Dr. C. Benjamin Ma, right, a UCSF sports medicine surgeon, examines a patient’s shoulder. His appointment to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery brings his experience in patient care, education and research to the work of shaping national standards for the profession. (Photo: UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery)
Dr. Ma’s election to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery continues a UCSF tradition of national leadership—and reflects the profession’s responsibility to the patients it serves.
SAN FRANCISCO, October 23, 2026 — Every day, patients place their trust in orthopaedic surgeons to repair broken bones, replace damaged joints and restore function after injuries. Most will never know who helped establish the professional standards behind their surgeon’s certification.
That responsibility belongs, in part, to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS), an independent, nonprofit organization that has helped establish and evaluate standards for the specialty for more than 90 years.
C. Benjamin Ma, MD, chair of the UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, has been elected Director-Elect of the organization, joining a group of national leaders responsible for guiding its work.
Dr. Ma follows three UCSF predecessors who served on the ABOS: LeRoy C. Abbott, MD; David Bradford, MD; and Thomas P. “Tad” Vail, MD. Together, their service connects generations of UCSF leadership with the profession’s responsibility to uphold standards and protect patients.
Dr. Ma joins a select, 21-member board that oversees certification standards for more than 30,000 orthopaedic surgeons across the United States. Nominated through three of the nation’s leading medical organizations—the American Orthopaedic Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Medical Association—board members help shape the standards by which surgeons demonstrate their qualifications and maintain certification throughout their careers.
“Patients trust us with their health, their mobility and their quality of life. That trust carries a responsibility that extends beyond any individual surgeon,” said Dr. Ma, a shoulder surgeon, sports medicine specialist, researcher and educator.
“The ABOS helps ensure that the standards of our profession are guided by the best available science, the highest expectations for clinical practice and, above all, the interests of our patients. I’m humbled by the opportunity to help maintain the standard of our profession in and beyond the operating room.”
Dr. C. Benjamin Ma, second from right, speaks with attendees at UCSF’s 2026 Inman-Abbott Meeting at UCSF’s Mission Bay campus. His commitment to teaching, research and mentorship carries forward the department’s tradition of preparing future leaders in orthopaedic surgery. (Photo: UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery)
The Standards Behind the Surgeon
Founded in 1934, the ABOS establishes standards for the education and certification of orthopaedic surgeons. Through examinations and professional practice evaluations, it assesses whether surgeons meet established requirements for certification and continued certification.
Its work reflects a fundamental challenge in medicine: surgical knowledge and techniques continually evolve, but the responsibility to protect patients remains constant.
New technologies, changing treatment approaches and growing evidence about patient outcomes raise questions about what surgeons should know, how their qualifications should be assessed and how professional competence should be maintained throughout a career.
The ABOS Board of Directors helps guide the organization as it addresses those questions.
A Tradition of National Leadership
UCSF’s orthopaedic history began in 1930, when Dr. LeRoy C. Abbott was chosen to develop orthopaedic surgery as a separate division within the Department of Surgery. When Orthopaedic Surgery became an autonomous department in 1949, Dr. Abbott became its first chair.
His work established a foundation that continues today at UCSF sites throughout the Bay Area: bringing clinical care, research and education together to advance the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. His service on the ABOS extended that commitment to the national level.
Dr. David Bradford, who chaired the department from 1991 to 2004, also served on the ABOS. At UCSF, he expanded clinical programs, helped establish the foundation of the department’s research program and recruited specialists across orthopaedic subspecialties, helping build the department’s national reputation.
Dr. Thomas P. Vail, who became UCSF’s sixth orthopaedic surgery chair in 2007, continued that tradition. The department has grown significantly and its impact extends around the world. He served on the ABOS Board of Directors from 2009 to 2019, including as vice president.
“The ABOS is a very special organization with a core mission of protecting the best interests of the public. In pursuit of that goal, the activities of the ABOS are very much in line with the ethos of orthopaedic surgeons, who have always made patients the central focus,” said Dr. Vail.
“I am delighted by the appointment of Ben Ma to the board. As a colleague at UCSF, I appreciated his strong leadership, clear thinking, and tireless patient advocacy. Congratulations Ben!”
That commitment to patients and the profession also resonates with Dr. Kevin Bozic, a past president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and former UCSF colleague who began his career alongside Dr. Ma.
“I've known Ben for more than 20 years, since we started our careers together at UCSF. What I’ve always appreciated about him is how seriously he takes his responsibility to patients and to the surgeons he trains. At UCSF, we were encouraged to think beyond our own practices and take responsibility for advancing the profession. Ben has carried that commitment throughout his career, and I’m thrilled to see him bring his experience and judgment to the ABOS,” said Dr. Bozic.
Dr. C. Benjamin Ma (left) with former UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery chairs Dr. David Bradford (center) and Dr. Tad Vail (right) at an alumni social during the 2025 Inman-Abbott Scientific Meeting. Their service on the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery reflects the department’s longstanding tradition of national leadership. (Photo: UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery)
A Career in Surgery, Science and Education
Dr. Ma specializes in shoulder surgery and orthopaedic sports medicine. He has served as a team physician for the University of California, Berkeley and the San Francisco Giants.
A graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, he completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
As a researcher, Dr. Ma has published more than 300 scientific articles, contributing to advances in sports medicine, shoulder surgery and the understanding of musculoskeletal injuries.
At UCSF, his work combines clinical care, scientific investigation and the education of future orthopaedic surgeons. His election brings that experience to a national organization whose decisions influence how surgeons are evaluated and certified throughout their careers.
Beyond UCSF
For academic medical centers, participation in organizations such as the ABOS creates an important connection between scientific discovery, the realities of clinical practice and the standards used to evaluate surgeons.
It also reflects a larger professional obligation: ensuring that surgical standards keep pace with scientific progress and remain grounded in the interests of patients.
“One of our most important responsibilities as educators is preparing the next generation of surgeons,” said Dr. Ma. “Serving on the ABOS is an opportunity to contribute to that work nationally and to help ensure that the profession continues to earn the trust patients place in us.”