Pitt, UPMC officials tap Dr. Freddie Fu recruit to fill 'irreplaceable' doctor's orthopedic roles

The University of Pittsburgh and UPMC ended a yearlong search Monday for a successor for Dr. Freddie Fu, who helped catapult orthopedics at the university and health system to international renown during his tenure, which ran from 1998 until his death in 2021.

Officials have tapped Dr. MaCalus V. Hogan as the next David Silver Professor, chair of the university’s Department of Orthpaedic Surgery and chair of Orthopaedic Surgery for UPMC.

Fu created UPMC’s sports medicine program and was physician for Pitt’s sports teams for some 30 years. He was the longtime chair of the orthopedic surgery department, and he developed techniques and procedures that changed the way in which such surgeries were done.

He recruited Hogan in 2013.

“The appointment of an individual to replace the ‘irreplaceable’ Dr. Freddie Fu is a decision that required great consideration,” said Dr. Anantha Shekhar, dean of Pitt’s School of Medicine.

Shekhar, who is also the senior vice chancellor for Health Sciences at Pitt, said it was a “lengthy and deliberate selection process” that led them to Hogan.

“(Hogan) was clearly the preferred choice to not only build upon Dr. Fu’s legacy, but also lead the department into new territories,” he said.

Hogan has most recently served as chief of foot and ankle surgery at UPMC, the vice chair of education and the residency program director in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a professor of orthopedic surgery and holds positions in the Department of Bioengineering and the Katz School of Business.

An Alabama native, Hogan called it an honor to take over the orthopedic leadership positions at Pitt and UPMC.

“There is no other option for excellent care than UPMC,” he said in a statement. “What we offer locally, nationally and globally is unmatched.”

Hogan also works with athletic departments at Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne, Robert Morris and Point Park, and he consults with the Steelers and Penguins through UPMC’s Sports Medicine Institute.

Leslie Davis, president and chief executive of UPMC, said she is delighted to see Hogan take on the new roles.

“He is a compassionate clinician and dedicated researcher who demonstrates the Pitt/UPMC shared values and vision to continuously improve the definition of excellence and leadership in orthopedic care,” she said.