Founded in 1934 as a private, voluntary, nonprofit, autonomous organization, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) exists to serve the best interest of the public and the medical profession by establishing educational standards for orthopaedic residents and by evaluating the initial and continuing qualifications and competence of orthopaedic surgeons. There are approximately 30,000 ABOS Diplomates, plus an additional 1,800 orthopaedic surgeons who take ABOS Part I and Part II Examinations each year, and 4,000 orthopaedic surgery residents. The ABOS is led by the Executive Director who reports to the Board of Directors.
Since 1974, the ABOS has had 6 Executive Directors, and the Board of Directors is seeking an ABOS Board Certified orthopaedic surgeon to be its 7th Executive Director as the current Executive Director David F. Martin steps down, effective December 31, 2027. The Board expects the new Executive Director to start in the summer of 2027 to have time to overlap with Dr. Martin.
The responsibilities of the position include:
- Promote the purpose and mission of the ABOS to Residents, Candidates, Diplomates, and professional societies—the Executive Director is the subject matter expert and the public face of the ABOS
- Work closely with the ABOS Board of Directors to create and implement Board decisions and actions regarding policies, programs, and strategies
- Be a visionary thinker and change agent to continually be focused on “what’s next” for the organization
- Create and manage the ABOS budget, making sure that the organization acts as a good steward of the fees the organization receives
- Manage, mentor, and nurture staff
- Oversee the management of ABOS volunteers and consultants
- Manage and increase partnerships with other organizations such as the AAOS, the AOA, the ABMS, the ACGME, and orthopaedic subspecialty societies
- Participate in ABOS Board Meetings, ABMS Meetings, and ABOS activities (e.g., Oral Examinations, Question Writing Task Force Meetings, Field Test Task Force Meetings, Standard Setting Meetings, and Form Review Meetings)
As Executive Director, the selected individual is expected to:
- Participate in the ABOS Continuing Certification process
- Have the flexibility to travel 60-80 days a year on ABOS-related business
- Be able to be at the ABOS offices in Chapel Hill, NC 8-10 days a month
- Devote at least 40 hours a week as the public-facing leader of the ABOS
- Be able to participate in meetings that may take place in the evenings and on weekends
The successful candidate must possess:
- Commitment to the ABOS’ mission of protecting the public
- Be a practicing or recently practicing orthopaedic surgeon who is an active ABOS Diplomate in good standing and has successfully completed at least one recertification
- Extraordinary leadership, communication, and people skills
- Experience working with boards and volunteers
- Experience in orthopaedic education and orthopaedic research
- Flexibility, ability to multitask, demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities
- Ability to effectively delegate tasks/responsibilities and elevate staff members
- Integrity, credibility, and commitment to the mission of the organization
To be considered for the Executive Director position, please submit a letter of interest and CV as one PDF to jobs@abos.org by January 25, 2026. Submissions will be reviewed by a Search Committee with initial virtual interviews tentatively beginning in the second quarter of next year. The Board anticipates making a decision in the third quarter.
In order to provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at ABOS will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. ABOS does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
