and the resources that it could provide when I was in medical school pursuing orthopaedic surgery. Once starting residency and realizing how many resources AAOS has for all orthopaedic surgeons, I knew that it would be one of the best investments in myself, as a budding orthopaedic surgeon, to become a Member. From the ResStudy questions to help me prepare for OITE, to a directory of potential mentor Members across the country, AAOS has been beneficial to me early in my career and will continue to contribute to my growth as an orthopaedic surgeon.
How do you define success?
To me, success is a balance between reaching your goals and being happy. If you can look back and you are happy about the person you have become and the difference that you have made in peoples’ lives along the way, that is success.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
I was raised by two strong women, my mother and grandmother, who are both inspirations to me in their own ways. They inspire me to overcome adversities, work hard towards my goals, and never give up. They both overcame struggles of their own, and their strength and dedication never wavered, inspiring me to follow in their footsteps.
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
The AAOS has helped me by providing incredible career building resources such as opportunities to stay up to date on literature, educational resources, and a network for professional mentorship.
What advice would you give to new members of AAOS?
Be sure to try and get involved early. Attend the Annual Meetings, utilize the educational resources, and use the networking to foster lifelong mentorships.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
When I was in high school, I was a cheerleader and gymnast. At football games, whenever our home team scored, I would do as many backflips as there were points on the sideline. The most I was able to do was 27 backflips. I was so dizzy, a teammate had to stand at the end of the sideline to catch me.