May 8–11, 2024  | National Harbor, MD

I am extremely grateful to have been selected by Dr. Dan Sucato, Chief of Staff at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital (TSRH), and current president of the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America (POSNA) to be his Presidential Guest Lecturer at the EPOSNA meeting in Washington D.C., a combined meeting of POSNA and the Eurpoean Pediatric Orthopedic Society (EPOS).

The title of my presentation given on Wednesday May 8th was “Managing the Imbalance”—but NOT Spinal Imbalance which is what I would typically speak on. The custom is for the Presidential lecture not to focus on an area of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, but on other areas of our lives, and I chose to give a personal reflection how I have tried, both successfully and unsuccessfully at times, to balance the work-life responsibilities that all busy surgeons have. Typically we are managing the imbalance if we are honest with ourselves, as maintaining true “balance” is extremely challenging for those of us who are driven to be the best we can be as surgeons taking care of children, along with our other passions in academics, leadership, society roles and other responsibilities.

I thank Dr. Sucato for the honor of being his Presidential lecture and hope my comments and reflections will help others “manage the imbalance” of our busy but extremely rewarding career and lives!

—Lawrence Lenke, MD