History

Hall of Fame

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:


Inductees:

G. Dean MacEwen, MD
2019
 

Dr. G. Dean MacEwen, MD has had an enormous impact on POSNA and its membership as well as the entire field of pediatric orthopaedic surgery.  He was a previous recipient of the POSNA Distinguished Achievement Award in 1995.  One of his great mentees and partners, Bob Hensinger, said “I am sure that Dean’s influencewill spread over several generations.” 

Dean MacEwen was born in Metcalfe, Ontario, Canada and raised on a farm.  He was encouraged by his aunt who was a nurse to pursue medicine and earned his MD at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.  He completed an internship in Surgery at the District of Columbia General Hospital and orthopaedic residency at Campbell Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee.  At that time he observed that pediatric orthopaedics was practiced by specialists who cared for both adults and pediatric patients. 

During residency, Dr. MacEwen developed an interest in children’s orthopaedics, and after completing training, he moved to the Alfred I. DuPont Institute in Wilmington, Delaware in 1958 to partner with Dr. Alfred Shands. 
Dr. MacEwen was a great clinician and leader at the DuPont Institute for more than 30 years - he estimated that he trained more than one third of POSNA members with direct or visitor training while there!  His clinical interests focused on pediatric spine and developmental dysplasia of the hip.  He moved to the Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1987 where he was chair of pediatric orthopaedic surgery.  He then joined the Department of Orthopaedics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children from 1995 to 2001 and he continued to serve as a consultant at the Philadelphia Shriner’s Hospital for years thereafter.                   

Dr. MacEwan was known always as a great thinker, excellent surgeon, and most prominently for his great skills as a moderator and lecturer.  He was known around the world as an amazing lecturer and teacher.  According to Bob Hensinger, as a moderator he could “get the most out of a panel of experts.  He had insightful comments and would stir the pot.”  Bob also complemented “His strength was teaching the principles that endure and not trasnsitory procedures.”  In addition, Dr. Shands, Dr. MacEwen, and Dr. Bowen after him have been leaders in long term followup of the procedures we do as pediatric orthopaedic surgeons.  They made a great effort to continue to follow patients and see everyone back at the DuPont Institute to continue to learn and to continue to improve our specialty and recommendations for patients.

During his career, he received many honors and awards.   He stated he was proudest of his article on the need for early detection in Congenital Dysplasia of the Hip or CDH (now DDH), and he felt his efforts for school screening for scoliosis raised awareness and made a big impact.  The G. Dean MacEwen, M.D. Professorship of Pediatric Orthopaedics was established in 2001 at the LSU Health Sciences Center.

Dr. MacEwen and his wife Lynn have loved travel and time with their five children.  He has always stressed that education is the key to personal satisfaction and is an essential contribution we can make in pediatric orthopaedics.  He put his energy throughout his career into teaching and inspiring and said, “Look for the young people, advise them, and help them to get started.”

Biography written by Dr. Michelle Caird, on behalf of the History & Hall of Fame Committee. 2024.  
 

Back to List