BUSM Welcomes New Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery

Scott Duncan, MD, MPH, MBA, has been appointed chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and chief of orthopaedic surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC), effective Jan. 1, 2015. Duncan comes to BUSM/BMC from Ochsner Health System in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he served as system chairman of the department of orthopaedic surgery, and section head of hand and upper extremity surgery.

“Dr. Duncan will be a strong faculty leader,” said Karen Antman, MD, provost of BU Medical Campus and dean of Boston University School of Medicine. “He is an accomplished surgical investigator with many years of experience in academic administration and research. Orthopaedic surgery will continue to grow and thrive clinically and academically under his guidance.”

Duncan is an international expert and thought leader in the areas of upper extremity trauma; revision carpal tunnel surgery; small joint arthroplasty; and reconstructive surgery of the wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder. He frequently presents at medical schools and conferences around the world on topics such as: shoulder arthroscopy, hand trauma, thumb injuries, and utilizing iPads and iPhones in an orthopaedic surgery practice. Duncan has served as an international visiting professor of orthopaedic surgery, most recently at the Medical College of Peru in Lima.

“Dr. Duncan is a true leader in his field, and has demonstrated a clear commitment to his patients, his research and to educating tomorrow’s physicians,” said Kate Walsh, president and CEO of Boston Medical Center. “He will be an integral member of the BMC team, and we are confident that his leadership and clinical skills will benefit both our patients and our staff.”

Duncan graduated college at Harvard University. He earned his medical degree and his master’s of public health in epidemiology at the University of Washington (UW) Schools of Medicine and Public Health. He also received his master’s in business administration, health care management, at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the Campbell Clinic, University of Tennessee, and a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery and microsurgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery at Cornell University Medical College. Duncan also is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Association for Hand Surgery, and the American Association of Orthopaedic Executives, among other professional organizations.