Embargoed for Release:             February 27, 2009
For more information, contact:

Catherine Dolf   C: (847) 894-9112 or O: (847) 384-4034  dolf@aaos.org
Lauren Pearson  C: (224) 374-8610 or O: (847) 384-4031  lpearson@aaos.org

David W. Polly Jr., MD,
Elected Secretary of Academy Board of Specialty Societies

LAS VEGAS—Orthopaedic surgeon David Polly Jr., MD, was elected Secretary of the Board of Specialty Societies (BOS), of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), at its  2009 Annual Meeting.  Dr. Polly will also sit on the Academy’s Board of Directors.

Currently, a professor and chief of spinal surgery in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Polly also served his country on active duty in the United States Army for 25 years, then finishing his service as chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

“I am honored to work with the Academy on behalf of the orthopaedic specialty societies,” Dr. Polly explained.  “It is a weighty responsibility to assume this role and I am very pleased to have been involved with the Board of Specialties for the last eight years.” 

Dr. Polly graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and received his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS).  He holds appointments as professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Minnesota and in the Department of Surgery at the USUHS.  Dr. Polly completed an internship and orthopaedic residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center followed by a spine fellowship at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Polly has more than 92 peer reviewed publications and has given more than 100 invited lectures, as well as, visiting national and international professorships. He has chaired multiple national and international continuing medical education meetings. He has served as an officer for the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons and now as Secretary, for the Scoliosis Research Society. 

He is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, a lifetime member of the Association of Military Surgeons, and a member of the North American Spine Society.  In 2002, Dr. Polly received the General Claire L. Chennault Award, as the outstanding teacher at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  He has testified twice, before the Senate Defense Appropriations committee advocating better care for injured US soldiers.

“My vision and goal is to see that orthopaedic surgeons effectively convey the extraordinary benefits of orthoapedic interventions,” stated Dr. Polly.

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