Paul Rubery, M.D., Named Chair of Orthopaedics at University of Rochester Medical Center
Monday, May 4, 2015
Paul T. Rubery, M.D., chief of the Division of Spinal Surgery, has been named chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, pending approval by the University Board of Trustees.
Rubery had served as acting chair since September 2014 following the departure of Regis J. O’Keefe, M.D., Ph.D., who was named chief of orthopaedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Rubery joined URMC’s faculty in 1994 and has led the Division of Spinal Surgery since 1999. He has been Director of the Strong Health Spine Center since 2000 and was named the department of orthopaedics associate chair for clinical affairs in 2007. He earned his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College with Alpha Omega Alpha honors, and completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and fellowship in spine surgery at URMC.
Rubery specializes in scoliosis and spinal deformity in both children and adults, with a research focus on applications of gene therapy in orthopaedics. He will maintain his clinical, research and teaching responsibilities in addition to his duties as chair of the department. Rubery teaches medical students, residents and fellows as well as CME courses.
“I am extremely pleased Paul Rubery will lead the department as chair,” said Mark Taubman, CEO of URMC and Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry. “I’m confident Paul will continue the department’s tradition of excellence; under his direction, orthopaedics will continue to flourish in the areas of patient care, physician and scientist education, and research.”
As acting chair of orthopaedics, Rubery led successful recruitment of surgeons specializing in trauma, total joint replacement, and hand, as well as a sports medicine specialist; all will join the department of orthopaedics this summer. The department is expanding its portfolio of services to the community by adding orthopaedic care access at Strong West, with plans to offer non-operative sports medicine services and hand surgery this summer.
The department continues to excel at preparing the next generation of orthopaedic specialists; seven fellows’ research projects were accepted for presentation at the recent American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery conference in Las Vegas.
Orthopaedics has continued to enhance its national reputation for groundbreaking research. “URMC has one of the foremost centers for musculoskeletal research in the world,” Rubery said. “Each year it ranks among the top U.S. institutions for NIH funding. As acting chair I have been very focused on supporting these research efforts. A number of our researchers are investigating novel treatments for musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses that could benefit patients throughout the world. As chair I will continue to build on our reputation for excellence in research and build the department’s prominence in the years ahead.”
The University of Rochester Board of Trustees is anticipated to approve the appointment later this spring.
“Paul was chosen from an outstanding group of very talented candidates,” said recruitment committee chair Jeffrey Lyness, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. “We were very impressed with the depth of skills and experience each candidate brought to this process.”
In announcing the appointment, Taubman thanked the recruitment committee that researched and interviewed candidates for Orthopaedics chair. In addition to Lyness, members included Linda Chaudron, M.D.,M.S., Steven Goldstein, Jeffrey Hayes, Ph.D.,Paul Levy, M.D., Stewart Lustik, M.D., M.B.A., Walter Pegoli, M.D., Webster Pilcher, M.D., Ph.D., Michael Rotondo, M.D., Nina Schor, M.D., Ph.D., and Patricia Witzel, R.N., M.S., MBA.