Archon Augustus A. White III Honored for Outstanding Orthopaedic Leadership

Archon Augustus A. White III, MD, Ph.D., of Beta Beta Boulé, Boston, was honored with the fifth annual William W. Tipton, Jr., Leadership Award for his work as an educator, mentor and champion of diversity initiatives. The award, which includes a $5,000 honorarium, was presented to Archon White March 11th at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Established by friends, colleagues and organizations through AAOS and the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), the Tipton Award honors the qualities exemplified by the late Dr. Tipton, including leadership, commitment to mentorship, diversity, bridge-building and collaboration.

Archon White currently is the Ellen and Melvin Gordon Distinguished Professor of Medical Education, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, at Harvard Medical School. He also has served as a mentor to Harvard medical students as a former master of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Society, an organization committed to the promotion and support of the academic and professional development of Harvard’s medical students through a system of academic advising and a series of enrichment programs.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have some world-class mentors, starting with my parents, then on to my professors and my peers,” said Archon White. “I firmly believe that giving students the opportunity to find a mentor also gives them a greater opportunity to be successful.”

In addition to his mentoring work, Archon White dedicates much of his life to diversity-related issues. He is a founding member and founding president of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society a multicultural organization dedicated to advancing excellent musculoskeletal care for all patients, with particular attention to underserved groups. Archon White also served as the inaugural chairman of the AAOS Diversity Committee.