The POSNA Hall of Fame provides an enduring history to honor those POSNA members who have displayed dedication to the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, teaching and mentoring, studying musculoskeletal conditions in children and caring for children with musculoskeletal conditions. Nominations for inductees are taken each fall by the POSNA membership and selected by the Awards Committee and members of the Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame Categories: Leadership, Diversity, Teacher, Humanitarian, Hero, Triumph over Adversity, Pioneer, Contributions to Literature, Home Person (one who does the real work while others go to meetings), Fox-Hole Buddy (reliable person when the stakes are high), Exceptional Clinician, POSNA Service
Eligibility:
Wallace B. Lehman, MD
Dr. Wallace B. Lehman has been a steadfast pillar of pediatric orthopaedics for over six decades. His nearly 70-year affiliation with the Hospital for Joint Diseases (HJD) began with his internship and residency in 1958. It culminated in his long tenure as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. After early work in Nassau County and Israel—including service during the Yom Kippur War as Chief Orthopedic Surgeon for the Israel Defense Forces at Asaf HaRofeh Hospital in 1973—from 1978 to 1980, Dr. Lehman served as Medical Director and Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at Alyn Children's Hospital in Jerusalem. He then returned to HJD in 1980. From then on, he devoted his career to advancing pediatric orthopaedics and neuromuscular care alongside his close friend and colleague, Dr. Alfred Grant.
In 1983, he became a founding member of POSNA, helping merge the Pediatric Orthopedic Society and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Study Group. He served on POSNA’s Board of Directors from 1991 to 1995 and as treasurer from 1992 to 1995.
In 1991, he was named Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at NYU School of Medicine. He later founded and directed the New York Ponseti Clubfoot Center, becoming a passionate advocate for this life-changing method. From 2008 to 2010, he helped lead POSNA-supported Ponseti workshops in many countries, including Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Jordan.
Dr. Lehman co-authored more than 115 publications on key topics in pediatric orthopaedics, including clubfoot, hip dysplasia, SCFE, and Perthes disease. His philosophical approach to Perthes was distilled in one of his favorite Gertrude Stein quotes: “There is no answer. There never has been an answer. That is the answer.” A reproduction of Picasso’s 1906 portrait of Stein, with that quote, hung above his desk at HJD on 17th Street in Manhattan—a daily reminder of the intellectual humility and curiosity that defined his work.
Accolades alone cannot capture Dr. Lehman’s legacy. He is, in every sense, a mentsch—a Yiddish word for a person of integrity, honor, and kindness. Dr. Lehman embodies the highest ideals of our field—tireless, humble, and devoted to the care of children. His hands shaped the future of pediatric orthopaedics, but it is his heart that we will always remember.
Biography written by Dr. Pablo Castañeda on behalf of the History & Hall of Fame Committee
