Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists (AOS) would like to formally congratulate two of our doctors for their accomplishment of passing Part II of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Board Exam in 2021. Dr. Jennifer M. Byrd, a Sports Medicine orthopaedic surgeon and Dr. William A. Byrd, a Total Joint Replacement orthopaedic surgeon, both passed their certification exam and are now fully board certified by the ABOS. Both doctors had the additional distinction of passing the exam without having to travel to Chicago and sit for oral case review, an exception granted to only 20% of candidates.
Part II of the Orthopaedic Board Exam consists of an oral exam on 12 of the surgeon’s own patients’ surgery, and is the second of two parts that evaluate the candidate’s clinical competence in order to certify them. To qualify for this exam, candidates must have passed Part I of the exam and worked in orthopaedic surgery for two years. Each year, approximately 700 candidates take the exam, which is usually administered in Chicago.
Dr. Jennifer Byrd was born and raised in Virginia Beach. She attended Norfolk Academy and matriculated to Princeton University. A lifelong athlete, she won the Virginian Pilot Female Athlete of the Year in high school and at Princeton competed in the Heptathlon for the Track and Field team and set the indoor long jump school record.
After a brief career in consulting, Dr. Byrd went on to earn her medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia. She then moved to Pittsburgh, PA for an Orthopaedic Surgery residency at Allegheny General Hospital. She then completed an additional year of fellowship training in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, with a focus on arthroscopic surgery and serving as a team physician. During her time in Cleveland, Dr. Byrd served as a team physician at two local colleges as well as professional baseball and basketball in Cleveland, gaining experience in caring for injured athletes. Dr. Jennifer Byrd’s practice focus is on knee and shoulder injuries in athletes of all ages and abilities.
Dr. William Byrd grew up in Virginia Beach, where he has lived since he was 2 years old. He always knew he wanted to be an orthopaedic surgeon, following in his father’s footsteps. Dr. Byrd graduated from Norfolk Academy, matriculated to Princeton where he competed in the Decathlon for the Track and Field team. He then went on to earn his medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia. He completed his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at Duke, where he developed a passion for the intricacies of adult reconstruction surgery. In pursuit of this passion, he moved to Nashville Tennessee to complete a fellowship in Adult Reconstruction at the Southern Joint Replacement Institute. Dr. William Byrd’s practice focus is on primary and complex revision hip and knee replacements.
Both doctors joined AOS in 2019 and are part of a rich family legacy of excellence at the group which began with their father, Dr. J. Abbott Byrd. Dr. J Abbott Byrd served AOS and our community of patients for decades, and has contributed to invaluable developments in the field of orthopaedic spine surgery. He retired in May 2021 after nearly 34 years of service, including as President of AOS from 2002 to 2018.
Congratulations to Jennifer and William for their accomplishments!
