Suburban Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine and Kaiser Permanente premier hospital partner, presented its distinguished annual Humanitarian Award to Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (MAPMG) orthopedists, Drs. Mychelle Shegog, Audrey Tsao, and Rinelda Horton, MD. The physicians were honored for providing exceptional care through charitable programs coordinated by Women Orthopaedist Global Outreach (WOGO), a nonprofit organization that addresses medical care needs for vulnerable communities.
This year’s winners are fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons who treat patients at the Bethesda, Md., hospital. The physicians were chosen from among the hospital’s 1,800 employees and 1,500 medical and allied health staff. Suburban’s medical staff chair selects the winner(s) to recognize humanitarian services in the community.
In addition to providing high-quality, coordinated care for more than 600,000 Kaiser Permanente local members, MAPMG physicians are encouraged to pursue volunteer care opportunities and to dedicate their expertise to charitable causes. When asked about the honor and her related work, Dr. Tsao shared, “You don’t do it for recognition–you do it because you want to help people.”
Volunteers with WOGO not only provide life-changing medical care that helps women reclaim the physical capability to contribute to their community and to support their families, but they also deliver clothing and shoes earmarked for local communities and speak to groups of young women about the importance of education. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ most recent census, only 5% of orthopedic surgeons are women, but Drs. Shegog, Tsao and Horton believe they can inspire more women to consider careers in the field by serving as role models.
Drs. Tsao and Horton are two of the co-founders of WOGO, incorporated in 2009. They have traveled with their cohorts to Tanzania, Nepal and Guatemala to examine chronic pain sufferers, conduct surgeries and train local surgeons and other healthcare professionals. During the first four days of their recent work in Tanzania, WOGO volunteers examined 36 local patients, replaced more than forty knee joints and provided injections to offer patients relief.
Learn more about these MAPMG physicians:
Mychelle Shegog
Dr. Shegog completed her residency at Stanford Hospital (Calif.) and a fellowship in pediatric sports medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. She specializes in sports medicine and practices at Kaiser Permanente’s Largo Medical Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Rinelda Horton
Dr. Horton completed her residency at Howard University Hospital (Washington, D.C.) and a fellowship in adult reconstruction at University Hospitals Case Medical Center (Cleveland, Ohio). She specializes in revision hip and knee surgery, and complex primary joint replacements and practices at Kaiser Permanente’s Gaithersburg Medical Center in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Audrey Tsao
Dr. Tsao completed her residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago) and a fellowship in adult reconstruction at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, MD) and practices at Kaiser Permanente’s Largo Medical Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
