Smith+Nephew (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology company announces
its Orthopaedics for All initiative - a global advisory board established to
amplify diversity by building equity, breaking biases, and inspiring inclusion
for individuals wishing to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery.
The disparity of women in the field of orthopaedic surgery compared to men is
staggering. According to multiple studies, only 15% of all orthopaedic residents
were women and just 7.4% were practicing orthopaedic surgeons in the United
States during 2022. Several factors may contribute to this inequity including
greater vulnerability to work-family conflict, less supportive references than
their male counterparts, and less national research funding compared to men.
Smith+Nephew aims to address these long-standing challenges headfirst and help
set new standards in patient centric care.
Board member Dr. Jessica Hooper, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery at Stanford Health Care commented, "Orthopaedics for All, to
me, means giving everybody a voice in our field and direction on where we're
going in the future."
The Smith+Nephew Orthopaedics for All global advisory board is comprised of
approximately twenty leading female key opinion leaders and surgeons in the
adult hip and knee orthopaedic reconstruction segment and includes
representatives from all over the world. Board members must have a minimum of
two years post-fellowship experience in reconstructive surgery, a mix of both
academic and private practice experience, and an interest in gender diversity
and inclusion initiatives. Orthopaedics for All will also drive awareness in the
greater orthopaedic surgeon community around the technical skills and competence
female orthopaedic surgeons possess.
Smith+Nephew's Chief Human Resource Officer Elga Lohler commented, "There is
meaningful data that supports the case for increased diversity within medicine
and more broadly the medical device industry. Diversifying our work force is not
just critical to improving employee engagement and retention, which directly
impacts business growth and profitability, but diversity in medicine can also
help reduce health care disparity and improve patient outcomes. Our Orthopaedics
for All global advisory board has been established to truly understand the needs
of a more diverse customer group, so that we can build sustainable strategies
that address rapidly evolving customer needs."
Board member Ms. Chloe Scott, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Edinburgh
Orthopaedic Specialists, UK explained, "I'm really excited to be a part of
Orthopaedics for All. I think Smith+Nephew has gone a step further than the
other companies in terms of actually being proactive to improve engagement with
women in arthroplasty, which is really refreshing to see."
Smith+Nephew recently partnered with the Perry Initiative who hosted forty
female high school students at Wake Forest School of Medicine to explore hands-
on surgery modules and receive mentorship from women surgeons and engineers. The
Perry Initiative inspires young women to be leaders in orthopaedic surgery and
engineering by partnering with medical centers, universities and high schools
across the US.
"The Smith+Nephew Orthopaedics for All advisory board gives women in
arthroplasty a voice and a wonderful chance to contribute to the field of
arthroplasty, much like the Perry Initiative gives opportunities to individuals
interested in engineering and orthopaedics," commented Antonia F. Chen, MD,
Chief of Arthroplasty and Joint Reconstruction, Brigham and Women's Hospital and
Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School.
To learn more about Smith+Nephew and our purpose of 'Life Unlimited', please
visit www.smith-nephew.com (http://www.smith-nephew.com).
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Media Enquiries

Dave Snyder          +1 (978) 749-1440
Smith+Nephew      david.snyder@smith-nephew.com (mailto:David.snyder@smith-

nephew.com)
About Smith+Nephew
Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair,
regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore
people's bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off
living. We call this purpose 'Life Unlimited'. Our 18,000 employees deliver this
mission every day, making a difference to patients' lives through the excellence
of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies
across our three global business units of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT
and Advanced Wound Management.
Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in more than 100 countries, and
generated annual sales of $5.5 billion in 2023. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of
the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms 'Group' and 'Smith+Nephew' are used to
refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the
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