SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The Geneva Foundation is pleased to announce Lt. Col. Andrew J. Sheean, MD, FAAOS as the recipient of the 2023 Researcher of the Year Award. Dr. Sheean, a leading orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon, holds multiple leadership roles including Associate Program Director for Research and Medical Director of the Clinical Research Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). Additionally, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University (USU) and the Director of the Military Orthopaedics Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network (MOTION) Steering Committee.
The Researcher of the Year Award, established by Geneva’s Scientific Advisory Board in 2014, honors individuals who significantly advance military medicine, aligning with our mission to foster innovative research that benefits U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. The theme for 2023 is Translational Research, which highlights the critical process of translating research findings into clinical applications that improve health outcomes.
Geneva’s President and CEO, Elise Huszar, MBA, praised Dr. Sheean’s broad impact. “Dr. Sheean has not only developed a substantial body of work over his six-year partnership with Geneva but has also led several pioneering initiatives that have transformed practices within military medicine. His innovative research, particularly in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) recovery, not only reflects the high caliber of research we strive to accelerate but also demonstrates our commitment to translating scientific discoveries into real-world health outcomes.”
Dr. Sheean’s research focuses on orthopaedic sports medicine, military medical readiness, and ACL recovery outcomes. His research has been pivotal in developing a risk calculator for ACL reconstruction through his collaboration between MOTION and the Multicenter Orthopaedics Outcomes Network (MOON), directly improving treatment for service members with ACL injuries.
Under Dr. Sheean’s leadership, the MOTION project has enrolled over 700 patients. His scholarly work includes over 100 peer-reviewed publications and 20 book chapters, contributing significantly to the fields of knee ligament reconstruction, cartilage and meniscus injury diagnosis, and rotator cuff repair surgery. He has also established the IMPACT group, uniting orthopaedic experts from several institutions to investigate the effects of patients’ psychology on ACL injury recovery and rehabilitation.
Dr. Sheean remarked, “I am truly honored to accept this award, and I am so fortunate to work with an amazing group of collaborators and teammates. As the saying goes, ‘it takes a village,’ and none of this would be possible without the help of Geneva research team members Linzie Wagner, Elizabeth Harris, Matt Bradley, and Whitley Lucio, all of whom work so hard to support critically important musculoskeletal injury-related research.”
Geneva’s Scientific Advisory Board Chair, COL (Ret.) Kent Kester, MD, commented on the collaborative and transformative nature of Dr. Sheean’s work. “Dr. Sheean exemplifies the ideals of Geneva through his extensive collaborations with both military and civilian institutions. His ability to integrate sophisticated research into practical, actionable outcomes not only advances the field of military orthopaedics but also ensures the betterment of service member health and operational readiness. “Beyond his research, Dr. Sheean chairs the Extremity War Injuries (EWI) Symposium and plays a crucial role in the Military Advanced Surgical Treatment (MAST) Research Initiative, training the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons.
Dr. Sheean’s outstanding contributions to military medicine and his commitment to bridging laboratory science with patient care have rightly earned him Geneva’s 2023 Researcher of the Year Award.
The 2023 Researcher of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Sheean on December 12, 2024, at the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Disclaimer: The views expressed do not reflect the official policy of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
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