Thank you to all who attended the 2025 NCOA Annual Meeting!
The 2025 NCOA Annual Meeting kicked off on November 14 with Dr. Don Gajewski, who presented a great summary of the struggles faced by Western North Carolina just over a year ago following Hurricane Helene. After an emotional start, attendees were privy to a standing-room-only lecture by the this year’s Honored Surgeon and Foot & Ankle legend Dr. Bob Anderson on his experience over the last 30 years with professional athletes. A panel discussion on the state of residency education followed by several outstanding resident research presentations rounded out the pre-lunch program. Subspecialty breakouts got the afternoon started and finished off with an ice cream vendor fair to cap off a great first day.
The final day of the 2025 NCOA Annual Meeting was action-packed, kicking off with a panel discussion on the “Economics of Orthopedics,” followed by the engaging Presidential Lecture with AAOS President Dr. Ned Amendola. Late morning through early afternoon featured a series of nearly 20 resident research presentations covering outcomes in orthopedic trauma, joint reconstruction, infection management, biomechanics, and perioperative care. The day ended on a fun note, with the presentation of awards and winners of exhibitor games named. Dr. David Rockwell was the raffle winner of the $500 Grove Park Inn giftcard; he and his team were able to gather 35 coats for the NCOA Coat Drive to support Western NC this winter.
Left: (from left to right) Annual Meeting Program Chair Brian Curtin, MD; 2024-2025 NCOA President Kevin Coates, MD; 2025-2026 NCOA President Tadgh O’Gara, MD; Middle: Exhibitor Game winner Kristen Harmody, MD, pictured with her new Apple AirPods; Right: Winner of the Yeti Cooler in the Exhibitor Game, Ishani Deliwala, and friend Stephen Perle.
Poster Session Winners
3rd place ($100) – Maggie Hoey, Student @ Duke – Development of an Extinction Therapy Approach for Osteosarcoma Using Eco-Evolutionary Principles
2nd place ($200) – Kristen C Harmody, MD, Resident @ Wake – Factors Influencing Aseptic Loosening in Total Knee Arthroplasty: The Impact of Age and Race
1st place ($300) – Alexander Jeffs, MD – Intramedullary Threaded Nail Versus Plate and Screw Fixation of Comminuted Metacarpal Shaft Fractures: A Biomechanical Study
Oral Abstract Winners
3rd place ($200) – Nequesha S. Mohamed, MD – The Effects of Diabetes and Sedentary Lifestyle on Knee Joint Cartilage in a Mouse Model
2nd place ($300) – Alexander White, MD – Pediatric Lateral Condyle Fractures: Pins or Screw?
1st place ($500) – Nathaniel Adams – Shoulder Arthroplasty Outcomes in Osteoporotic Patients Stratified by Medical Management