Duke Orthopaedic Surgery played a significant role in the 2025 North Carolina Orthopaedic Association (NCOA) Annual Meeting, an event dedicated to advancing orthopaedic science, practice, and advocacy across the state. In alignment with the NCOA mission to elevate orthopaedic education and patient care in North Carolina, Duke faculty contributed expertise across major symposia, panels, and lectures throughout the two‑day program.
Duke faculty member, Dr. Michael P. Bolognesi, MD participated in the “State of Resident Education” symposia, complementing the meeting’s emphasis on training the next generation of surgeons. Resident research presentations continued this focus, showcasing innovative work from programs across the state.
In subspecialty programming, Dr. Melissa M. Erickson, MD, MBA (pictured), presented on Motion Preservation: Disc Replacement, including her talk on cervical arthroplasty, as part of the spine-focused sessions. The Economics of Orthopaedics symposia on the final day featured contributions from Duke faculty member, Dr. Chad Mather, MD, MBA, who helped frame current challenges and opportunities facing practitioners statewide.
The What’s New in Trauma and Pediatrics panel underscored Duke’s leadership in these disciplines, with participation from Dr. Robert K. Lark, MD.
A highlight of the meeting was the Presidential Lecture delivered by Dr. Ned Amendola, MD, AAOS President, which served as a centerpiece of the event.
The meeting closed with nearly 20 resident research presentations, awards, and community-focused initiatives—including the NCOA Coat Drive supporting Western NC.
Duke Orthopaedics is proud to support the NCOA mission and contribute to elevating orthopaedic care for patients and communities across North Carolina.