Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues,

As we move into the fall months, we look forward to the opportunities this season brings to stay active and healthy. We are excited to share highlights from the summer and a sneak peek at what’s ahead!

Foundation Updates: Summer 2025 Medical Immersion Programs

We are proud to share that the Orthopaedic Foundation hosted two Manhattan Medical Immersion Programs this past summer! Both the high school and college programs were a success, offering unique opportunities for hands-on learning, skill building, and engagement. We are grateful to all of the faculty and students who took part in making these programs memorable.

Accepting Applications for Our January
2026 Medical Immersion College Program

The next opportunity to take part in one of our programs is approaching fast! We are now accepting applications for our Winter 2026 College Program set to take place from Thursday, January 8 – Monday, January 12, 2026 . Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are excited to welcome a new cohort of students!

Designed and led by the Orthopaedic Foundation, our intensive programs offer students an unmatched opportunity to explore the medical field through hands-on experience. Under the guidance of board-certified physicians and healthcare providers, students work with cadavers, learn surgical techniques, and perform procedures using the same equipment found in operating rooms and clinics. They are also introduced to areas such as biomedical engineering and medical device development, expanding their exposure to the broader healthcare landscape.

These programs reflect our mission to provide meaningful, practical learning opportunities and to inspire students who are serious about pursuing careers in medicine and related fields.

Helpful Resources:

What Our Students Have to Say?



The true impact of our work is best seen through the voices of our students. Let’s hear what they had to say!

Q: Before the program, what were you anticipating? Did the program meet your expectations?

A: The program exceeded my expectations! I didn’t think it would be so casual (which made it much more fun) and I didn’t think we’d be able to do so many cadavers!! I was also pleasantly surprised with how kind everyone was, including all the speakers who came to present to us and teach us. The food also exceeded my expectations (pizza… garlic knots… yummy).

A: The program exceeded my expectations. I initially expected the program would be a lot more observational learning. However, we immediately started with cadavers, learning about human anatomy.

Q: What career path or field of medicine interests you at this point? Do you think your attendance to the program has had an impact on your desire to pursue a career in medicine?

A: I’m still the most interested in anesthesiology, and the program reinforced that. I also would say that attending the program reinforced my interest in medicine as a whole, and really showed me that it’s the right field for me. I feel a lot more confident now with my choice to pursue medicine.

A: Attending this camp has furthered my interest in pursuing a surgical specialty. I am interested in Ophthalmology or any other surgical specialty. I will always remember this experience as my introduction to surgery.

21st Annual Top Donor Event


The Orthopaedic Foundation is proud to host our 21st Anniversary Top Donor Event! This year’s event will be held on Sunday, November 23, 2025, featuring a commemorative dinner at Tony’s at the J House in beautiful Greenwich, CT. We are thrilled to honor Diana Nyad and Bonnie Stoll with the Spirit of an Active Lifestyle Award.

In 2013, Diana became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. She completed the 110-mile feat at the age of 64 with Bonnie as her coach. That milestone drew global attention and was later portrayed in the 2023 Netflix film, Nyad, where Bonnie was played by Jodie Foster. Diana and Bonnie turned a shared commitment to movement into a national platform for everyday fitness. Their work through their non-profit, EverWalk, encourages people of all ages to embrace walking as a simple, consistent way to support long-term health.

For tickets or more information, please contact Janine Bahar by email (jbahar@ofals.org) or phone (203) 869-2002.

Nutrition Tip: Eat Your Spinach!


As we grow older, maintaining our skeletal muscle fitness is the key to staying active and mobile. Muscle mass naturally declines with age which can make everyday activities more difficult and limit overall mobility. Thankfully, ongoing research is helping us understand the best ways to improve fitness and quality of life.

A recent 12-week study in adults over 50 found that taking a daily spinach extract supplement, alongside regular strength training, led to greater improvements in muscle strength, and reductions in fat mass, than exercise alone. Spinach contains powerful natural compounds such as ecdysteroids, which can help support muscle growth, and nitrates, which can improve blood flow and muscle function. These nutrients may help maintain our fitness as we age, keeping us active and mobile for longer. By keeping nutrient-rich foods like spinach in our diets, we can provide our muscles with the support they need to remain strong at every stage of life.

