This update from Chief of Staff Daniel J. Sucato, M.D., M.S. was previously published in Rite Up, 2021 – Issue 3. 

For nearly 25 years, I’ve had the privilege to practice pediatric orthopedic medicine in pretty close to its purest form at Scottish Rite for Children. Thanks to the profound leadership of our first chief of staff and founder, W. B. Carrell, M.D., this remarkable institution retains its initial intent of providing expert, compassionate care to our patients.
 
To accomplish this, now for 100 years, we are fortunate to have a clear vision — maintaining a laser-focus on our patient care, research and education to give the best the world has to offer to every one of our patients. Clinical care advances have progressed throughout our various specialties, including spine deformity correction, limb lengthening and reconstruction, hip conditions, as well as for all of our centers for excellence. We have brought new nonoperative and surgical methods of treatment from around the world to allow Scottish Rite to always be on the leading edge.
 
With landmark discoveries and pioneering advancements directed at finding answers to our patients’ individualized challenges, our team has some outstanding solutions from a macro and micro perspective. In collaboration with the surgeons and bioengineers, we have developed state-of-the-art implants to correct scoliosis and leg differences and deformities, while our genetics team works to identify the underlying cause for these conditions. We continue to have a robust research program in all areas of pediatric orthopedics to answer the unanswerable questions and to allow us to make the very best decisions when taking care of patients. To take it one step further, our researchers and clinicians publish their findings in the top-tier orthopedic journals, which informs and educates physicians about clinically important questions and ultimately helps children around the world.
 
That education continues as Scottish Rite for Children has been training physicians in multiple disciplines of pediatric orthopedics since launching its fellowship program in 1978. Since then, more than 200 fellows have been through our rigorous programs, and many go on to become leaders at medical institutions nationally and internationally. We attract the most talented young physicians and surgeons to the largest fellowship program in the country and continue to grow our world-class medical staff.
 
We are so proud to be a part of this one-of-a-kind institution and remain committed to improving our patients’ lives through providing excellent care every day.

Read the full issue.