Michael L. Parks, MD, FAAOS, Named Second Vice President of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
New York orthopaedic surgeon Michael L. Parks, MD, FAAOS, was named second vice president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Board of Directors (BOD). His role is the first in a four-year term of volunteer service during which he will serve as president of the AAOS in 2027. He will assume the second vice president position following the AAOS 2025 Annual Meeting in San Diego.
“As I embark on this four-year term, my priority is to champion and listen to our members, ensuring they have the resources, education and support necessary to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape,” said Dr. Parks. “Alongside my fellow AAOS Board members, I am committed to improving musculoskeletal health through collaboration, innovation and patient focus. I am honored to serve in this role and to advance AAOS’ mission of serving our profession to provide the highest quality musculoskeletal care.”
Dr. Parks has made a significant and lasting impact as a physician, advocate and mentor. Among his many AAOS volunteer positions, Dr. Parks served as treasurer, BOD member-at-large, chair of the AAOS Resolutions Committee, chair of the AAOS Finance Committee and chair of the Workgroup on Obesity. He was also a member of the Board of Councilors, AAOS Annual Meeting Committee and Communications Cabinet and selected to the 2003 class of the AAOS Leadership Fellows Program. His leadership was recognized with the AAOS’ Diversity Award in 2019 and Achievement Award in 2012.
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A specialist in the surgical treatment of arthritis in adults, Dr. Parks is highly regarded for his expertise in reconstructive procedures for the hip and knee. His clinical research focuses on joint replacement surgery and emphasizes reducing health disparities and addressing socio-economic factors affecting healthcare outcomes. His insights have been featured in leading publications, including New York magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Black Enterprise magazine and Money magazine. Dr. Parks also has appeared on the NBC-TV TODAY show where he discussed treatment alternatives for knee arthritis in baby boomers.
In addition to his leadership within the AAOS, Dr. Parks is a past president of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He served as a member of the BOD of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and has been actively involved in the Movement is Life Caucus, a multi-stakeholder group devoted to decreasing musculoskeletal health disparities.
Dr. Parks graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and went on to earn his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where he received the President’s Clinical Science Award. After completing an internship in general and thoracic surgery, followed by an orthopaedic residency at Duke University Medical Center, he continued his training at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York with a fellowship on the Hip and Knee Service where he remains in practice today.
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 15th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.
