Device Nation Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Device Nation serves up a hearty "blue plate special" packed with insights, inspiration, and industry wisdom with one of joint replacement's true icons: Dr. Scott Sporer of Rush University Medical Center!

With over 23 years at Rush, more than 17,000 joint procedures performed, leadership in the Hip Society, Knee Society, International Hip Society, and as Secretary of the American Joint Replacement Registry, Dr. Sporer delivers a masterclass on revision surgery, infection prevention, outpatient trends, evolving knee articulations, and the future of personalized care amid healthcare's "sea change" in 2026.

From his Iowa roots and biomedical engineering beginnings, sparked by a neighbor's life-changing hip replacement, to elite training at the University of Iowa, Dartmouth, and a dream fellowship under legends like Wayne Paproski, Aaron Rosenberg, Joshua Jacobs, and Richard Berger, Dr. Sporer's journey is as compelling as his clinical impact. Listeners get the inside track on game-changing research, including his seminal dilute Betadine lavage study that slashed infection rates, practical tips for revision TKA challenges, thoughts on robotics/navigation's real-world value, large-head hip strategies for stability, dual-mobility advancements, and why passion and perseverance remain the true drivers of excellence in orthopedics.

Don't miss this nourishing, no-portion-control-allowed conversation!

Dr. Sporer clinic: https://www.scottsporermd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scott_sporer_md/?hl=en

Merete fusion nail: https://mereteusa.com/details/osteobridge-IKA-Knee-Arthrodesis-System/

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What an honor to begin 2026 with an inspiring conversation with Sports Medicine legend, and AAOS President Dr. Annunziato "Ned" Amendola!

We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, his legacy work at Duke, AAOS, NBA shoe consultancy, mentorship, cartilage replacement, even Italian food!!

What a towering figure in sports medicine and foot and ankle care at Duke University, where he serves as a distinguished professor, chief of sports medicine, and executive director of the James R. Urbaniak, MD, Sports Sciences Institute. 

Since joining Duke in 2015 he has served as head team physician and chief medical officer for Duke Athletics, providing exceptional care to elite athletes while advancing innovative treatments for knee and ankle injuries. 

Internationally renowned for pioneering arthroscopic and biologic resurfacing techniques that have transformed cartilage repair and rehabilitation, Dr. Amendola has authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles, secured numerous research grants, and earned prestigious honors such as the Excellence in Research Award, Cabaud Memorial Award, O'Donoghue Award, and the Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award. His leadership culminated in serving as President of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), where he has championed excellence in musculoskeletal care and mentored countless surgeons worldwide.

Beginning his journey in Canada with training at the University of Western Ontario and fellowships in sports medicine and foot and ankle surgery, he previously held key roles including director of sports medicine at the University of Iowa. His contributions have earned him additional accolades like the Achilles Award from ISAKOS, the Roger Mann and Leonard Goldner Awards from the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, and induction into the AOSSM Hall of Fame. 

Join us (and Skeletoni) at the next AAOS meeting: https://www.aaos.org/

Clinic: https://www.dukehealth.org/find-doctors-physicians/annunziato-ned-amendola-md

Please support our Sponsor, Anika Therapeutics: https://anika.com/

Duke World Games: https://ryortho.com/2026/01/duke-health-is-warming-up-early-and-ortho-is-leading-the-charge/

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Truly a likeness that must be carved into Orthopedic Mt. Rushmore, Dr. Merrill Ritter.  We talk about his amazing career, Dane Miller, the Biomet AGC knee, Operation Walk, AAHKS, woodworking, Dr. Larry Dorr and so much more!

Kenyon College Tribute: http://bulletin-archive.kenyon.edu/x2705.html

Biomet AGC Results: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3978738/

JBJS Retirement Paper: https://www.jbjs.org/reader.php?rsuite_id=635518&source=The_Journal_of_Bone_and_Joint_Surgery/81/3/414&topics=hp+kn+pd#info

Marc Adams Woodwork Tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM34inb06TM

Thank you to our sponsor https://kinexmedical.com. Great company and great products, helping patients on their post-operative journey!

How can we help new reps get more comfortable with making sales calls?  Part of that involves hiring a commission-shaped person for a commission-shaped job.  Join me on the waitlist (launching SOON) at: https://www.incirqle.com 

Help our industry, and help yourself, to the easiest mailbox money EVER!

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On todays episode we have a conversation with an orthopedic pioneer and living legend you need to know, Dr. Larry Dorr!  Founder and past President of The Knee Society, Founder of Operation Walk, Founder and past President of AAHKS, countless awards/research papers and citations.....A truly statesman of the industry!   Today is part two of our interview with amazing stories from a storied career, a don't miss!!!!

http://operationwalkusa.org

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On todays episode we have a conversation with an orthopedic pioneer and living legend you need to know, Dr. Larry Dorr!  Founder and past President of The Knee Society, Founder of Operation Walk, Founder and past President of AAHKS, countless awards/research papers and citations.....A truly statesman of the industry!   Today is part one of a two-part interview with amazing stories from a storied career, a don't miss!!!!

https://www.dorrarthritisinstitute.com/dr-dorr-institute/

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On todays episode we have a conversation with an orthopedic spine surgeon you need to know, Dr. Kern Singh!  Dr. Singh has dedicated his career to pioneering minimally invasive outpatient spinal surgery and is co-director of the Minimally Invasive Spinal Institute at Rush. He is an award-winning researcher and has published his findings in major medical journals (more than 200 publications, presentations and book chapters) and is also the principal researcher in several FDA clinical trials involving cervical disc replacements and motion-preserving spinal technology.

