G. Paul DeRosa, MD
1939 - 2022
The information below is modified from a post that appeared in The Herald-Sun.
Dr. DeRosa was raised in Angola, IN, and attended the University of Notre Dame upon graduation from high school. After graduation from Notre Dame, he attended the Indiana University School of Medicine, graduating as the valedictorian. Upon completion of his orthopaedic residency, Dr. DeRosa relocated to London, England, for a pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children. After the fellowship, he returned to the U.S. to serve in the Air Force, where he attained the rank of Major. He then returned to Indiana University as an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, followed by Associate Professor, Professor, and finally Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery from 1986 to 1995. He spent 25 years at Indiana University and in 1995, he relocated to North Carolina to become the Executive Director of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) in Chapel Hill as well as a Professor of Surgery at the Duke University School of Medicine. He retired from the faculty at Duke University in 2006 as a Professor Emeritus. He then retired as Executive Director of the ABOS in February 2008 and held Emeritus status with the Board.
Dr. DeRosa served as President of the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association, President of the American Orthopaedic Association, Chair of the ACGME/RRC for Orthopaedic Surgery, and President of the National Residency Matching Program in 2007. He was a member of the 20th Century Orthopaedic Association. In 1990, he was elected to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery where he became involved with the certification and recertification of orthopaedic surgeons, creating over 3000 exam questions that are still in use today.
Dr. DeRosa was a member of the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Think Tank, the European Pediatric Orthopaedic Society, and spoke extensively around the world. He was a prolific educator and authored several hundred articles relating to pediatric orthopaedics, especially on the topics of club feet, scoliosis, and congenital birth defects requiring orthopaedic intervention. He has also written extensively on professionalism in orthopaedics and medical ethics, including authoring a book titled, Doing the Right Thing.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, MaryAnn DeRosa (Swaim), daughters Peggy Stair (Steve), Kathleen Lytle (Paul), Julia Wasoski (Scott), Karen Johnson (Jason), and JJ DeRosa (Molli). He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and a younger brother.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to either the Piedmont Orthopaedic Society, P.O. Box 2877, Durham, NC 27715 or Riley Children's Foundation, P.O. Box 3356, Indianapolis, IN 46206.
