Newswise — SAN DIEGO, CA – Esteemed orthopaedic surgeon Bernard R. Bach, Jr., MD will be inducted into the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Hall of Fame on Friday, July 6, during the Society’s Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. AOSSM Hall of Famers are individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the sports medicine field. It is one of the Society’s highest honors.

Dr. Bach received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1975 where he also played intercollegiate football and baseball. He attended the University of Cincinnati (Ohio) College of Medicine beginning in 1979 and completed his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He then went on to complete a sports medicine fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

In 1986, he pioneered the sports medicine program for Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR). Dr. Bach served as the Director of the Division of Sports Medicine for 30 years and the Sports Medicine Fellowship Director for 28 years. He is The Claude N. Lambert, MD and Helen S. Thomson Endowed Chair of Orthopedic Surgery, and professor of orthopaedic surgery at Rush University Medical Center where he maintains an active clinical practice. He also serves as a team physician for the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls.

“This is a great honor to receive this award. I’m grateful for the opportunities and colleagues that AOSSM has introduced me to during my career and look forward to continuing to support improving orthopaedic sports medicine,” said Bach. 

Dr. Bach has served on many national sports committees and editorial boards and is an educator and mentor for residents and fellows at Rush University. He has served as president of the AOSSM, the Quigley, and Herodicus societies. He has also served on the Illinois Special Olympics and the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Board of Directors. Dr. Bach has authored more than 1,000 scientific papers, abstracts and book chapters and served as the editor for the Journal of Knee Surgery. He is also on the editorial board for Orthopaedics Today.

He has been repeatedly honored as one of the nation’s and Chicago Magazine's "Top Doctors."  In 1995, he was inducted into the Illinois Athletic Trainer's "Hall of Fame” and in 2017 received AOSSM’s highest honor as the recipient of the Robert E. Leach Sports Medicine Leadership award., and was the 2018 Kennedy lecturer.

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The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is the premier global, sports medicine organization representing the interests of orthopaedic surgeons and other professionals who provide comprehensive health services for the care of athletes and active people of all ages and levels. We cultivate evidence-based knowledge, provide extensive educational programming, and promote emerging research that advances the science and practice of sports medicine. AOSSM is also a founding partner of the STOP Sports Injuries campaign to prevent overuse and traumatic injuries in kids.