Paul Tornetta, MD, PhD

Biography

Dr. Paul Tornetta, III is Chief and Chair, Professor and Residency Program Director in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and the Director of Orthopaedic Trauma for the Boston Medical Center. Dr. Tornetta received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Penn. He earned his medical degree from SUNY-Health Science Center at Brooklyn (NY), where he also completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery, followed by a fellowship in Acetabular/Pelvic Fractures at the Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles under Joel Matta, MD. He received his PhD from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Dr. Tornetta has expertise in multicenter trials and trial methodology, serving on the executive committees of the SPRINT, FAITH, TRUST, and FLOW trials. He leads the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Consortium and was on the executive committee of the department of defense funded METRC consortium. He has lectured extensively worldwide on orthopaedic trauma, evidence-based literature application, and education. He has served on the faculty of more than 250 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery (AAOS) CME, Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) and international symposia and skills courses as well as developing new educational programs for these organizations. An author of more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Tornetta is also a lead editor for Rockwood and Green’s textbook on fracture care (an industry standard) and an editor of multiple other textbooks and textbook series. The AAOS's new resident orthopaedic core knowledge curriculum (ROCK) was released under his co-editorship and guidance. He has contributed to the field with the development of new surgical techniques as well as implants.

Dr. Tornetta has served many roles for national and international orthopaedic associations. He has been the chair of multiple committees, served on the board, was Chair of the Council on Education for the AAOS, is a past president of the OTA and was an American British Canadian (ABC) traveling fellow. He is currently in the Presidential line for the AAOS and his Presidential year will be 2024-2025. The recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation clinical research award, Two Kappa Delta Awards, several BUSM Robert E. Leach Resident Teaching Awards and OTA Bovill Awards, Dr. Tornetta has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor every year since 1999 and Boston Magazine Top Doc since 2006.