Access Sports Medicine’s own Dr. Joshua Siegel recently earned the distinction of becoming a Fellow of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) physician—a designation bestowed upon less than 100 arthroscopic professionals in the United States (currently there are 99 AANA certified doctors). The Arthroscopy Association of North America has over 5,000 members amongst the orthopaedic surgeon and medical professional community, so being among the 2% of this peer group to earn the Fellowship accolade is an honor.
The AANA status is bestowed upon an elite group of physicians who have demonstrated their dedication to arthroscopy and related surgery. In order to earn certification, a doctor must be a board certified medical professional with at least a five-year track record of proactive involvement in the education and advancement of the surgical field.
Dr. Siegel is most appreciative of this prestigious distinction and is committed to continuing his medical journey of creating remedial services that benefit his patients and further the field of arthroscopy and sports medicine as a whole. Of his journey, Dr. Siegel said:
“Orthopaedics is a diverse field and has many subspecialties. The thread that seems to run through all of them involves activity and athletics. In the beginning, I was drawn to the mechanical nature of how the human body works and gravitated toward the injured athlete. There is a lot of satisfaction in getting an injured athlete back to their level of performance through both non-surgical and surgical means. The natural progression of many of my patients created the need for a gap procedure, which is an area I’ve been focused on. In other words, between arthroscopy and joint replacement, there are few procedural options and many of my patients end up modifying or eliminating their favored activities because the non-invasive treatments are no longer working, and they are not yet ready for joint replacement. We are hoping with early intervention and better biological procedures to obviate the need in many for joint replacement.”
He is quick to note his appreciation for all he works with on a daily basis within the Access Sports Medicine practice and chalks up his success as a team effort.
“I have a terrific long-standing staff, many who have been with us for over 20 years! I could not do half the job I do without their help, support, and loyalty to our cause!”
Qualifications for earning the AANA certification include:
- Local or community leadership position or activities
- Demonstration of fluent practice leadership position
- Held a leadership position with another medical society
- Leadership or participation in the AANA Education Foundation
- Demonstration of medical volunteerism
Of course, for Dr. Siegel, it’s all about the patients within his community and helping them get back in the game.
“I have the greatest job in the world to be able to meet every day such a diverse group of people spanning all age groups. I get to talk and know many who I would otherwise never have a chance to meet. Their stories and lives are fascinating, and the idea that they put their very health in my hands is an honor I will never take for granted. In New Hampshire, we are all so fortunate to have kind and caring neighbors and neighborhoods where the generosity and kindness of spirit is unparalleled.”
It’s in every distinction that Dr. Siegel earns that is proof that he’s looking to better his own community through his work, and this latest AANA designation is further evidence of that: Taking great pride in offering the highest level of care under the guise of unwavering comfort and expertise in the sports medicine field.
About AANA:
The Arthroscopy Association of North America is an international professional organization of more than 5,000 orthopaedic surgeons and other medical professionals who are committed to advancing the field of minimally-invasive orthopaedic surgery to improve patient outcomes. AANA is a provider organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The organization exists to promote, encourage, support and foster the development of continuing medical education activities that are free of commercial bias and designed to disseminate knowledge, competence, performance, and improve patient outcomes of those undergoing arthroscopic surgery and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries to the musculo-skeletal system.
