For Immediate Release:
February 9, 2012
For more information, contact:
Kayee Ip
Kelly
Minnesota Orthopaedic Surgeon Franklin H. Sim, MD,
Honored for Advancing Diversity in Orthopaedics
SAN FRANCISCO – The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) presented the 2012 Diversity Award to Franklin H. Sim, MD, of Rochester, Minn., during an awards ceremony at its 2012 Annual Meeting. The Diversity Award recognizes members of the Academy who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding commitment to making orthopaedics more representative of, and accessible to, diverse patient populations.
Dr. Sim, an orthopaedic surgeon at Mayo Clinicand professor of orthopaedics at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored for his 40-year commitment to recruiting, training and mentoring women and international physicians in the practice of orthopaedic surgery.
“Words cannot express my gratitude at being thought of as someone who has helped to make the specialty of orthopaedics a more inclusive environment,” said Dr. Sim. “Over the past four decades I have seen the impact that diversity and inclusion has had on our specialty. Successfully placing patient needs above all else, demands a commitment to diversity.”
Since the early 1970s, Dr. Simhas averaged 8-to-12 residents and one fellow under his direction each year. To date, he has mentored nearly 500 young physicians, including many women who have achieved prominent positions within orthopaedics. They include Dr. Mary O’Connor, chair of orthopaedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, immediate past president of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHRS) and past chair of the AAOS Women’s Health Issues Advisory Board; and Dr. Kristy Weber, chair of the Division of Orthopaedic Oncology at Johns Hopkins, chair of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Council on Research Quality, and a recent recipient of the AAOS Kappa Delta Award.
“Franklin H. Sim is an unsung hero in our efforts to improve the diversity of the orthopedic surgery profession,” said Dr. O’Connor. “He has trained and encouraged several generations of women orthopedic surgeons in his 40-year career, and in particular, orthopedic oncologists. He always believed that women could excel in orthopaedics.”
“The increasing number of women in our residency program and our faculty certainly makes us stronger and richer,” said Dr. Sim. Moreover, it gives us a face that better reflects the society in which we live and provides a deeper perspective in the practice of orthopedics in order to meet the needs of our increasingly diverse patients.”
Dr. Sim also has regularly hosted visiting international orthopaedic surgeons, residents, and fellows over the past four decades, through Mayo Clinic’s Visiting Clinicians Program, from countries where orthopaedic surgery continues to evolve. These surgeons return home with improved skills and techniques, and continue to consult Dr. Sim with difficult patient cases. The chairs of orthopaedic surgical departments in Jordan, Australia, Pakistan, Thailand and other countries throughout the world, received training from Dr. Sim. Dr. Sim also leads the sarcoma outreach program, administered through Mayo Clinic Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
“Dr. Sim continually provides encouragement to students, residents and surgeons who strive for excellence, works to make every patient’s situation better, and influences those around him to do the same,” said Michael J. Yaszemski, MD, PhD, Dr. Sim’s practice partner who nominated him for the award.
“It has given me a great sense of satisfaction to have spent my life and career in the company of so many interesting and compassionate people from many different countries,” said Dr. Sim.
Dr. Sim was born in New Glascow, Nova Scotia. He attended Dalhousie University where he received his undergraduate and medical training. He also interned at the university’s Victoria General Hospital. He completed residencies in internal medicine and orthopaedic surgery at Mayo Clinic, where he remained throughout his career.
“I have to say, receiving the award is both unexpected andprovides a moment of pause,” said Dr. Sim.
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More about Dr. Sim
About AAOS
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