Get involved

Find volunteering opportunities that fit your interests

A wide range of opportunities

AO North America has a strong history of offering unparalleled learning events. As there is a high degree of interest in teaching, a new pathway has been developed for AO members with an interest in education. After submitting the interest form, new members with be offered the opportunity to become involved with several volunteer activities in the following categories: 

  • Community Development
  • Research
  • Education
  • Fellowship

Successful completion of this volunteer activity will provide a pathway to teaching opportunities if this is your goal. We encourage orthopedic surgeons of all professional and experience levels to get involved. AO Membership is required to participate.

Read about the activities currently offered below.

Currently, these activities are only available to those in the Trauma division. Expansion to other divisions is currently underway.

 

Volunteer activities

  • Community Development

    Spreading the word about ex-fix collection

    We need help getting the message to all AO surgeons and their partners who remove external fixators to save them and send them to us to be inspected and packaged and donated to overseas surgeons in areas of need

    • Tasks: Social media messaging; creating fliers; getting word out through newsletters and other networks


    AO Alliance Africa/Asia

    Partnership with volunteer faculty at AO Basic and pre-Basic courses held in English in Africa and Asia

    • Tasks: Evaluating need and creating partnerships for AO NA faculty; opportunities to teach


    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    • Motivated individuals are needed to help create monthly “Conversations” around topics relevant to AO surgeons
    • Active discussion and opportunity to help plan events and shape recommendations around inclusion and representation at courses and leadership will flow from participation
    • Tabulation of course participants and faculty through research is desired to help shape recommendations and assess inclusion


    Orthopedic presentations to middle/high schools

    Volunteers who want to be active in their communities are asked to join this newly funded pilot to present in middle and high schools about orthopedic surgery and the role of the AO in their careers

    • Special emphasis on encouraging people of color and women into STEM however ALL are welcome and establishing pilot sites
    • Creating content and discussing feedback are needed


    Recruiting medical students to AO

    Recruiting medical students to the AO and describing what a career in trauma entails

    • This includes outreach, social media planning and presentation of the benefits of early membership in the AO


    Case-based discussion events

    Regional case-based discussions have been a popular way to generate camaraderie and help is needed in identifying communities and organization, identification of invitees and topics.

    • Join us in creating and participating in these fun events!


    Social media for membership

    • Social media savvy surgeons needed to help shape effective communication for outreach and community development event


    Cross-discipline interactions—newsletter, virtual activities (CMF, Spine, VET)

    • Greater camaraderie and synergy between disciplines amongst AO NA driven by planned interactions and common goals (DEI, humanitarian and social) is the goal of getting new faculty in all disciplines together


    Mentor/mentee activities

    • Understanding and involvement in the global mentor/mentee programs launched this year amongst NA surgeons and opportunities to promote and participate in programs are available


    Newsletter content

    • Writers and creative individuals are needed to help get out the message, create content and ideas for the twice annual and monthly newsletter


    Journal Club support and promotion


    Other

    • Coaching survey and online activities
  • Research

    Grant progress review

    • Reviewing progress in prior grants and documenting progress towards completion of goals described in application
    • Timeline: The grant reviews would probably be 3-4 hours total 2-3 times/year

    JOT supplement assistance

    • Assisting publications subcommittee with JOT supplement processes biannually
    • Timeline: The journal assistance would be 10-20 hours total every other year
  • Education

    Asset review/catalogue

    Organizing lectures based on possible revised curriculum

    Writing questions for Basic Principles course quiz bowl

  • Fellowship
    Activities for fellowship are currently in development. We invite you to explore other opportunities listed above in Community Development, Research, and Education.

How would you like to get involved?

Complete the interest form below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can

Complete interest form

Keep in mind, participation in volunteering activities is only one of a set of criteria that qualifies you for teaching assignments. The full criteria for eligibility as an AO Trauma North America faculty member are listed below.

  • Attendance at an AO Principles of Operative Fracture Management Course, Part I: Basic Principles and Techniques of Operative Fracture Management
  • Attendance at an AO Principles of Operative Fracture Management Course, Part II: Advanced Principles and Techniques of Operative Fracture Management
  • Completion of an AO Fellowship of six weeks to three-month duration OR completion of a Trauma Fellowship of six-to-twelve month duration where there is a Fellowship Director
  • Two letters of recommendation, one from your Fellowship Director and one from a Senior AO Trauma Musculoskeletal Faculty member
  • A current Curriculum Vitae
  • An AO Trauma membership

 

Questions or issues?

Contact us at getinvolved@aona.org