Michael L. Parks, MD, vice chair for quality and clinical director of orthopaedic surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), was inducted as president of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) at the OREF Board of Trustees Meeting in New Orleans, La., on March 5, 2018.

The mission of OREF is to improve lives by supporting excellence in orthopaedic research. Since its founding in 1955, OREF has awarded over 4,700 grants, providing more than $146 million in support of orthopaedic research. It is led by a Board of Trustees made up of orthopaedic surgeons across the country and key members of the business community.

Dr. Parks began his two-year term as president effective March 5. He has been a trustee member since 2013 and a donor since 1998. Dr. Parks has also served as co-chair of the OREF James R. Urbaniak, MD Mentor Campaign, which raised money to fund research in regenerative medicine and cellular therapies.

He succeeds former president, David G. Lewallen, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic.

"OREF is the leading grant resource for new investigators by providing important financial support necessary to provide a foundation for their careers," said Dr. Parks. "I am honored to lead this organization as it continues to support research to improve function, eliminate pain and restore mobility, thereby making life better for all patients."

Dr. Parks, who joined HSS as a fellow in 1996 before becoming an attending in 2008, is a hip and knee surgeon at HSS. Specializing in hip and knee replacement, Dr. Parks focuses on the surgical treatment of adults with arthritis. His research interests include biomechanical implant retrievals and the impact of race, ethnicity and gender on the care of arthritis patients.

Recently, Dr. Parks led a clinical trial testing how the use of a shared decision-making tool affects the way that minority patients decide on knee pain treatment. While socioeconomic and racial disparities in healthcare are well known, how to address these issues is not well defined.

He is a former president of the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons and has served on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery (AAOS) and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS). He is also on the steering committee of the Movement is Life caucus, which is a multi-stakeholder group devoted to decreasing musculoskeletal health disparities.

As president, Dr. Parks will be the principal executive officer of the Foundation and will supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Foundation. He will preside over all meetings of the Board of Trustees and perform all duties incident to the office of Board President.

L to R: Michael L. Parks, MD, OREF President; David G. Lewallen, MD, OREF Past President; John J. Callaghan, MD, a past president and trustee

Outside of the OR, Dr. Parks enjoys traveling to the far corners of the world.