Our Vision
Be the global standard of excellence today and develop the leaders of tomorrow in orthopaedics and rehabilitation research, education, and patient care.
For more than 90 years, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University has attracted the best and brightest physicians, researchers, residents, fellows, and trainees to deliver world-class orthopaedic care, education, and research. Our department is a leader in surgical innovation, designing, improving, and pushing forward-thinking technologies and surgical techniques, and performing cutting-edge research in orthopaedics. Our clinicians deliver both surgical and non-surgical, thoughtful care to patients from around the world. Our research programs, many of which are funded by the NIH, continue to advance orthopaedic research in musculoskeletal, orthopaedic care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pain management, rehabilitation, and more. Our education programs include our orthopaedic residency and fellowships, the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD). Our residency programs prepare doctors and physician assistants for productive careers in orthopaedic surgery through rigorous clinical training, extensive education, and progressive and graduated responsibility under supervision. We work side by side with our fellows to provide orthopaedic subspecialty training knowledge, clinical, and surgical skills to ethically practice in an academic or community setting at the highest possible level of competence. With accomplished faculty, close teacher-student relationships, consistently high rankings, and association with one of the world’s great medical schools, our DPT program offers prospective students unique opportunities available within the field of physical therapy. Welcoming its inaugural cohort of 40 future occupational therapists in August 2021, Duke OTD envisions an inclusive world where all people flourish through access to and participation in meaningful, health-supporting occupations, the activities of everyday life. With 62% of our OTD students from under-represented minorities, Duke OTD is committed to weaving student’s personal and professional development together to shape leaders with a focus on eliminating human suffering caused by barriers to occupation.
Our Mission
REACHING OUT–to put the patient and their family at the center of all we do to provide the highest quality care
STEPPING UP–to serve and to lead our local and global communities with integrity and compassion
MOVING FORWARD–to promote and to develop excellence in education
CLIMBING HIGHER–to inspire through innovations in basic science, clinical, and translational research
2021 State of the Department
Watch the State of the Department presentation and celebrate the department’s many accomplishments over the past year and learn about plans for a new beginning and bright future.
