Appointment of Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation

October 24, 2022

TO:All UMMC Faculty, Staff and Students

FROM:Dr. LouAnn Woodward
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Dean, School of Medicine

SUBJECT: Appointment of Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Matthew Graves, professor of orthopaedic surgery and the Hansjörg Wyss AO Medical Foundation Chair of Orthopaedic Trauma, as chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation in the School of Medicine, effective Oct. 27, 2022. 

Dr. Graves succeeds Dr. George Russell, professor and James L. Hughes Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery, who has been serving as interim chair in addition to his role as CEO of University Physicians. I am grateful to Dr. Russell for the years he has devoted to fostering a strong and flourishing department.

Dr. Graves received his medical degree in 2000 from the School of Medicine at UMMC, where he remained for his orthopaedic surgery residency. He completed an AO Trauma and Deformity Fellowship at Northern Nevada Medical Center and an Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.

Dr. Graves returned to the Medical Center in 2006 to join the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. He has served as the residency program director for 11 years, trauma fellowship program director, and vice chair.

Aside from clinical care, his primary focus has been education. He was a long-time member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association Education Committee and serves on multiple education task forces for AO Trauma. He is a four-time winner of the Ronald J. Kendig Orthopaedic Professor of the Year Award and a two-time recipient of the Howard Rosen Award and Visiting Professor of the Year Award. He has taught over 100 courses on trauma and deformity in 12 countries.

A member of a variety of professional organizations, he has served as reviewer or editor for the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. He is the coauthor of approximately 90 peer-reviewed publications and 10 book chapters.

Dr. Graves has assembled a distinguished record as a leader, clinician, educator and researcher. He will, no doubt, sustain and advance the vital work of his department.

I want to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Russell who became department chair in 2013 and later served in an interim capacity after accepting the position with UP physician practice. Please join me in thanking Dr. Russell for his service to the department and welcoming Dr. Graves to the role of chair.

Thank you.