Riley J. Williams III, MD

Recorded live at the 2026 AOSSM Annual Meeting in Seattle, join Dr. Reider for a conversation with Dr. Riley J. Williams III, Chief of Sports Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, as he shares his cross country journeys from LA to Yale, Stanford, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, reflecting on the opportunities, mentors and pivotal decisions that shaped his career. Dr. Williams discusses leading the HSS Sports Medicine Institute, the evolution of cartilage-repair research, and how new evidence, registries, and long-term outcomes can inform better treatment decisions. He also explores the unique challenges of caring for professional athletes, including return-to-play decisions, mental readiness, and balancing short-term performance with long-term health. Notably, Dr. Williams reflects on representation of black surgeons in orthopaedics as well as the opportunities and the use of AI in clinical care.