As the Kappa Delta Awards conclude their current cycle, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) is proud to introduce the Orthopaedic Research Excellence Awards (OREA) to continue recognizing groundbreaking contributions to musculoskeletal science.
These prestigious honors recognize individuals and teams whose work exemplifies scientific rigor, innovation, and clinical relevance across the research continuum—from emerging discovery to impactful translation. We encourage those interested in research recognition to explore this new, mission-driven awards program. Awards include:
- Improving Musculoskeletal Patient Care Through Outcomes Research (IMPACT) Award — Recognizes exemplary outcomes-based research that has measurably advanced musculoskeletal patient care, informed clinical practice, or influenced healthcare policy. Ideal for researchers whose work demonstrates direct and sustained impact on quality of care or health system improvement.
- Orthopaedic Research Bridging Innovation and Translation (ORBIT) Award — Honors transformative translational research that bridges the gap between basic science and clinical application. This award is for researchers driving innovative solutions from bench to bedside, particularly those addressing unmet clinical needs or advancing orthopaedic technologies.
- New Emerging eXperts in Translational Science (NEXT) Award — Celebrates early-career investigators poised to become future leaders in orthopaedic research. This award supports rising talent whose promising work contributes to the future of musculoskeletal science and patient care.
