Bone Doctor

Dr. Paul Farmer (1959-2022) dedicated his life to bringing quality healthcare to the world's most vulnerable populations. As co-founder of Partners In Health, this brilliant physician-anthropologist pioneered community-based healthcare models that transformed global medicine. From his early work in rural Haiti in the 1980s, Paul built an organization that now serves millions across Haiti, Rwanda, Peru, Lesotho, and beyond. His vision? That all humans deserve dignity and excellent medical care, regardless of poverty or geography.
.
"If access to healthcare is considered a human right, who is considered human enough to have that right?" This powerful question guided his life's mission. Armed with dual Harvard degrees in medicine and anthropology, Paul rejected the notion that complex treatments couldn't work in resource-poor settings. He proved skeptics wrong by achieving remarkable success treating multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV in settings others deemed impossible.
Beyond his clinical brilliance, Paul's true gift was his "hermeneutic of generosity" - seeing the humanity in each patient and building deep connections across cultural divides. He worked tirelessly until his unexpected death in Rwanda at age 62, where he was teaching at the University of Global Health Equity he helped establish. #physicianquote
.
His legacy lives on through the 1000's of healthcare workers he trained, the millions of patients whose lives were saved, and the revolutionary approach to global health that continues to inspire new generations. Paul showed us that with pragmatic solidarity, accompaniment, and unwavering compassion, we can build a more just world. As Dr. Farmer said: "The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world." His life's work proved that another way is possible. #GlobalHealth #HealthEquity
.
Have a great week!

Skip the Carousel

1 2

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 123

Bone Doctor

You make the diagnosis: What's wrong with this hip? What's the next step? Discussion in comments (up soon). More information on femoral neck fractures - youtube.com/shorts/D4qUywSD7Ok
.
*case courtesy of Mohammad Taghi Niknejad, Radiopaedia, rID: 185030 #hipfracture #brokenhip

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 48

Bone Doctor

Happy Doctors' Day Friends! Celebrated annually on March 30th to honor your service, commitment, and contributions. National Doctors' Day began in 1933 in Winder, Georgia, when Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, organized the first observance. The date commemorates March 30, 1842, when Dr. Crawford Long first used ether anesthesia during surgery. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush officially designated it a national day of recognition.
.
Few Doctors' Day Stats:
- At the end of the Civil War, there were >12,000 doctors in the Union Army and >3,000 in the Confederate Army
- There are currently over 1.1 million licensed doctors in the US (California has the most licensed physicians, w/ >119,000)
- The average age of a doctor is 54, (vs. median age of 42 across other professions)
- 72% of doctors report they are satisfied w/ their profession - physician burnout rates dropped to 48% in 2024, the first time below 50% since 2020
- Women account for ~38% of active physicians, an increase from 26% in 2004
- According to the most recent AAMC data, 20,855 US medical school students graduated in 2024.
.
Thank you colleagues for your dedication, commitment and hard work - and never forget the "privilege it is to serve". Have a great week!

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 47

Bone Doctor

Singapore Bound: Teaching, Learning, and Connecting - An orthopedic surgeon's "comfort-zone" is rarely outside of the operating room, but honored to spend the next week exchanging knowledge with orthopedic colleagues, healthcare professionals and students in Singapore. As surgeons, we're perpetual students and teachers, something Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew understood profoundly.

"If there was one formula for our success, it was that we were constantly studying how to make things work, or how to make them work better."

This same philosophy drives medical innovation and reminds us that improvement is always possible. In healthcare, our learning should never stop — from residency through retirement. Each case and each colleague offers new perspective and the exchange/collaboration is invaluable for growth (even if it requires a little time outside of our comfort-zone).





Leaving behind the green screen and editor this week, so please SHARE your questions, tips & insights (and help fill the 40+ hrs of travel). Have a great week!

Skip the Carousel

1 2

1 month ago | [YT] | 47

Bone Doctor

What (3) words would you use to describe your job in healthcare?
"Being a doctor offers the most complete union of those three qualities which have the greatest charm for active minds — novelty, utility, and charity." - Sir James Paget (1814-1899), English Surgeon/Pathologist

Skip the Carousel

1 2 3

1 month ago | [YT] | 49

Bone Doctor

Is pain GOOD or BAD? "Pain is not the enemy, but the loyal scout announcing the enemy." - Dr. Paul Wilson Brand (1914-2003): Orthopedic Surgeon who revolutionized our understanding of leprosy (Hansen's disease)
.
Dr. Brand's innovative surgical techniques, particularly tendon transfer procedures (now known as "Brand operation"), restored hand function to countless leprosy patients. He developed these procedures in challenging conditions, often working in mud huts with basic equipment, proving that groundbreaking medical advances don't always require high-tech facilities. 📚 Beyond the operating room, Dr. Brand authored (7) books, including the influential "Clinical Mechanics of the Hand" and the thought-provoking "Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants." His work reminds us that sometimes the most significant medical breakthroughs come not from complex technology, but from careful observation, creative thinking, and profound compassion. #MedicalPioneers #Orthopedics #handsurgeon
.
SHARE medical innovators that continue to impact your life. Have a great week!

Skip the Carousel

1 2 3 4

3 months ago | [YT] | 50

Bone Doctor

Happy Thanksgiving! How well do you know your Turkey Leg anatomy? youtube.com/shorts/Py0fzWchZy0

Skip the Carousel

1 2

4 months ago | [YT] | 38

Bone Doctor

🏥 Meet Sir William Osler, who revolutionized medicine by bringing students from textbooks to bedsides. The father of modern medical education taught us: "The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient." #MedicalHistory

5 months ago | [YT] | 16

Bone Doctor

Augmented & virtual reality are revolutionizing orthopedic surgery! 🦿From preop planning to intraoperative guidance, AR/VR tech is enhancing precision & outcomes. Surgeons can visualize anatomy in 3D, practice procedures, and access real-time data during surgery. Checkout full article ➡️ shorturl.at/tKZQt #MedTech #OrthopedicSurgery

6 months ago | [YT] | 20

Bone Doctor

Most common chest wall (pectus) deformity?
.
Pectus chest deformities are more common than most people think (1:300-1000) and occur more common in males. Check out more >>> youtube.com/shorts/iSuvlHUkVHE

8 months ago | [YT] | 9