Thank You, Dr. Swiontkowski

The JBJS community extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Marc Swiontkowski for his steadfast and dedicated leadership as Editor-in-Chief over the past decade. As announced earlier this year, Dr. Mohit (Mo) Bhandari will officially become the new Editor-in-Chief starting June 1.  

Describing his role as “caretaker” of The Journal, Dr. Swiontkowski reflects on his experience, including his earliest encounters with JBJS as a medical student and resident, and the central place of JBJS within the field of orthopaedics. His insights are shared in a new “What’s Important” article in the May 15, 2024 issue:  

What’s Important: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. A Critical Pillar of Our Field 

“I submitted my first manuscript to The Journal in 1981,” he writes. “As a resident who had decided that a career in orthopaedic trauma was my direction, I was attracted to the wide variety of skeletal and soft-tissue injuries, with the goal of restoring function as rapidly as possible utilizing an increasing number of surgical and nonsurgical approaches. I witnessed firsthand as the evidence for managing injured patients shifted from the bracing, traction, and casting method to surgical treatment led by Kuntscher and the AO. The Journal’s scientific standard of ‘excellence through peer review’ guided our field through these changes as well as such milestones as bringing arthroscopy to mainstream care and demonstrating increased reliability of all forms of joint arthroplasty. Ah, but the world was simpler then…” Read the full article.  

OrthoBuzz followers have had the benefit of Dr. Swiontkowski’s sage perspective on the latest research and advances in musculoskeletal patient care through his regular contributions to this blog. The posts are but one of numerous avenues under his leadership that have encouraged engagement and communication among members of the orthopaedic community.    

As he passes the Editor-in-Chief baton, Dr. Swiontkowski notes, “I now am honored to turn the caretaker role over to my friend and colleague, Professor Mohit Bhandari. I know of no more accomplished individual in the world who could possibly serve in this role. His ideas regarding how to make the portfolio more available and accessible to the world of orthopaedic researchers and care practitioners are cutting-edge and will serve our patients well. His selection by the Trustees of The Journal makes a very clear statement that The Journal is not just a pillar for U.S. orthopaedics; it is a pillar for our orthopaedic family worldwide.” 

Thank you, Dr. Swiontkowski. 

What’s Important: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. A Critical Pillar of Our Field