Tessa Balach

Tessa Balach is a Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Chicago. Her career spans clinical practice in orthopaedic oncology, surgical education leadership, and health services research.

• BA in Biology from University of Chicago (2001)
• MD from New York Medical College (2005)
• General Surgery Internship at University of Chicago Medicine (2006)
• Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at University of Chicago Medicine (2010)
• Orthopaedic Oncology Fellowship at University of Chicago Medicine (2011)

Her research focuses on orthopaedic oncology, surgical education innovation, and health equity. She has led national initiatives including the OrthoACCESS curriculum for medical students and studies on residency training practices. Her work bridges clinical orthopaedics with educational methodology and policy development.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals strong emphasis on surgical education systems (40%), orthopaedic oncology (30%), and health services research (30%). Key trends include standardization of medical training, diversity in surgical fields, and improving diagnostic accuracy in complex orthopaedic conditions.

• American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery Leadership Fellows Program (2018-2019)
• University of Chicago Quality & Safety Poster Winner (2018)
• Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society Fellowship (2014)
• American Orthopaedic Association Emerging Leaders Program (2013-2018)

Dr. Balach directs national surgical education programs including OrthoACCESS and residency boot camps. She has secured significant funding for the Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Consortium studying pain biomarkers. Her leadership extends to AAOS and AOA committees focused on training standards and diversity initiatives.

She maintains active collaborations with orthopaedic oncology networks including the Birmingham Orthopaedic Oncology Meeting (BOOM) consensus group and participates in international exchanges through the AOA-JOA Traveling Fellowship program.