The AAOS Office of Government Relations (OGR) is proud to introduce its 2020 Resident Advocacy Fellows: Carl L. Herndon, MD, and Kacy Peek, MD.
Launched in early 2018, the one-year fellowship is designed to encourage orthopaedic residents to participate in the national health policy arena and ultimately become lifelong advocates of the profession. Eligible post-graduate year (PGY)-3 and -4 residents who are selected for the fellowship have the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of health policy legislative and regulatory processes; contribute to the development of new policies and programs, as well as strategic planning; work on various projects with senior AAOS staff; and develop a strong foundation for leadership in the healthcare environment.
During their tenure as Resident Advocacy Fellows, participants will attend the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference, partake in Capitol Hill visits and advocacy training, spend a week at the AAOS OGR office, develop a presentation on health policy issues covered during the program, and actively engage in resident advocacy.
Carl L. Herndon, MD
Dr. Herndon is a PGY-4 orthopaedic surgery resident at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Originally from the Chicago area, he graduated from Northwestern University and completed medical school at the University of Florida College of Medicine prior to residency. From an early age, he has had multiple opportunities to travel on medical missions abroad with his mother, an obstetrician-gynecologist, and cultivate a heart of service. After graduating from Northwestern University and before enrolling in medical school, Dr. Herndon worked on the medical operations team of a large, federally qualified, inner-city health center, where he was first exposed to advocacy and how health policy can affect the daily lives of both patients and healthcare professionals. In medical school, he served as president of his class and was a member of both the local chapter of the American Medical Association and the Florida Medical Association. He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and won several other awards for service. During residency, he has been an active member of the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons and also serves on both the AAOS Council on Education and the Resident Assembly Health Policy Committee. After residency, he plans to pursue a fellowship in total joint arthroplasty and continue to advocate for both surgeons and patients.