Reference: Pérez-Piñero, S., Ávila-Gandía, V., Rubio Arias, J. A., Muñoz-Carrillo, J. C., Losada-Zafrilla, P., & López-Román, F. J. (2021). A 12-Week Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial, Evaluating the Effect of Supplementation with a Spinach Extract on Skeletal Muscle Fitness in Adults Older Than 50 Years of Age. Nutrients , 13 (12), 4373. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124373

Spinach Salad with Crispy Lentils and Aged Gouda

Ingredients
2 15-oz cans no-salt added lentils, rinsed and drained well
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup sliced almonds 1 tsp lightly crushed fennel seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp granulated garlic (optional)
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp thyme leaves, chopped
5 oz baby spinach
2 large avocados, sliced
2 oz aged Gouda, shaved with vegetable peeler

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Per Serving:

About 567 Calories – 40 g fat (7.5 g sat. fat)
18 mg cholesterol – 590 mg sodium
38 g carbs – 22 g fiber
4.5 g sugar (0 add. sugar) – 19 g protein

Gluten Free, Vegetarian, and a One-Pot Meal

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Spread lentils on large rimmed baking sheet and blot dry with paper towels; transfer 1 1/2 cups to bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Drizzle remaining lentils with 1 Tbsp oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and toss to coat; spread in even layer. Roast, stirring 3 times, until beginning to crisp but not completely crunchy, 22 to 25 min. Stir in almonds, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes; roast until lentils are crisp and almonds are golden brown, 6 to 8 min. Toss with granulated garlic, if using, and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together vinegar, shallot, thyme, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and remaining 3 Tbsp oil; fold in reserved lentils, then spinach and avocados. Divide among plates. Top each plate with about 1/4 cup crispy lentils, then Gouda. Leftover crispy lentils can be stored in airtight container at room temp up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Research Corner


West Point Fellows’ Day Research Symposium

Our fellows, Dr. Rachel Brandl and Dr. Patrick Tate, presented at the West Point Fellows’ Day Research Symposium on June 23, 2025, alongside leading sports medicine fellowship programs such as HSS, Lenox Hill, New England Baptist, NYU, UConn, and West Point Academy. Dr. Brandl shared research on the incidence of new-onset depression following ACL reconstruction, while Dr. Tate presented data on hormone replacement therapy and outcomes after shoulder arthroplasty.

Summer Internships

This summer, interns Aadi Jain (University of Connecticut) and Sam Wang (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine) contributed to ongoing research in shoulder arthroplasty and long-duration continuous ultrasound.

OSET 2025

The Orthopaedic Summit(OSET) 2025, the premier cross-specialty orthopaedic meeting bringing together surgeons, healthcare providers, fellows, residents, medical students, and industry leaders from around the world, welcomed over 1,100 attendees. We were proud to serve as managing partner, helping deliver another successful program.

Summer 2024 interns, Cameron Whitacre and Serena Kothari, also showcased their work with poster presentations at OSET 2025. The Ankle Sprain: Not so Benign in the Young and Middle-aged Athlete and TXA in TKA: Too Much of a Good Thing.

Recent Publications from the Research Department

Plancher KD, Kalala SC, Flessig JS, Briggs KK, Petterson SC. Total Knee Arthroplasty One- versus Two-Component Single-Stage Exchange for Periprosthetic Joint Infections: Medical Complications, Hospital Readmissions, and Failures. J Arthroplasty. 2025 Sep 11.

Plancher KD, Mannina CM, Schwartz EN, Briggs KK, Petterson SC. Inpatient Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty Has a Higher Risk of Early Complications: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis with Outpatient Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2025 Sep;40(9S1):S315-S319.

We hope you enjoyed this Newsletter, and we thank you for your continued generous support. Stay active and healthy!

Best wishes,
Janine Bahar
Executive Director
jbahar@ofals.org | (203) 869-2002