Women in Orthopaedics & Engineering

Despite the increasing number of women entering medical and graduate school, women constitute only 12% of the academic faculty in orthopaedics (research & clinical) and 7% of practicing orthopaedists, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Only 11% of the faculty at engineering schools are women, with that percentage being lower for mechanical engineering.

Why Surgery & Engineering?

Engineers and orthopaedic surgeons work hand-in-hand to develop safe and effective implants for repairing broken bones, torn ligaments, and worn-out joints. Strong partnerships between surgeons and engineers are essential for improving the performance of orthopaedic implants and creating solutions to unmet clinical needs.

Our Namesake: Dr. Jacquelin Perry

The program is named in honor of Dr. Jacquelin Perry, who was the first woman orthopaedic surgeon to graduate from the residency program at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Perry’s academic career extends from 1952 to the present, and she received numerous honors for her clinical and scholarly work, including Physician of the Year in 1994 by the State of California and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 by the Gait and Clinical Movement Society.

Organizational Growth

The Perry Initiative was founded in 2009 by Dr. Jenni Buckley (a mechanical engineer) and Dr. Lisa Lattanza (an orthopaedic surgeon). The first Perry Outreach Program was held in the summer of 2009 in San Francisco, California. In 2010, the program expanded nationwide, and the organization was incorporated as a non-profit in 2011.