The History of Academic Leadership Education in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Background: The growth of the American academic orthopaedic community over the last 53 years has been accompanied by an expanding need for academic leadership education.

Methods: The transition of the Association of Orthopaedic Chairmen, to the Academic Orthopaedic Society, to the American Orthopaedic Association through its Academic Leadership Committee and American Orthopaedic Association Council of Residency Directors is reviewed.

Results: Academic orthopaedic community members recognized that the evolving leadership needs of the academic community could be better addressed by transitioning to a new organization, the Academic Orthopaedic Society and eventually by creating a new structure within a well aligned and well-resourced existing organization, the American Orthopaedic Association.

Conclusion: Organizational and leadership flexibility has been vital to serving the evolving need of the American academic orthopaedic community for leadership education.