Pan Am Clinic wins ‘Stanley Cup’ of research

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A Winnipeg orthopedic surgery clinic has been racking up the accolades this year and defining itself as one of the top medical destinations in North America.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/06/2020 (2268 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg orthopedic surgery clinic has been racking up the accolades this year and defining itself as one of the top medical destinations in North America.

The Pan Am Clinic Foundation was recently awarded three prizes that distinguish its research from all others. The Arthroscopy Association of North America gave the clinic the Richard O’Connor Award, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons bestowed the clinic with the Neer Award. Both accolades recognize research that compares different techniques used to reduce the risk of redislocation in shoulders.

“It’s nice to get this recognition because usually it’s some big centre in the U.S. that (gets it). And tribute goes to our research staff, who do the majority of the work on these papers,” said Dr. Peter MacDonald, the foundation’s chief research and innovation officer and the lead author on the paper.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Dr. Peter MacDonald says he’s thrilled the Pan Am Clinic has won a trio of prestigious prizes.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dr. Peter MacDonald says he’s thrilled the Pan Am Clinic has won a trio of prestigious prizes.

As a longtime Winnipegger, MacDonald said he is thrilled the awards have landed here, as the city and its researchers are often overlooked or discounted.

“I’m all for anything that promotes Winnipeg at any level,” MacDonald said.

One of his fellow researchers called the Neer Award the “Stanley Cup in shoulder surgery research.”

The foundation was also recognized by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine when it was awarded the O’Donoghue Award for a collaborative research project between the Pan Am Clinic and the Western University. Researchers considered a new procedure for ACL reconstruction in the knee that reduces re-rupture in young patients who are at high risk for repeated injury.

MacDonald said the clinic will continue to enjoy such accolades and attract the best researchers and surgeons.

However, that’s only one result.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
As a longtime Winnipegger, MacDonald said he is thrilled the awards have landed here, as the city and its researchers are often overlooked or discounted.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS As a longtime Winnipegger, MacDonald said he is thrilled the awards have landed here, as the city and its researchers are often overlooked or discounted.

“These techniques, once they’re published… have an impact on surgery worldwide because other shoulder centres or knee centres will take note of the results from this and they will actually change the way they do surgery,” MacDonald said. “That is cool. It is really rewarding.”

sarah.lawrynuik@freepress.mb.ca

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