It is my great pleasure to present Professor Alain Dimeglio for his selection to the POSNA Hall of Fame. I had the opportunity to meet Professor Dimeglio in 2012 when he was a visiting professor at Boston Children's Hospital. It was easy to appreciate his passion for the field of pediatric orthopaedics, for performing impactful research that guides our clinical practice, and for teaching generations of orthopaedic surgeons. Over the past 12 years, Professor Dimeglio has continued to be an important mentor in my career. It was an honor to interview him for this recognition, and he wished to prepare a few words for our Society (below).
Professor Dimgelio’s long and illustrious career started at the medical school in Montpellier, France, in 1978. He became chairman of the Pediatric Orthopedic Department in 1995 and Vice Dean of the Medical School in 2000. He has also been a founding member of several pediatric orthopaedic organizations, including the Pediatric Orthopaedic Study Group (POSG), International Pediatric Orthopaedic Think Tank (IPOTT), EPOS, and POSNA. He has traveled around the world and has been a visiting professor throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. His most significant contributions have been in defining skeletal growth and maturation, managing clubfoot, as well as Legg Calvé Perthes disease. He has trained more than 162 residents since 1975 and directly influenced the careers of orthopaedic surgeons from all around the world. The Hall of Fame Committee takes great pride in inducting Professor Alain Dimeglio into the 2024 Class of the POSNA Hall of Fame.
From Professor Dimeglio:
Thank you for giving me your time. It is always very delicate to talk about yourself. The trajectory of a life is complex.
At the start of my residency, solid training in pediatrics changed my outlook on pediatric orthopaedics. I quickly understood that growth was at the heart of the problem. I had the opportunity to do a fellowship in adult orthopaedics and general pediatric surgery, which opened great surgical perspectives for me.
At the very beginning of my training in 1971, Professors John Sharrard and Mihran O. Tachdjian strongly influenced my career. Sharrard, in Sheffield, introduced me to neuro-orthopaedics, and Tachdjian, in Chicago, warmly advised me and allowed me to participate in teaching seminars from the start, inviting me every year. I had the opportunity to meet some of the big names in orthopaedics at these seminars: Salter, Mac Even, Carrol, Mercer Rang, Wagner, and Ponseti. I went to their services to deepen my knowledge.
Travel has been an exceptional source of enrichment. “Others don’t think like us.” I always tell my residents: “Get out of your comfort zone, be kites.”
I had the chance to join at the beginning the Pediatric Study Group (1980), POSNA, the first congress under the direction of Wilkins (Charlotteville–1983), the EPOS, the first congress in Paris with Bensahel (1982), the IPOTT with Tachdjian in Aix-en- Provence and later Moseley, then the teaching course with Price, the EOS with Abkarnia.
Each Society has been a source of stimulation and energy. My role was to network and align them. Asian Societies stimulated my interest: Indian (Johari), Vietnamese, Myanmar, Chinese, Japanese Societies…
In 1988, a close collaboration was established with the Dallas team: Herring, Birch, Johnston, Richards, and Karol.
(Left Image: Italy – Roma: With the Italian and Egyptian teams. Residents that we have trained are our best titles of nobility)
In Montpellier, our organization was modeled on the American system: teaching, care, research, and prevention. Andy Sullivan, former president, and David Aronson, president of POSNA, spent a year in Montpellier with us. The training of foreign students is our greatest reward. Many are responsible for different services around the world. “Teaching is having the talent to transmit talent to others.”
Humanitarian action is the priority mission of pediatric orthopaedics: to treat all the world's children, regardless of their origin or religion. Continuity is essential. Twenty years in Algeria, 20 years in Vietnam, 5 years in Myanmar. 
(Right Top Image: POSNA EPOS in Vietnam: Bridging the world; Right Bottom Image: Myanmar 2019 -Teaching program with Pr Kaelin – For the children, by the children, with the children)
“For the children, with the children, by the children.”
My research focused on the growth plate, growth, clubfoot, and Legg Perthes Calvé disease.
I strongly believe in the effectiveness of prevention, an everyday fight, and the art of winning the war without shedding a drop of blood.
Federico Canavese, brilliant, polyglot, traveler, efficient, is the perfect illustration of this philosophy. He is the ambassador of the Montpellier school. My role today is to pass the baton to him.
Nothing is achieved, life continues. The new generation challenges the future.
Nothing would have been possible without the effective support of my wife, Valérie, and my family.
(Left Image: Pr Dimeglio with his wife, Valérie)
- Pr Alain Dimeglio
Biography written by Dr. V. Salil Upasani, on behalf of the Hall of Fame Committee, 2024
