Newswise — SAN DIEGO, CA – Renowned orthopaedic surgeon, Walton W. Curl, 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. Curl earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1968 from the Military Academy at West Point, NY. In December 1973, he received his MD degree from Duke University. Both his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery were completed at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, California. He completed a sports medicine fellowship at Keller Army Hospital in West Point, NY in 1979.
“I’m honored to receive this award from AOSSM. My career has been enhanced through the global fellowship, education and research that the Society and its members provides to the orthopaedic sports medicine community,” said Curl.
Dr. Curl’s orthopaedic career included:
- Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery, United States Military Academy
- Orthopaedic Surgeon, Hughston Clinic, Columbus GA
- Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
- Chairman, Orthopaedic Department, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta GA
Dr. Curl served as team physician for several athletic teams, including the United States Military Academy, Wake Forest University and Guilford College, as well as many local high school teams. In addition, he provided medical coverage for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Raleigh, NC, and the US World Cup Ski Team. He served on the AOSSM Board of Directors and as President in 2002. He has also served on the North Carolina Special Olympics Board, and the Board of Directors of the Feagin Leadership Program at Duke University.
He has received numerous awards including:
- Norman T Kirk Award for Research (SOMOS)
- George D. Rovere Award for Education (AOSSM)
- Governor’s Award (North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine)
- S. Military Awards for Valor (2)
Dr. Curl has also been the recipient of numerous research grants, with results being published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine and several other journals. He has also written chapters in multiple books.
In addition to his career as an orthopedic surgeon, he served as an infantry platoon leader with 1st Cav Division in Vietnam for the US Army. After medical school, he was a member of the Medical Corps for 14 years, and the Army Reserves for eight years. In 1990, he returned to Active Duty in Operation Desert Storm at the 312th Evacuation Hospital in Saudi Arabia before retiring as a Colonel in the US Army Reserves in 1996.
Dr Curl and his wife Kay live in Asheville NC where he currently works for Asheville Orthopaedic Associates.
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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.
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