Early History

The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Ohio State University was created in the late 1920s. Dr. E. Harlan Wilson was the first chief of this newly created division in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Wilson, a native of Columbus, and the son of a practicing Columbus physician, completed his residency in one of the oldest organized orthopaedic residency programs in the country, that of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Wilson remained in the capacity of director of the Division of Orthopaedic until the time of his death in 1952.

The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery expanded over these first few decades, increasing its complement of faculty in the 1930s and 1940s. Soon after the onset of World War II, the division, like many public institutions, found itself depleted of orthopaedic surgeons, as several faculty members, including Dr. Wilson, entered the war effort. With the termination of World War II, the faculty returned and plans were formulated by Dr. Wilson to initiate a residency training program in orthopaedic surgery. As the University Hospital did not have substantial facilities for orthopaedic patients at that time, the residency program was to be distributed among the hospital of White Cross, Mt. Carmel, St. Francis and Children’s Hospitals. This program remained in existence until 1956, at which time the program was restructured to involve only University Hospital and Children’s Hospital. White Cross and Mt. Carmel Hospitals would later form their own residency programs.

Timeline of Establishment

 1928    

Division of Orthopaedic Surgery established under the Department of Surgery at The Ohio State University. E. Harlan Wilson, MD, was appointed as chief of the Division of Orthopaedics.

     
 1942 
 

Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program established at Ohio State University, White Cross Hospital and Children’s Hospital.

     
 1952
  Judson Wilson, MD, is appointed as chief of the Division of Orthopaedics.
     
 1956  

The Ohio State/Children’s Hospital three-year program begins, with one resident per year.

     
 1957   William A. Smith, MD, is appointed chief of the Division of Orthopaedics.
     
 1958   The Orthopaedic Residency Program gains accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
     
 1959   Carl Coleman, MD, becomes the first graduate of the OSU-based residency program.
     
 1963
  Dr. Smith retires, and Dr. Coleman is appointed acting chief of the Division of Orthopaedics.
     
 1965
  Paul H. Curtiss, MD, is appointed as chief of the Division of Orthopaedics. Number of residents accepted per year officially increases from one to two and the residency program increases from three to four years in length.
     
 1966
  Orthopaedic Lab established in Ross Hall.
     
 1967
  An orthopaedic library is established at The Ohio State University Medical Center.
     
 1970   Ohio State's Orthopaedic Residency Program combines with the orthopaedic program at White Cross Hospital (Riverside Hospital), and residents begin to rotate through Riverside. The number of residents accepted per year officially increases from two to three.
     
 1975
  Number of residents accepted per year officially increases from three to four.
     
 1978
  Dr. Curtiss retires as the division's chief. Robert Clark, MD, is appointed as chief of the Division of Orthopaedics.
     
 1986
  Sheldon R. Simon, MD, is appointed as chief of the Division of Orthopaedics.
     
 1988
  Orthopaedic Biomaterials Lab is established at OSU.
     
 1999
  The Division of Orthopaedics at The Ohio State University becomes a department, rather than a division of the Department of Surgery. Thomas H. Mallory is appointed as the chair of the Department of Orthopaedics. The Podiatric Surgery Residency Program begins at Ohio State, and the Department of Orthopaedics establishes the Musculoskeletal Institute.
     
 2002    Gary Bos, MD, is appointed as the chair of Department of Orthopaedics.
     
 2006   The Orthopaedic Residency Program increases number of residents from four to six residents per year.
     
 2008    Jason H. Calhoun, MD, is appointed as chair of Department of Orthopaedics.
     
 2014    Andrew H. Glassman, MD, is appointed as chair of Department of Orthopaedics.