Mentoring Medical Students: How To Make a Lasting Impact and (Hopefully) Inspire an Interest in Ortho

This episode explores the art and responsibility of mentoring medical students in orthopaedic surgery, featuring guest Amiethab Aiyer, MD, FAAOS.

Dr. Aiyer, Division Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and founder of the widely followed OrthoMentor Instagram channel, joins host Ellen Lutnick, MD, AAOS Resident Assembly Executive Committee Chair, for a candid conversation about mentorship at every stage of training.

Dr. Aiyer shares his own unexpected path to orthopaedics, pivoting late in medical school after originally planning a career in pediatric oncology, and reflects on how that experience shaped his deep commitment to making himself accessible to students navigating similar crossroads.

He draws a meaningful distinction between mentorship, advising, and coaching, and offers practical guidance on how trainees and attendings alike can be more intentional about building those relationships.

Listeners will also hear his perspective on what makes a good mentee, the growing role of social media and orthopaedic organizations in connecting students with resources, and why availability and accessibility are among the most important qualities a mentor can offer.

Guest: Amiethab Aiyer, MD, FAAOS, Division Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery and Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Deputy Editor, Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Host: Ellen Lutnick, MD, AAOS Resident Assembly Executive Committee Chair