Featured: Foundation News

Campbell Clinic Celebrates 116 Years of Orthopaedic Innovation

THIS YEAR, CAMPBELL CLINIC CELEBRATES 116 YEARS of innovation as a world-renowned orthopaedic clinic known for pioneering some of the greatest advancements in surgery, physician training, and medical technology.

Founded in Memphis in 1909 by Jackson, Mississippi native Dr. Willis Campbell, a pediatrician with a growing interest in orthopaedics and surgery. His research eventually led him away from Memphis and pediatrics to London and later Vienna, where he studied orthopaedic surgery before eventually returning to Memphis to establish Campbell Clinic.

“The founding of Campbell Clinic was significant historically, as during this time period, orthopaedic surgeons did not practice outside of major cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston,” says Campbell Clinic Chief of Staff and physician Dr. Frederick Azar. “Dr. Campbell later established a residency program, the first of its kind in the region.”

Since its founding, the clinic’s residency program has developed best practices and guidelines for future orthopaedic surgeons in training, while the clinic itself has become one of the most respected orthopaedic centers in the world. In 1910, the University of Tennessee medical campus opened, where Dr. Campbell was appointed to organize the orthopaedic surgery department, a position he held until his death in 1941.

Dr. Campbell’s influence as a leader in orthopaedic associations and publishing is also notable, and Campbell Clinic has continued his legacy. He co-founded The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and served as its first president. He later published the first comprehensive textbook on orthopaedic surgery, Campbell’s Operative Orthopaedics (first released in 1939 and now in its 15th edition), which set the standard for orthopaedic reference books and is widely considered “the bible of orthopaedic surgery.”

In 1946, the Campbell Clinic Foundation was chartered to support resident education, and in 1990, the foundation formally partnered with the University of Tennessee-Memphis Department of Orthopaedic Surgery to manage the residency program. Today, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Campbell Clinic orthopaedic surgery residency program houses 40 of the best and brightest orthopaedic residents. This legacy of education is upheld as Campbell Clinic doctors teach and lecture globally, continuing Dr. Campbell’s mission of advancing knowledge.

One of Campbell Clinic’s most notable attributes is its ability to stay at the forefront of medical advancements and innovative surgical technology. “It starts with our predecessors,” says Dr. Frederick Azar. “We promote innovation in all areas of orthopaedic care, from sports medicine and joint replacements to pediatric orthopaedic care.”

The MAGEC system for pediatric scoliosis, a non-invasive approach, has improved outcomes for scoliosis patients worldwide.

The Campbell Clinic Foundation supports surgical advancements and endeavors which impact the Mid-South region and beyond. The Foundation facilitates surgical education through the 100-year-old medical residency and fellowship programs, conducts leading-edge orthopaedic research, and hosts community-focused programming. According to Executive Director Jenny Koltnow, the foundation is the backbone of Campbell Clinic.

“Orthopaedic innovation has revolutionized patient care and offered new ways to heal, relieve pain, restore mobility, and sustain an active lifestyle,” says Koltnow. “We’re defined by the legacy of teaching and leading in our field. The Campbell Clinic Foundation attracts, educates, and supports orthopaedic surgeons and healthcare professionals, who in turn, provide best-in-class patient care.”

Dr. Azar’s contributions to Campbell Clinic’s legacy are significant. His impressive career as a well-known and respected orthopaedic surgeon has allowed him numerous professional opportunities, including serving as team physician for the Memphis Grizzlies for 22 seasons, co-authoring and editing multiple medical publications, and taking on leadership roles in international medical organizations.

Dr. Azar notes that one of Campbell Clinic’s conductors of success and innovation is its culture of embracing evidence-based research conducted both independently and in collaboration with other institutions around the world, ensuring every new surgical technique, training process, or other innovation is both safe and effective.

“This balance between progress and prudence has made Campbell Clinic a trusted institution,” says Dr. Azar. “We’re not just testing things to see if they work; we’re creating industry standards and teaching the next generation of surgeons based on what we have shown to be true in studies. We work hard to preserve our culture of faith, family, and patient care.”

Campbell Clinic has pioneered remarkable advancements in orthopaedic care, setting new standards in areas such as sports medicine, trauma, joint replacement, pediatric orthopaedic care, physical therapy, spinal surgery, and orthopaedic oncology.

In 1986, the clinic developed the Russell-Taylor Nail, transforming the treatment of long bone fractures and allowing for rapid post-surgery recovery and mobility.

In recent years, the clinic’s physicians pioneered outpatient joint replacement surgery, allowing patients to go home on the same day—a once-unthinkable practice now considered standard.

In 2014, Dr. Jeffrey Sawyer was the first Memphis surgeon to conduct a surgical procedure using the MAGEC system.

Germantown Magazine
Written by Sarah Vaughan
Photo by Alex Ginsburg Photographics

Share to:

Follow Us:

More Stories:

Categories: