Dr. MaCalus V. Hogan is an orthopaedic surgeon, researcher, and healthcare leader with expertise in foot and ankle surgery, musculoskeletal regenerative engineering, and healthcare delivery innovation. His clinical, academic, and research work spans orthopaedic care, translational science, and multidisciplinary collaboration, with a focus on advancing outcomes and quality across musculoskeletal medicine. In addition to his surgical and research leadership, he has played a key role in developing orthopaedic care delivery models and Centers of Excellence within large health system environments. Widely engaged across clinical, academic, athletic, and administrative settings, Dr. Hogan brings a broad perspective on leadership, innovation, and the future of orthopaedic care.
Leadership and Impact
Looking back over the past three years, what are the two most impactful things you have accomplished in your role?
First, carrying on the legacy of excellence that the chairs before me forged has been a priority for me in my first years here as chair. We’ve continued to host strong, academically focused resident and fellow classes and are always taking steps to improve our curriculum and educational opportunities for our students. Culture is often intangible, but it is foundational.
Second, we have made significant progress in advancing our research enterprise, particularly through the growth of the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center. Through the opening of this Center, we’re elevating the University of Pittsburgh orthopaedic research to a national and international level. The progress we’ve made so far is already translating into strong community partnerships and will ultimately lead to better patient care.
If you could perfectly execute the accomplishment of three goals for your department over the next three years, what would those goals be?
First off, I would work to solidify our position as a top-tier orthopaedic surgery department as measured not just by rankings, but by outcomes and influence. Everyday I am proud to hear of accomplishments from both our current faculty and staff but also our ever-growing network of alumni, who hold leadership positions in many departments, hospitals and professional organizations throughout the orthopaedic sphere.
Second, I would fully realize the potential of our research ecosystem. Growing the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center into a globally recognized hub for musculoskeletal research is a top priority and a way to honor the legacy of excellence in research Pitt brings to the table.
Third, I would invest deeply in people. Continue recruiting and developing exceptional faculty, supporting our trainees, and ensuring that our culture at UPMC/Pitt remains one where individuals can do their best work. Sustaining a pipeline of talent is critical to everything we aim to achieve.
The AOC and the Power of the Collective
What is the most valuable way that the AOC helped you and your Department?
The most valuable contribution of the AOC has been the ability to learn from peers in a candid and trusted environment. Leadership roles can often be isolating, and having access to a network of individuals who understand the complexity of the role is incredibly important.
Beyond strategy, there is also value in the sense of shared purpose. The AOC reinforces that while each department operates within its own context, many of our challenges are similar. That alignment creates a foundation for collaboration and accelerates progress.
The Human Side of the Role
Share one personal accomplishment from 2025 that you are especially proud of.
One accomplishment I am particularly proud of from 2025 is the growth in collaboration across all parts of our enterprise. UPMC is a large health system that stretches across multiple counties and states. We don’t frequently get face to face time with our peers in other areas and while virtual meetings have come a long way in the last 5 years, it’s always good to sit down with someone at the same table.
In the spring of 2025, we hosted our very first Orthopaedic Care Summit – a two-day event where administrative, clinical and research faculty and staff came together to foster closer professional connections. Our staff and faculty were able to chat and sit with UPMC executives and get important updates on the health of the system.
Growth and performance are important, but sustaining alignment and engagement across a large, complex organization is equally critical.
Reflection and Perspective
If you could go back and give yourself one or two pieces of career advice earlier in your journey, what would they be?
First, I would remind myself to be more intentional about building relationships early and consistently. The strength of your network becomes increasingly important over time. Those relationships not only create opportunities but also provide perspective and support during complex decisions.
Second, I would emphasize the importance of patience and long-term thinking. Early in one’s career, there can be a tendency to focus on immediate achievements or milestones. While those are important, the most meaningful impact is often the result of sustained effort over time.
How do you think AI will meaningfully change your role, or the way your department operates, five years from now?
AI is fundamentally reshaping how we operate even today. In clinical care, AI has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and support more personalized patient care.
From a research perspective, I believe AI will accelerate discovery by enabling more sophisticated data analysis and identifying patterns that would otherwise be difficult to detect. This will be especially impactful in musculoskeletal research, where large datasets play an important role.
As a leader, my role will increasingly involve ensuring that we adopt these technologies thoughtfully. It’ll be important to balance innovation with ethics, maintaining a focus on patient-centered care and doing what is not only most effective, but also what is right for our patients.