Diversity of Backgrounds and Academic Accomplishments for Presidents Elected to Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Societies in the United States

Background: Academic accomplishments and demographics for presidents of hip and knee arthroplasty societies are poorly understood. This study compares the characteristics of presidents nominated to serve the Hip Society, Knee Society, and American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of arthroplasty presidents in the United States (1990 to 2022). Curriculum vitae and academic websites were analyzed for demographic, training, bibliometric, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding data. Comparisons were made between organizations and time periods (1990 to 2005 versus 2006 to 2022).

Results: There were 97 appointments of 78 unique arthroplasty presidents (80%). Most presidents were male (99%) and Caucasian (95%). There was 1 woman (1%) and 5 non-Caucasian presidents (2% Asian, 3% Hispanic). There were no differences in demographics between the 3 arthroplasty organizations and the 2 time periods (P > .05). Presidents were appointed at 55 ± 10 years old, which was on average 24 years after completion of residency training. Most presidents had arthroplasty fellowship training (68%), and the most common were the Hospital for Special Surgery (21%) and Massachusetts General Hospital (8%). The median h-index was 53 resulting from 191 peer-reviewed publications, which was similar between the 3 organizations (P > .05). There were 2 presidents who had NIH funding (2%), and there were no differences in NIH funding between the 3 organizations (P > .05).

Conclusions: Arthroplasty society presidents have diverse training pedigrees, high levels of scholarly output, and similar demographics. There may be future opportunities to promote diversity and inclusion among the highest levels of leadership in total joint arthroplasty.