The Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) inducted John “Jack” M. Flynn, MD, Chief of the Division of Orthopedics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and a nationally recognized leader in the field of pediatric orthopedic surgery, into its 2024 Hall of Fame, at the organization’s recent annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland. Flynn is the youngest member to ever be inducted into POSNA’s Hall of Fame.
Flynn’s induction into POSNA’s Hall of Fame reflects his enduring commitment to the orthoaedic field, demonstrated through numerous innovations and leadership roles. At CHOP, he spearheaded the establishment of dedicated spine teams and the implementation of rapid recovery pathways, revolutionizing the approach to pediatric orthopedic care. He is also author of several landmark studies guiding pediatric fracture care. He has served as Chair of the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium, President of POSNA and the Pediatric Spine Foundation, and Vice President of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS).
“I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition,” said Flynn, who holds the Richard M. Armstrong Jr. Endowed Chair in Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery at CHOP and is a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “It’s a privilege to serve our patients and their families, and to drive innovation and mentoring in our field.”
Since joining CHOP in 1996, Flynn has focused his clinical care and research on innovations to improve the results and safety of pediatric fracture and spine deformity care. In 2007, he pioneered the use of image-guided navigation for pediatric spinal deformity correction — significantly improving the safety of implant placement.
In 2015, Flynn led the effort to create CHOP’s nationally known Dedicated Spine Teams (DSTs), assuring that each child who has spine surgery is cared for by a small group of expert anesthesiologists and nurses who work together daily, perfecting each step of care. Since launching DSTs, spine deformity correction surgical times have been reduced by more than one hour each, meaning children get much less anesthesia and begin their recovery sooner; a recent scientific analysis of results also shows a trend toward lower complication rates with Dedicated Spine Teams.
Flynn is among a select group of surgeons in the country who focus on spinal disorders in very young children. He helped found CHOP’s Wyss/Campbell Center for Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome in 2004, the nation's first multidisciplinary program created to treat children with thoracic insufficiency syndrome and early onset scoliosis. He pioneered use of magnetic lengthening growing rods at CHOP, saving many young children from repetitive surgery.
A prominent figure in pediatric orthopedic research, Flynn has published more than 400 peer-reviewed scientific articles, reviews or textbook chapters. He is an editor of the three principal texts in pediatric orthopedics. He also served as a visiting professor or graduation speaker at more than 80 institutions nationally and internationally. In 2021, he was inducted into University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Academy of Master Clinicians.
Learn more about Flynn’s extensive contributions to the field HERE.
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The Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) inducted John “Jack” M. Flynn, MD, Chief of the Division of Orthopedics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and a nationally recognized leader in the field of pediatric orthopedic surgery, into its 2024 Hall of Fame, at the organization’s recent annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland. Flynn is the youngest member to ever be inducted into POSNA’s Hall of Fame.
Flynn’s induction into POSNA’s Hall of Fame reflects his enduring commitment to the orthoaedic field, demonstrated through numerous innovations and leadership roles. At CHOP, he spearheaded the establishment of dedicated spine teams and the implementation of rapid recovery pathways, revolutionizing the approach to pediatric orthopedic care. He is also author of several landmark studies guiding pediatric fracture care. He has served as Chair of the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium, President of POSNA and the Pediatric Spine Foundation, and Vice President of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS).
“I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition,” said Flynn, who holds the Richard M. Armstrong Jr. Endowed Chair in Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery at CHOP and is a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “It’s a privilege to serve our patients and their families, and to drive innovation and mentoring in our field.”
Since joining CHOP in 1996, Flynn has focused his clinical care and research on innovations to improve the results and safety of pediatric fracture and spine deformity care. In 2007, he pioneered the use of image-guided navigation for pediatric spinal deformity correction — significantly improving the safety of implant placement.
In 2015, Flynn led the effort to create CHOP’s nationally known Dedicated Spine Teams (DSTs), assuring that each child who has spine surgery is cared for by a small group of expert anesthesiologists and nurses who work together daily, perfecting each step of care. Since launching DSTs, spine deformity correction surgical times have been reduced by more than one hour each, meaning children get much less anesthesia and begin their recovery sooner; a recent scientific analysis of results also shows a trend toward lower complication rates with Dedicated Spine Teams.
Flynn is among a select group of surgeons in the country who focus on spinal disorders in very young children. He helped found CHOP’s Wyss/Campbell Center for Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome in 2004, the nation's first multidisciplinary program created to treat children with thoracic insufficiency syndrome and early onset scoliosis. He pioneered use of magnetic lengthening growing rods at CHOP, saving many young children from repetitive surgery.
A prominent figure in pediatric orthopedic research, Flynn has published more than 400 peer-reviewed scientific articles, reviews or textbook chapters. He is an editor of the three principal texts in pediatric orthopedics. He also served as a visiting professor or graduation speaker at more than 80 institutions nationally and internationally. In 2021, he was inducted into University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Academy of Master Clinicians.
Learn more about Flynn’s extensive contributions to the field HERE.
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