November 2025
The well-being of orthopaedic trauma surgeons remains one of the core pillars of OTA. Over the past year, our Well-Being Committee has continued to advance initiatives designed to support our members, strengthen team culture, and provide practical resources that help us all perform at our best—inside and outside the operating room
Measuring What Matters: The Well-Being Index
The OTA continues to champion the Well-Being Index (WBI) as a free, anonymous, and evidence-based way for members to assess and track their personal well-being. You can access the tool anytime using the code “OTA.”
Participation continues to grow, with approximately 320 OTA members having completed at least one assessment. Early trends show a modest but important improvement: distress levels among members have decreased from 45% in 2023 to 38% as of September 2024. While that represents meaningful progress, nearly four in ten orthopaedic trauma surgeons still experience significant distress—a clear reminder that our work is far from done. Everyone’s voice and experience matter and we encourage everyone to participate.
Education and Connection: Bringing Wellness to the Forefront
The OTA continues to integrate wellness-focused content into our educational offerings. This past year included:
- A Fracture Night session in April on the topic of orthopaedic surgeon wellness, led by Ryan Will, MD.
- A Fracture Night session in July with Dan Dworkis, MD, PhD, from the Mission Critical Team Institute (MCTI), on crisis leadership and the psychology of performance under pressure.
- Dedicated well-being breakout sessions and a Surgeon Wellness Symposium during the 2025 OTA Annual Meeting.
The OTA–MCTI Pilot: Applying Mission-Critical Thinking to Surgery
One of the most exciting developments of 2025 has been the launch of the OTA–MCTI Pilot Program, a first-of-its-kind collaboration exploring how mission-critical team science—originally developed for military, aviation, and emergency medicine teams—can be applied to the orthopaedic trauma environment.
Through specifically designed virtual sessions, OTA members are learning tools to improve team cohesion, communication, and performance under pressure. The pilot emphasizes practical skills for crisis management, trust-building, and adaptive leadership—all of which directly translate to the OR and trauma bay.
The OTA Playbook: A Living Resource
The OTA Well-Being Playbook (QR code below) remains an active and evolving resource for members seeking practical strategies, reading lists, and peer insights on wellness and resilience. We welcome suggestions for new content or personal reflections that could benefit the community.
What’s Next: 2025–2026 Initiatives
The momentum continues into next year, with several major initiatives on the horizon:
- Dec. 17, 2025: OTA Fracture Night session featuring Dan Dworkis, MD, PhD, expanding on the OTA–MCTI pilot with a live educational session.
- Early 2026: A new educational module on Physician Health Programs (PHPs)—demystifying their role and how they support physicians in times of need.
- Mid-2026: Additional OTA Education Wednesday content with MCTI for live educational sessions.
If you have ideas or would like to contribute to ongoing projects, we encourage you to reach out. The conversation around surgeon well-being is one that thrives on participation, perspective, and collaboration.
OTA Moral Injury, Advocacy, and Membership Well-Being Committee
Derek Donegan, MD (chair)
Mark Adams, MD
Joseph Cohen, MD
Matthew Garner, MD
Jason Gould, MD
Katy Metcalf, MD
Josh Namm, MD
Daniel Schlatterer, MD
Jeff Smith, MD
Ryan Will, MD
Meghan McCaskey, MD (resident member)
Anna Miller, MD (presidential consultant)