Distinguished Achievement Award
Robert N. Hensinger, M.D.
Professor - Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Michigan Health System
Robert Neil Hensinger was born and raised in Jackson, Michigan. He arrived at the University of Michigan in 1956 as a freshman in the College of LS&A. He began his career at University of Michigan as a pre-professional major living at the South Quadrangle and later the Psi Upsilon Fraternity. 1960-1964 he was a student in the University of Michigan Medical School. He followed these years with two years spent in surgical residency. He left to serve for two years in the United States Navy in the Submarine Service. He was stationed in New London, CT and Holy Lock, Scotland. After his service to our country, he returned to Michigan to complete his orthopaedic residency in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam War. Subsequently, he moved to Wilmington, Delaware to do a fellowship at the Alfred I. duPont Institute in pediatric orthopaedics. After the fellowship, he stayed on the staff for three years; returning to the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1974 as the first pediatric orthopaedist on the faculty.
Dr. Hensinger and Lynn Staheli, M.D. developed the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics over 25 years ago, and he continues to serve as the senior editor. He also has served as President of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, the Scoliosis Research Society, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has been an advisor to the University of Michigan Athletic Department as well as Head of the Section of Orthopaedics in 1996 and Chairman of the newly-inaugurated Department of Orthopaedics from 2001-2003 here at UM. In 1999, he was selected to receive the prestigious Arthur H. Huene Memorial Award, for outstanding contributions to pediatric orthopaedics, and in 2005, he won the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America Distinguished Achievement Award.