True Grit in Leadership: 2018 AOA Critical Issues Symposium Addressing Grit, Sex Inequality, and Underrepresented Minorities in Orthopaedics

Grit is a positive noncognitive trait that is based on an individual's passion for long-term goals, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve. Grit has been shown to be a greater predictor of success than intelligence. As the curriculum for orthopaedic trainees continues to evolve, deliberate practice for surgical skills, encouraging a growth mindset, and enhancing grit may be as important as preparation for board examinations. Although talent and skill play a role in achievement, the effort put forth in developing a skill can dramatically affect the ultimate achievement. Therefore, grit is a trait that can be developed. As educators, we can encourage hard work, reflection, and appropriate risk-taking. Implicit biases and microaggressions occur on a daily basis within orthopaedics, and grit will be an important trait to possess in order to combat these biases. However, we also will have to work as a community to create a more welcoming culture to underrepresented groups so that we can provide the highest level of musculoskeletal care and improve patient outcomes.