AAOS Now Podcast

In this deeply personal episode, Bopha Chrea, MD, shares the extraordinary story of her family's survival of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, their harrowing escape from the Killing Fields across the border into Thailand, and their eventual resettlement in Canada.

Dr. Chrea, now a foot and ankle surgeon at Iowa Health Care, connects her family's journey to three core lessons she carried into her career: that opportunities are often disguised as misfortune, that growth requires getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, and that gratitude is a genuine superpower. She reflects on how her early experiences navigating the healthcare system as a young child of immigrant parents shaped her path to orthopaedics, and how she now uses those lessons to guide trainees through the challenges of residency and fellowship, as well as the transition into practice.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode


Opportunities can be disguised as misfortune — How a series of trials and tribulations, including losing his glasses and the destruction of his family’s home, miraculously ended up saving Dr. Chrea's father from execution by Pol Pot’s brutal regime. The lesson: tragedy can lead to positive outcomes and growth.


It’s important to get comfortable with being uncomfortable — How her parents’ willingness to take risks in the absence of a guaranteed path enabled the family to escape the Killing Fields and safely reach the refugee camp in Thailand, where Dr. Chrea was born. This lesson: focus on clarity of vision over certainty of path; as long as you believe in the vision, you can navigate through the uncertainty, but if you aren’t willing to try, you definitely won’t succeed.


Gratitude is a superpower — How her brother chooses to emphasize the positive aspects of the family’s time in the refugee camp, not just the horrors. The lesson: mindset matters; you can actively choose to frame experiences in a more affirming way. To this day, Dr. Chrea is intentional about expressing gratitude to the people who have supported her journey.


Mentoring is not one-size-fits-all — How meeting learners where they are helps them build confidence through small, achievable goals.


The path to orthopaedics is paved with personal experiences — How translating for her mother at medical appointments as a child sparked a lifelong commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care.

Guest: Bopha Chrea, MD, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa

Host: Robert M. Orfaly, MD, MBA, FAAOS, AAOS Now editorial board member

This episode spotlights the AAOS Patient Engagement Task Force and its efforts to increase patient involvement in and education about orthopaedic care. Host Stuart J. Fischer, MD, FAAOS, welcomed task force co-chairs James W. Barber, MD, FAAOS, and Monica Payares-Lizano, MD, FAAOS, to discuss the creation and structure of the task force and its focus on patient engagement as a key part of the 2024-28 strategic plan. They explain that the task force was designed to promote bi-directional communication between the AAOS Board of Directors and the AAOS councils and committees that are already involved in patient-facing work.

 Highlighted task force accomplishments include a major revamp of OrthoInfo.org – AAOS’ most comprehensive patient-facing musculoskeletal health resource – to make the website more accessible and easier to navigate, as well as provide the content in multiple languages. Drs. Barber and Payares also talked about patient advocacy and the powerful impact of sharing patient stories with policymakers on Capitol Hill, about other AAOS patient education tools such as CPGs, and about the positive effect of patient engagement on PROMs. Both doctors share perspectives about how they are able to effectively inform and communicate with their unique patient populations, emphasizing the importance of placing patients at the center of orthopaedic care.

Host: Stuart J. Fischer, MD, FAAOS, member, AAOS Now Editorial Board, and former Editor-in-Chief of OrthoInfo

Guests: Monica Payares-Lizano, MD, FAAOS, pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Phoenix Children’s; Member-at-Large, AAOS Board of Directors; co-chair, Patient Engagement Task Force

James W. Barber, MD, FAAOS, orthopaedic surgeon with Southeastern Orthopaedics and Surgery Center; Secretary, AAOS Board of Councilors; co-chair, Patient Engagement Task Force

This episode explores the importance of leadership development in healthcare and orthopaedics, featuring insights from Duke sports medicine orthopedic surgeon and professor Dean Taylor, MD, FAAOS. Dr. Taylor, chair of the Feagin Leadership Program and a retired Army colonel, shares the origins and impact of the Feagin Leadership Program with host and West Point classmate Richard Schaefer, MD, MPH, FAAOS. Dr. Taylor highlights the program’s role in fostering patient-centered leadership not just in orthopaedics, but across the medical spectrum. He defines what healthcare leadership is and outlines the skills and traits that are essential for healthcare leaders – including emotional intelligence and self-awareness – and how these translate into clinical practice and team dynamics. 

Dr. Taylor also reflects on his relationship with the late Dr. John Feagin, whose legacy inspires the multidisciplinary Feagin program, and emphasizes the value of embracing diverse perspectives to improve healthcare outcomes. Listeners gain practical advice about enhancing their leadership skills and learn about resources such as the annual leadership forum and the nonprofit Healthcare Leadership Foundation, which are aimed at advancing leadership education in medicine.

Host: Richard Schaefer, MD, MPH, FAAOS

Guest: Dean Taylor, MD, FAAOS

This episode offers valuable insights into leadership development for orthopeadic surgery residents, exploring the parallels between military and medical hierarchies, strategies for effective leadership, and actionable tips for residents (and medical students) to distinguish themselves at every stage of their training. Drawing on extensive experience as both a military officer and a residency program director, Joseph N. Daniel, DO, FAAOS, discusses the importance of adapting leadership styles to individuals, the merits of democratic leadership, and the critical role of delegation and team-building in shaping successful surgeons and leaders. Dr. Daniel also explains which qualities the most inspirational leaders possess and what he looks for in his chief residents. Whether or not you think of yourself as a leader, Dr. Daniel’s advice can help you optimize your training and gain valuable people skills to take with you into practice.

Host: Rex Lutz, DO

Guest: Joseph N. Daniel, DO, FAAOS

This episode explores the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in orthopedic surgery, highlighting practical applications, current challenges, ethical considerations, and what the future holds. Dr. Peter Schilling, MD, MSc, co-founder of the Dartmouth Center for AI Research in Orthopedics, joins host Doug Lundy, MD, MBA, FAAOS, to discuss topics ranging from federated learning to the use of digital scribes in clinical practice. Dr. Schilling shares insights on how AI is shaping patient care, transforming the doctor-patient relationship, and driving research advances. The conversation also addresses common misconceptions and concerns about AI as this technology becomes increasingly integrated into everyday practice and research.

Host: Doug Lundy, MD, MBA, FAAOSGuest: Peter Schilling, MD, MSc