Jim Abbott Brings Inspiration, Team Spirit to AAOS

When reflecting on the 2012 installment of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting, some attendees will fondly recall a dinner at Morton’s steakhouse with Orthopedic Design & Technology magazine, Pro-Dex Inc. and with former Major League Baseball player Jim Abbott.

Many know Abbott as the left-handed pitcher who was born without a right hand. Others, who have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity, know him as an inspiring professional speaker who helps individuals and companies alike understand what it means to adapt.

The willingness to adapt, said Abbott, is the willingness to change, and mold ourselves in order to meet the obstacles in our own way. Adapting is what enables us to move forward toward our goals. Facing obstacles has become ubiquitous for many in the medical technology industry. There’s acute pressure to not just innovate, but to get innovations approved swiftly the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and have them be cost- and clinically effective.

Add to the mix growing global competition, intellectual property threats, the high cost of resources, tighter regulation and proposed tax increases, and the relevancy of Abbott’s title for the evening’s discussion, “Teamwork in Tough Times,” was a home run.

In addition to productive networking and enjoying world-famous cuisine, guests from leading medical technology companies had the opportunity to gather at their designated tables and discuss a question related to how they had approached or adapted to a challenging situation.

These lively and interesting discussions made for a valuable exchange of ideas and appreciation for the unique challenges faced in the medical technology industry. They also set the stage for Jim Abbott to share the acronym he developed for the word “adapt.”

A – Adjustability
D – Determination
A – Accountability
P – Perseverance
T – Trust

Having overcome many obstacles in his baseball career, Abbott used those experiences to elaborate on each of the letters and to illustrate how they could be applied to the medical technology industry.

The “P” in the ADAPT acronym—perseverance—is vital to long-term success in the medical technology industry and was especially important to Abbott’s baseball career. After winning the gold for the United States in the 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, Korea, Abbott was drafted by the California Angels. He had finally made it to the Major Leagues.

Abbott proved that, one-handed or not, he was a pitcher to be reckoned with. In 1993, at the time pitching for the New York Yankees, he threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians—the first Yankees pitcher to do so in a decade.

It’s interesting, shared Abbott, how those who make it to the “big leagues,” be it in baseball or a career, often let their guard down. They get comfortable and start making costly mistakes.

In Abbott’s case, in the prime of his career, he started making critical pitching errors. It all came to a head in 1996 with a devastating pitching year. That season, he won only two games—losing 18. He was told that his struggles and mistakes were killing the team and, at 30 years old, he was released from his contract with the California Angels.

Failures of this magnitude would cause many to throw in the towel. But that, imparted Abbott, is where perseverance comes in.

After not playing baseball for a year and a half, Abbott was given a second chance to play—in the minor leagues. His passion for the game and his determination led him to swallow his pride and pitch for small town teams alongside 18 and 19-year old players.

His perseverance paid off and after a summer in the minor leagues, the Chicago White Sox welcomed him back to the majors.

That experience illuminated to Abbott that, no matter how far we go in life, we will continue to be tested. There is no finish line. Perseverance is about not letting your circumstances become an excuse—a powerful reminder for many at AAOS and in the medical technology field overall.

At the end of the day, says Abbott, we all will be challenged. But in order to adapt and get through it, the real question to ask yourself is, “What are you going to do about it?”