Hospital for Special Surgery Appoints Dr. James W. Schroeder, Jr., as Chief Academic Officer

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) announced today the appointment of James W. Schroeder, Jr., MD, MBA, as Chief Academic Officer, effective December 1, 2025. In this role, Dr. Schroeder will lead all aspects of the hospital’s academic mission, serving as Designated Institutional Official (DIO) and overseeing graduate and continuing medical education, academic promotions and credentialing.

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Hospital for Special Surgery Appoints Dr. James W. Schroeder, Jr., as Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Schroeder joins HSS from Northwestern University, where he held joint appointments as Professor in the departments of Medical Education and Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine. During his more than two decades of service, he helped to strengthen educational infrastructure and develop sustainable governance models through multiple leadership roles in graduate and undergraduate medical education and faculty development, including as inaugural Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Surgery at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and as Assistant Designated Institutional Official (DIO) at the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. McGaw is a not-for-profit consortium that supports graduate medical education for more than 1,200 residents and fellows across over 180 accredited and non-ACGME programs affiliated with the Feinberg School of Medicine.

Trained as an otolaryngologist, Dr. Schroeder was also the long-time Program Director of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship at Lurie Children’s Hospital—one of the highest-rated programs of its kind in the country. His clinical expertise lies in the management of pediatric sinonasal, airway and swallowing disorders, and his research focuses on pediatric dysphagia related to congenital and acquired airway conditions. He has published more than 70 scientific articles and book chapters and he lectures frequently on these topics. Dr. Schroeder plans to continue his clinical practice at Weill Cornell Medical Center.

At HSS, Dr. Schroeder will oversee all graduate and continuing medical education programs, academic promotions, alumni relations, community health needs, credentialing and other scholarly activities. He will also play a central role in advancing HSS’s educational vision through expanded interprofessional learning, enhanced faculty development, and a focus on ensuring that residents and fellows have the mentorship, resources and learning environments they need to thrive.

“Education is central to our mission and to the advancement of musculoskeletal care worldwide,” said Douglas E. Padgett, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief and Medical Director at HSS. “Dr. Schroeder’s leadership and depth of experience will help shape the next generation of physicians and ensure that HSS remains at the forefront of medical education and innovation.”

“I’m honored to join the talented team at HSS at a moment when changing healthcare needs and innovation in healthcare delivery are redefining what’s possible in musculoskeletal medicine,” said Dr. Schroeder. “As technology continues to reshape the way we provide the highest quality care to more people today, it reinforces our need to embrace and lead the changing paradigms of medical and surgical education for the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. I’m proud to help guide the future direction of our renowned education programs and to make expert musculoskeletal knowledge more accessible and relevant to clinicians everywhere.”

About HSS

HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 16th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2025-2026), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2025-2026). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.

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