Ralph and Mary Wilson Visiting Professor Lecture Series
Question-and-answer sessions after each lecture enable you to have intellectual exchanges that help shape the way you practice orthopaedic medicine.
Supported through a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, our semi-annual lectures attract some of the world’s most renowned sports medicine experts to speak to us in a grand rounds format.
These lectures expose our fellows to the work of other musculoskeletal centers and introduce them to key concepts and developing ideas about delivering orthopaedic care.
Discussion sessions after each lecture enable our trainees to have enlightening, intellectual exchanges that help shape the way they practice orthopaedic sports medicine.
Recent Guest: Felix "Buddy" Savoie III, MD
Lecture topics included: Decision Making in Shoulder Instability Surgery and Advanced Elbow Arthroscopy (2026)
Felix "Buddy" Savoie III, MD, is the Ray J. Haddad Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at Tulane University School of Medicine. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Louisiana State University before completing his residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Further refining his expertise, Dr. Savoie pursued an AO Fellowship in Basel, Switzerland, followed by a Hand and Microvascular Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and an Arthroscopy Fellowship with Orthopaedic Research of Virginia with Drs. Casper, Whipple and Meyer. Dr. Savoie also completed a shoulder fellowship with Dr. Richard Hawkins in London, Ontario. His research focuses on cartilage restoration, shoulder and elbow reconstructive biology and Arthroscopy.
An internationally recognized leader in shoulder and elbow surgery as well as sports medicine, Dr. Savoie has made significant contributions to the field through his clinical expertise, research and leadership. Over the years, he has held numerous leadership roles, serving as President of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2023), the Arthroscopy Association of North America (2010), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (2016), and the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association (2016).
Distinguished Experts
Our guest speakers have come from institutions across the nation, including Harvard Medical School, Duke University, the University of Chicago, the University of Pittsburgh and Washington University and are widely known for contributions to the field.
Our trainees have had opportunities to learn from leaders in the field including an editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Sports Medicine and past presidents of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society.
We’ve invited medical directors and physicians from NFL teams such as the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Giants. Past guest speakers also include physicians for the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department and the Boston Bruins.
Coverage of Important Topics
Our distinguished speakers have lectured on topics including:
- posterior shoulder instability and correction
- anterosuperior rotator cuff reconstruction
- clinical history and physical findings in athletes with hip and pelvis conditions
- treatment of core muscle injuries
- ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction and related surgical techniques
- athletic Injury to the ankle syndesmosis
- single bundle versus a double bundle anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
- treatment of chronic Achilles tendonopathy
- studies of the anatomy, biomechanics and kinematics of the knee joint
- controversies in anterior cruciate ligament surgery
Our guests have also given lectures about how to publish research, which has helped our trainees prepare scientific manuscripts suitable for publication.
Breadth of Experience in Various Research Areas
By attending our Ralph and Mary Wilson Visiting Professor Lectures, trainees gain exposure to potential new areas of interest. Our guest speakers have had research interests including:
- anterior cruciate ligament anatomical reconstruction, gene therapy, robotics, stem cells and tissue engineering
- development of clinical outcomes registries
- biomechanical studies evaluating conflict patterns in femoroacetabular impingement and techniques in labral refixation
- development of synthetic scaffolds for labral reconstruction and cartilage injuries in the hip