A Message From AANA Immediate Past President John M. Tokish, M.D., FAANA

Dear Colleagues:

I am filled with profound gratitude and humility as I reflect on the past year as AANA President. Your unconditional trust in my leadership has been both humbling and inspiring – I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to have steered our organization through this past year.

As my tenure draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to the AANA Board of Directors, numerous faculty and committee volunteers for your steadfast commitment to the mission and vision of AANA. It is through your dedication, passion and expertise that AANA continues to thrive as the foremost innovator in minimally invasive orthopaedic surgery.

I must also extend my sincerest gratitude to AANA CEO, Laura Downes, whose guidance and unwavering support have been instrumental in shaping our strategic initiatives and ensuring the continued success of our organization. Laura’s leadership have been invaluable, and I am immensely grateful for her partnership throughout my presidency.

I have been particularly honored to champion initiatives aimed at supporting our military community, including the MAST Summit. It was my great honor to join colleagues from SOMOS and AOSSM in Denver, Colorado to select a research initiative worthy of a $200,000 grant funded by the AANA MAST Program. I am looking forward to seeing Dr. Andrew Sheean’s study on Defining the Impact of General Mental Health, Resilience, and Paid Catastrophizing on Return to Duty and Clinical Outcomes After ACL Reconstruction. Initiatives like this embody our commitment to advancing orthopaedic care and I am extremely proud of the progress we have made in this critical area.

I was also given the latitude to embark on an initiative called “The AANA Happiness Project” where we gathered data from the membership on factors that separate surgeons’ fulfillment from frustration. My work on this initiative is not done, I will see this through and hopefully be able to show you what aspects of the job environment are worthy of your investment – I’m expecting to glean some interesting insights!

As I prepare to pass the torch to my colleague, Dr. Alan Curtis, I am filled with optimism and confidence in the future of AANA. Dr. Curtis’ exemplary leadership and dedication to our organization will undoubtedly propel us to new heights. Alan, AANA is destined for great things with your oversight and service!

Congratulations to Alan and the 2024-2025 AANA Board of Directors!

John M. Tokish, M.D., FAANA
AANA Immediate Past President