The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is excited to announce that it has selected R. Carter Cassidy, MD, as the new chair of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine.
Dr. Cassidy is an alumnus of the UK College of Medicine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine’s residency program, as well as its orthopaedic spine surgery fellowship. He has been committed to the UK mission ever since, having served on the faculty for nearly 20 years.
“Dr. Cassidy has dedicated his career to promoting exceptional education, care, and research within our orthopaedics department,” said Dean Chipper Griffith, MD, MSPH. “I am confident that Dr. Cassidy’s demonstrated abilities, including his service as a core member of this strong department, will translate into successful leadership as chair.”
Dr. Cassidy has held numerous leadership roles in his tenure on the faculty, most recently as the department’s vice chair for clinical operations. He is also the medical director at the UK HealthCare Good Samaritan Spine and Joint Clinic, as well as the Dyad partner and director for UK’s musculoskeletal strategy and intake team.
As a professor of orthopaedic surgery, Dr. Cassidy has mentored hundreds of residents, students, and early-career faculty in his tenure. Three times, his department recognized his exceptional mentorship with the Thomas Brower, MD, Faculty Teacher of the Year Award (2012, 2013, and 2018).
Dr. Cassidy was director of the orthopaedic surgery residency program from 2014-2018. He played a significant role in curriculum integration and restructuring, while enhancing evaluation processes and visiting medical student rotations. He also led development of a new administrative chief resident rotation.
Nationally, Dr. Cassidy has served on important committees including as current chair of the North American Spine Society Clinical Practice Guideline Committee. He has also been an examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery since 2018.
Within his department, he serves on the spine musculoskeletal integration committee, orthopaedic surgery executive committee, program evaluation committee, and orthopaedic residency curriculum committee.
In addition to his residency and fellowship training at UK, Dr. Cassidy earned his Doctor of Medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, Ohio.
Dr. Cassidy will become chair at an exciting time for the UK College of Medicine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine.
- The department received “High Performing” designation in the U.S. News & World Report rankings this year, in addition to a Top 50 ranking in pediatric orthopaedic care with Kentucky Children’s Hospital (in association with Shriner’s Children’s Lexington.)
- The department’s residency and fellowship programs remain highly competitive and continue to bring in exceptional learners. A new partnership with the Lexington Sporting Club recently enhanced training opportunities for UK’s sports medicine fellowship.
- Research capacity within the department has grown tremendously – from $400,000 in 2019 to reaching $3.3 million in 2022.
The UK College of Medicine is grateful for Jeff Selby, MD, who dedicated six years to leading the department and helped position UK orthopaedics to offer the best possible education for trainees, state-of-the-art care to Kentucky patients, and groundbreaking research that brings solutions to the bedside. Dr. Selby has also fostered important community connections, allowing UK to continue providing important training opportunities at local high school, college, and professional sporting events.
The UK College of Medicine congratulates Dr. Cassidy on this new role. He is highly motivated to improve care, expand our platform, and continue the forward trajectory of our orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine department.
For more information about the department, click here.