Dr. Thomas Sculco
Dr. Thomas Sculco, professor of orthopaedic surgery who was recently named surgeon-in-chief at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), has also been named chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Weill Cornell and orthopaedic surgeon-in-chief at NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center (NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital).
Through a longstanding affiliation, the surgeon-in-chief at HSS also holds the position of chairman of orthopaedic surgery at Weill Cornell.
Dr. Sculco succeeds Dr. Russell Warren as chairman of orthopaedic surgery at Weill Cornell and surgeon-in-chief at HSS. Dr. Warren will become HSS surgeon-in-chief emeritus.
A renowned orthopedist, Dr. Sculco is regarded as a leader in total hip and knee replacement. He has pioneered new minimally invasive surgical techniques for total hip replacements, including the design of instruments for these procedures. He has authored more than 150 research papers dealing with total hip and knee replacement and has served on the editorial boards of leading journals in the field.
Dr. Sculco, who trained in orthopaedics at HSS, joined the hospital's attending staff in 1977 and was appointed assistant professor of clinical surgery at Cornell University Medical College the same year. Prior to becoming surgeon-in-chief at HSS, he had been serving since 1993 as director of orthopaedic surgery, chief of the arthritis service, and director of the residency program (one of the most prestigious orthopaedic training programs in the country).
Dr. Sculco has received many honors in his field, including the Hip Society's Otto Aufranc Award (1991) for his research in the area of blood clot prevention in total hip replacement, the Hip Society's Charnley Award (1995) for his work in the area of blood clot prevention before and after total hip replacement, and the Arthritis Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award (1999).
He has served on the board of directors of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and is currently on the board of directors of the Arthritis Foundation. Dr. Sculco is also a member of the Hip Society and is a founding member of the Knee Society.
A native of Rhode Island, Dr. Sculco received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his M.D. degree from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. After two years of postgraduate training in general surgery at Roosevelt Hospital, he joined HSS as a resident in orthopaedics.