Singh is listed in Becker's Orthopedic Spine and Pain Management as one of the nation's Top 100 spine surgeons and specialists. He was also awarded the Top 10 Doctor Award, Most Compassionate Doctor, and Patient's Choice Award from Vitals.com.

http://www.outpatient-spine-surgeon.com

https://www.rushortho.com/doctors/kern-singh

We talk about the concept of being an INNOVATOR in our series on character!  Is it in us to look for ways to bring new and positive change to every aspect of our life and job, or does a "leaf" shut us down?

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On todays episode we have a conversation with Dr. Thomas Fehring, a nationally and globally renowned specialist in Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery at OrthoCarolina.  He is a former President of AAHKS and the Knee Society, and is currently the co-director of OrthoCarolina Hip and Knee Center, Periprosthetic Joint Infection Center and the Orthocarolina Charitable Foundation! 

• Charlotte Business Journal “Best Doctors in America List”
• Multiple time recipient of Charlotte Magazine Top Doctor List
• Becker’s Orthopaedic Review “Knee Surgeons You Should Know”
• Business North Carolina’s Best Doctor List
• Physician of the Year, OrthoCarolina 2011
• Physician of the Year, Novant Orthopaedic Hospital, 2010
• Wake Forest University, Athletic Scholarship - Varsity Football
• NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship for Excellence in Athletics and Academics
• Atlantic Coast Conference Academic ALL Conference

https://orthocarolinafoundation.com

https://www.orthocarolina.com/storage/wysiwyg/fehring_curriculum_vitae.pdf

https://www.orthocarolina.com/directions/periprosthetic-joint-infection-center

We talk about the concept of PERSEVERANCE in our new series on character!  Do we persist positively in the face of difficulty and delay?

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On todays episode we have a conversation with Dr. William Levine, a nationally and globally renowned specialist in arthroscopic and open shoulder, elbow, and knee surgery, and sports medicine. He is Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he holds the Frank E. Stinchfield Professorship in Orthopedic Surgery, and serves as Chief of the Orthopedics Service at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Levine previously served the Department as Vice Chairman for Education, Residency and Fellowship Director, Chief of the Shoulder Service, and Co-Director of the Center for Shoulder, Elbow and Sports Medicine.

As Head Team Physician for Columbia University, Dr. Levine is responsible for providing care for 31 Columbia intercollegiate athletic teams. Under his guidance, the department's surgeons also function as Team Physicians for the New York Yankees, Major League Soccer's (MLS) New York City Football Club, the Rockland Boulders, Fordham University, City College of New York, as well as over 25 high schools. Dr. Levine is a consultant for the National Hockey League Players' Association and chairs the Shoulder and Elbow subcommittee for the National Football League. As a former teaching tennis professional and the starting goalie for Stanford University's club hockey team, Dr. Levine is passionate about sports medicine and dedicated to patient care. He has been named a “Top Doctor in Sports Medicine” by Castle Connolly and New York Magazine, and one of the top 25 shoulder surgeons in the United States by Orthopedics This Week.

We talk about the concept of THANKFULNESS in our new series on character!  Why does this one word affect so much of our interactions with others and our outlook on life in general?

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On todays episode we have a conversation with my dear friend Scott Holdsworth!  He has held many titles though his long and successful career in Ortho Device...Global Extremities Director, Hip Product Director, Sales Training Director et al.  He is currently Senior Director of Career Development at Medical Sales College, putting his incredible breadth of experience to use with the next generation of device leaders!

If you want to be a part of this amazing business, or want to help someone else achieve their dream job, reach out to Scott at:
sholdsworth@medsalescollege.com

You can find more information about the company here:
https://medicalsalescollege.com

We find out why Gladys Knights husband smells amazing, why character should be spelled ch"air"acter, and why you never speak ill of anyone....even if you think they deserve it!  Character is who we truly are, and good character is the foundation of rock upon which a quality house can be built.  

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On todays episode we have a conversation with orthopedic science officer Dr. Roy Crowninshield!  His name is intertwined into many of the big plays in the halcyon days of joint reconstruction....gender knees, cross linked poly, nitrogen-hardened titanium, he was the Bill Nye of orthopedics!

https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/39132055_Roy_D_Crowninshield

We tie up THE most important trait of any device rep (it's not talent)....character.  Everything else can be taught but character is who we truly are, and good character is the foundation of rock upon which a quality house can be built.  Humility flows from good character and opens the door for you to "benefit from your association with fill-in-the-blank."

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