Dawn LaPorte, MD

‍The 2024 She For She Award recognizes a female orthopaedic surgeon who serves as a strong mentor and sponsor for women in orthopaedics, supporting and empowering women at all states of their careers to achieve their professional goals.

The winner is selected based on the following criteria:
• Advocates for all women in orthopaedics
• Provides support, mentorship, and sponsorship for multiple women
• Inspires women to strive for stretch positions
• Promotes work/life balance
• Encourages camaraderie amongst women
• Walks side by side with female colleagues, lifting others up

James Ficke, MD
‍
‍The 2024 Dr. Freddie Fu He For She Award recognizes a male orthopaedic surgeon who serves as a strong mentor and sponsor for women in orthopaedics, supporting and empowering women at all stages of their careers to achieve their professional goals.

The winner is selected based on the following criteria:
• Open advocate for women in orthopaedics
• Continued support, mentorship and sponsorship for various women
• Forward-minded, inclusive thinker

Jessyca Block, MD
‍
‍In orthopaedics, courage takes many forms—standing up against unethical practices, advocating for patients, or persevering through personal and professional hardships. Orthopaedic surgeons may encounter challenging situations where ethical dilemmas arise, such as in patient care, billing practices, or treating students, residents, and colleagues. Sometimes, witnessing these issues becomes impossible to ignore, and addressing them requires extraordinary bravery.

Moving Forward Despite Adversity
‍Courage also means moving forward despite adversity, a quality exemplified by Dr. Jessi Block, an orthopaedic resident at the University of Buffalo who continued her medical journey with resilience, even after being diagnosed with cancer. In her honor, the RJOS Courage Award was renamed the Jessi Block, MD Courage Award in November 2024, endowed through the generosity of The University of Buffalo Department of Orthopaedics, chaired by Dr. Leslie Bisson.

The Purpose of the Award
‍This award seeks to recognize an individual who embodies courage in orthopaedics. RJOS will highlight the recipient's inspiring nomination at the 2025 RJOS Annual Meeting.

Audrey Tsao, MD

‍The RJOS “She For She” Award recognizes a female orthopedic surgeon who serves as a strong mentor and sponsor for women in orthopedics, supporting and empowering females at all states of their careers to achieve their professional goals.  

The recipient is selected by the RJOS Leadership Team from nominees based on the following criteria:‍
– Advocates for all women in orthopaedics
– Provides support, mentorship, and sponsorship for multiple women
– Inspires women to strive for stretch positions
– Promotes work/life balance
– Encourages camaraderie amongst women
– Walks side by side with female colleagues, lifting others up

RJOS is pleased to recognize Dr. Audrey Tsao as the 2023 “She For She” Award recipient of the She For She Award. Dr. Tsao was nominated by multiple RJOS members. Below is a small selection of excerpts from those who nominated her:

– She has been a pioneer advocating for women in orthopaedic surgery
– She empowered women to take leadership roles, mentored them to be leaders, and gave them the courage and tools to speak up, stand out, and take initiative to make important changes
– Audrey exemplifies the selfless and supportive advocate, proactive sponsor, and team-based leader.
– At every turn, Dr. Tsao is quick to promote or suggest a female speaker, female surgeon to do a project, woman orthopaedic surgeon to take on a research project or be on a committee in a leadership position.


RJOS would also like to recognize the following orthopaedic surgeons who were also nominated this year. Thank you for all that you do to advance women in orthopaedics!
Bettina Gyr, MD
Ellen Raney, MD
Christen Russo, MD
Kristy Weber, MD

Presenting all nominees:
(Left to right: Bettina Gyr, MD, Ellen Raney, MD, Christen Russo, MD, Audrey Tsao, MD, Kristy Weber, MD)

Amiethab "Tabs" Aiyer, MD

‍The Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS) annual  Freddie Fu “He For She” Award proudly recognizes a male orthopaedic surgeon who serves as a strong mentor and sponsor for women in orthopaedics, supporting and empowering females at all stages of their careers to achieve their professional goals.

The recipient is selected based on the following criteria:
Open advocate for women in orthopaedics
Continued support, mentorship and sponsorship for various women
Forward-minded, inclusive thinker  

The Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society is proud to recognize Dr. Amiethab "Tabs" Aiyer as the 2023 recipient of the Freddie Fu "He for She" award. Dr. Aiyer was recommended to receive this award by an unprecedented 19 individual nominations.  Below is a small selection of excerpts from those who nominated him:

He is the epitome of support and mentorship

I have not met another practicing surgeon who is so devoted to his mentees, and I truly believe he has positively impacted the development of future generations of strong female orthopaedic surgeons

Dr. Aiyer has lived up to his well-reputable social media title as the "ortho-mentor" - mentoring countless medical students, residents and peers.

What truly makes Dr. Aiyer stand out as an inspirational leader is his humility and ability to connect with people from all walks of live.

He is dedicated to addressing the gender inequity that exists in the field of orthopaedics.  He understands the barriers women face in this male-dominated field and helps provide them with confidence and exposure.

He has played a large role in my decision to pursue orthopaedic surgery, and I will always be thankful to him!

Dr. Aiyer is a fierce champion for diversity, equity and inclusion.  

He embodies everything this award stands for. He embodies "allyship" and "mentorship" and serves as an important role model for all of us. Tabs has nearly singlehandedly changed the mentorship playing field in this country for medical students interested in orthopaedic surgery.    

RJOS would also like to recognize the following orthopaedic surgeons who were also nomiated this year.   Thank you for all that you do to advance women in orthopaedics!  

Michael Archdeacon, MD
David Atkin, MD
Eben Carroll, MD
Charles S. Day, MD, MBA  
Anthony M DiGioia, MD
James R. Ficke, MD
Simon Fleming, MD
Gary E. Friedlaender, MD  
Charles Giangarra, MD
Kenneth Gundle, MD
MaCalus Hogan, MD
Cassim Igram, MD
Kevin Plancher, MD
Todd Ritzman
Michael K. Ryan, MD
Richard Santore, MD
Matt Schmitz, MD
Rahul Vaidya, MD

Presenting all nominees:

Dr. Lorraine A.T. Boakye
‍The definition of courage is “the ability to do something that frightens one” and “strength in the face of pain or grief” (Oxford Languages dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2020.) Courage is a conscious choice and willingness to confront a difficult situation.

As health care professionals, we become aware of, or are witness to or are the victim of unethical practices.  At some point, what is witnessed may be too hard to ignore and someone steps up and calls out what is wrong.   That takes courage and sometimes comes at a great cost.

RJOS is proud to recognize Dr. Lorraine A.T. Boakye, an individual who defines courage and conviction in representing what is right to protect and help others, as the recipient of the 2023 Courage Award.  

Click here to read the nomination letter for Dr. Boakye.