McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member Freddie Fu, MD, the David Silver professor of orthopaedic surgery and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, was a featured physician in Pittsburgh magazine. Writer Melissa Rayworth described Dr. Fu "as an educator teaching medical professionals about a unique orthopaedic surgery technique and an 'ambassador,' spreading the good news about Pittsburgh and pushing for positive change, including greater diversity, in his profession."
In her report Ms. Rayworth covers a day-in-the-life of Dr. Fu. When not on the road (almost 4 months of the year Dr. Fu is crisscrossing America), Dr. Fu's days in Pittsburgh may begin as early as 4 am and end as late as 11:30 pm. In addition to performing surgery, Dr. Fu might also be participating in sports medicine conferences, Orthopaedic Grand Rounds, anatomic ACL reconstruction meetings, medical student meetings, patient clinic, visits to members of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (Dr. Fu is their head physician), catching up on local and international news, phone calls, and emails.
Through his recognition, Dr. Fu promotes the medical opportunities now available in the Pittsburgh region as well as influencing the face of orthopaedic medicine to include men and women students and colleagues from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Dr. Fu says he is "helping people of different cultures and genders enter my field." If a multitude of unique voices and perspectives can be brought into his program, he says, "it becomes a better specialty" because each brings slightly different skills and ideas.
Dr. Fu joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine faculty in 1982 as an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and director of sports medicine. He became clinical vice chairman of the department of orthopaedic surgery in 1990 and executive vice chairman in 1994. Dr. Fu was also instrumental in the establishment of the Sports and Preventive Medicine Institute in 1985. Under Dr. Fu's medical directorship over 12 years, the facility - now called the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for Sports Medicine - has grown into and remains one of the world's largest, most comprehensive and highly regarded sports medicine centers. He also was instrumental in the establishment of the University of Pittsburgh's Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, which has attracted more than 600 surgeons who travel from all over the world to learn surgical techniques and conduct research with Dr. Fu and his colleagues in the department of orthopaedic surgery and UPMC's Musculoskeletal Research Center.
Illustration: Dr. Freddie Fu. Photo by Harry Giglio. Pittsburgh magazine.
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