Announcement from Dr. Ben Alman 10/21/2014:

I am pleased to announce that after a national search, Sam Wellman, has been appointed the inaugural Associate Chief of Surgery for VISN Networking in Orthopaedics and the Head of Orthopaedic Surgery, at the Durham VA. In this position he will be developing a strategic vision and plan for orthopaedic care in our VA ​Network, as well as developing an academic and clinical leadership team at the Durham VA. Sam graduated from Duke University School of Medicine, did his orthopaedic surgery residency training at Duke before completing an adult reconstruction fellowship in Boston at the New England Baptist Hospital. He currently is a faculty member in Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke, and also works at the Durham VA, where his practice focuses on hip and knee replacement. Sam is a highly rated educator in the Duke residency training program, and has published extensively on the outcomes of total joint surgery, including on processes to improve postoperative management to decrease length of stay. Sam enjoys cycling, building furniture, and in the past had built a boat in his home workshop. However, he and his wife Danielle, a radiologist in Raleigh, are quite busy with their two young children, Jack and Greta, so his hobbies are on the back burner for now.

Also, please join me in thanking Bill Hardaker for serving as head of orthopaedics at the Durham VA for the past several years. Bill has been a tireless advocate for providing a high level of orthopaedic care for veterans, and he built the Durham VA into a top rated educational site for our trainees. Bill will continue in his clinical and teaching roles at the VA.

Congratulations to Sam on this new position, and thank you to Bill Hardaker for his many years of service.