Dear Colleagues,

Twenty years ago, under the leadership of Toby King and the directors of the US Bone and Joint Decade (as it was known then) we started Project 100. Our goal was to ensure the inclusion of musculoskeletal medicine in the required curricula at 100% of all medical schools (hence the Project’s name). Thanks to the collaboration of many dedicated colleagues, we have made significant strides. On my more optimistic days, I see our progress as a glass that is mostly, but not completely, full.

With that context, I am pleased to report another notable achievement: the completion of Orthopaedia.

Orthopaedia was created to be comprehensive, peer-reviewed and free online textbook for students. Orthopaedia boasts over 100 chapters, each meticulously reviewed by external experts to ensure validity and accuracy.

You can access the entire work at https://orthopaedia.com, where you’ll also find options to download free PDFs and eBook reader files. (For those who like to read on paper, print-on-demand copies are also available for purchase through Amazon, which retains the full purchase price.)

In addition to the textbook, we have launched a free Substack newsletter to further support and stimulate interest in musculoskeletal medicine. You can subscribe to the newsletter at https://orthopaedia.substack.com/. This monthly newsletter will feature brief interviews with musculoskeletal experts and other engaging content, each linked to a specific chapter of Orthopaedia.

Lastly, I extend an invitation to department chairs, program directors, curriculum coordinators and teachers of all types interested in participating in a “beta-test” of integrating Orthopaedia into their schools’ offerings. Please reach out to me at orthodoc@upenn.edu to express your interest, as the committee will be making its selections shortly. Please use the subject line Orthopaedia Beta Test.

I am confident that Toby King’s memory and the legacy of the US Bone and Joint Initiative will be honored through wide use of Orthopaedia. I encourage you to join us in this important endeavor.

Warmly,
Joe Bernstein