James R. Urbaniak, MD, FAOA, is recognized as an AOA Pillar of the Orthopaedic Profession for his leadership, mentoring, and lifelong contributions to orthopaedic surgery during his distinguished career.
The American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) honors exemplary orthopaedic surgeons, past and present, as a Pillar of the orthopaedic specialty.
Individuals recognized as Pillars have served as clinicians, educators, and researchers, providing essential support to others in the orthopaedic community. Their commitment has inspired peers, partners, fellows, and residents to emulate their integrity, excellence, and professional advancement.
The AOA Pillars professionals have educated, mentored, motivated, and inspired future generations of orthopaedic leaders to continue the profession's advancement. The AOA gratefully acknowledges each Pillar’s significant contributions to orthopaedic leadership, their dedicated service to the organization, and their lasting legacy to improving patient care.
To learn more about Dr. Urbaniak’s accomplishments and award recommendation, view the AOA Dr. Urbaniak Pillar Video.
About James R. Urbaniak, MD, FAOA
Dr. Urbaniak graduated from Duke University Medical School in 1962. He completed his orthopaedic residency training at Duke in 1969 with a brief tour of duty from 1963-1965. He served in the U.S. Navy as the Attending Physician to the United States Congress and Supreme Court. He joined the Duke Orthopaedic Faculty in 1969 and served as Chief of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery from 1985 to 2002.
Dr. Urbaniak is recognized as a pioneer in replantation of severed digits and hands. For over 40 years, he conducted significant research in microsurgical reconstruction of traumatized extremities and avascular necrosis of the femoral head. His research was supported for over 20 years by RO1 grants from the National Institute of Health. He initiated microsurgery at Duke in 1970 and led a microsurgery team that replanted more than 1,500 amputated body parts and more than 3,500 free vascularized fibular grafts for avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
Dr. Urbaniak has trained more than 320 residents and 180 fellows (many international) at Duke. He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, 14 textbooks, and 55 book chapters and has been an invited speaker to more than 40 countries.
He has served as President of twelve national and international societies and boards, including President of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA), the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH), American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRMS), American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ABOS), Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), Eastern Orthopaedic Association (EOA), and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS).
Some of Jim’s awards include AOA ABC Travel Fellow, American College of Surgeons (ACS), Thomas G. Sheen Award, The Kappa Delta Award of AAOS/OREF, AOA Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedics Award, the Distinguished Southern Orthopaedist Award, IFSSH Pioneer in Hand Surgery, the Clinical Orthopaedic Society Elmer Nix Award for Medical Ethics, Duke Distinguished Faculty Award, the Duke Anlyan Lifetime Achievement Award, the Duke Master of Surgery Award, and the Duke Master of Orthopaedic Surgery Award. His most cherished award is the
Duke Orthopaedic Resident and Fellows Teaching Award (duplicate recipient). His greatest passion is teaching residents, fellows, and medical students. He is a kind, compassionate physician appreciated for his sense of humor, loyalty, moral integrity, and respect for everyone, regardless of status. In 2016, the James R. Urbaniak Sports Science Institute was dedicated at Duke.
Dr. Urbaniak has been an active and dedicated member of the AOA for a half-century, e.g., ABC Travel Fellow 1973, President, Historian, and AOA Lifetime Achievement Award. Although he has authored several books, without a doubt, his favorite is “A History of the American Orthopaedic Association,” which reinforced his appreciation of the many initiatives (such as JBJS, AAOS, ABOS, RRC, and Travel Fellows) of the world’s oldest orthopaedic association. As expressed in his text, with the turn of the century, the AOA central mission transitioned to using excellence to promote leadership in orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Urbaniak credits Muff, his devoted wife of 53 years, for his successful career.
Congratulations, Dr. Urbaniak!
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Learn more about the AOA Pillars of the Orthopaedic Profession.