What happens when a respected orthopaedic chair steps away from the big title to get back to the OR, residents, and real day-to-day impact? We sit down with Dr. Keith Kenter to unpack a rare leadership arc—building an academic culture in Kalamazoo, navigating post-COVID administrative sprawl, and ultimately returning to Missouri to reclaim core values: teaching, operating, and mentoring. It’s a candid look at ego, identity, and the quiet power of influence without authority.

Dr. Kenter shares how he elevated scholarly activity, promoted faculty, and designed a longitudinal musculoskeletal education program, then watched his role expand across multiple surgical services until the clinical work he loved slipped out of reach. Family, foresight, and timing opened a door at Mizzou, where strong culture and deep bench strength offered collaboration, patient-first focus, and the daily satisfaction of training the next generation.

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Want a real look at how independent orthopaedic groups thrive while hospitals buy up urgent cares, primary care, and the referral rails? Dr. Doug Lundy, AOA host, sits down with Dr. Kimmerly, president at Peachtree Orthopedics in Atlanta, to unpack how a 44-physician practice stays nimble, patient-centered, and profitable in a market dominated by large systems and complex EHR ecosystems. The story isn’t about being the biggest—it’s about building a vertically integrated experience that moves patients from access to outcome with speed and clarity.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague who’s weighing independence vs employment, and leave a quick review with your biggest takeaway. Your feedback helps more surgeons find conversations that matter.