When the global COVID-19 pandemic began, providers everywhere were faced with the need to delay surgical procedures to limit exposure to the virus, conserve scarce protective gear and make room in our hospitals for a potential surge in COVID-19 patients.

THE YEAR 2020 HAS BEEN UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN RECENT HISTORY, challenging humanity with the deadliest global pandemic since the Flu Pandemic of 1918. The COVID-19 pandemic, above all things, has been a human and economic tragedy. Healthcare workers have been heroic in their fight against the virus, tirelessly providing patient care in the face of danger.

ON MAY 25, 2020, Mr. George Floyd, a Black man, died at the hands of Minneapolis police. As the Twin Cities was engulfed in weeks of unrest stemming from pervasive systemic racism and police brutality, opportunities to pause, listen, learn, and act arose at the University of Minnesota and across the country. Within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, it became evident that unifying to combat inequities in healthcare and orthopedics was imperative.

We are excited to announce that Ann Van Heest, MD, professor, residency program director, and vice chair of education, has been inducted into the University of Minnesota Academy for Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. The Academies for Excellence recognizes outstanding faculty in the areas of scientific research, educational scholarship, clinical practice, and team sci