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Vincent D Pellegrini Jr, MD

Contact Information

Professional Interests

Surgery of the Hand
Prosthetic joint replacement - Hip, Knee, Hand, Wrist
Venous Thromboembolic Disease
Osteoarthritis of the Thumb basal joint
Biology of Fracture Healing
Heterotopic Ossification
Radiation effects on osteogenesis

Grant Information

- Pulmonary Embolism Prevention after Hip and Knee Replacement. The PEPPER Trial: A Comparative Effectiveness Study. PI; Funded by PCORI. PCS-1402-09328 / IC.3/1/2016 - 3/31/2026.
- Novel Anti-Fibrotic Strategies in the Targeted Treatment and Prevention of Post-Traumatic Heterotopic Ossification and Enhancement of Post-Traumatic Tissue Regeneration. Co-I; US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). W81XWH-17-2-0009. 5/15/2018 - 5/15/2020.
- Early Identification of Molecular Predictors of Heterotopic Ossification following Extremity Blast Amputation: Animal Model Correlation with Human Disease. PI; Dept of Defense, CDMRP PRORP TRPA. W81XWH-13-2-0084. 10/1/2013-12/31/2017.
- Optimal Treatment of Malignant Long Bone Fracture: Influence of Method of Repair and External Beam Irradiation on the Pathway and Efficacy of Fracture Healing. PI; Dept of Defense, CDMRP PRMRP IIRA. W81XWH-13-1-0430. 10/1/2013-9/30/2017.
- Heterotopic Ossification following Extremity Blast Amputation: An animal model in the Sprague-Dawley Rat. PI; Dept of Defense, CDMRP PRORP. W81XWH-10-1-0975. 7/1/2010-12/31/2015.

Courses Taught

On Doctoring - M1, M2; 2020-present
Problem Based Learning - M2; 2022-2024
Derm-Rheum-Ortho - M2; 2019-present

Mentoring Information

Regular Medical Student and Resident Research Sponsor - Orthopaedics
Mentor and Advocate for Women in Orthopaedics
Academic Scholar Year Sponsor/Mentor

Biography

Vincent D. Pellegrini, Jr., MD is a first-generation physician from Cranston, Rhode Island, currently serving as Professor and Vice Chair of Education and Research Affairs in the Department of Orthopaedics at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. He also holds appointments as Professor at The Dartmouth Institute and is Immediate Past Chair of the Faculty Council at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Dr. Pellegrini earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees from Dartmouth, where he was awarded the Dean’s Valedictory Medal at Dartmouth Medical School. His postgraduate training included an internship and residency in general surgery at Hartford Hospital, followed by an orthopaedic residency and fellowship in surgery of the hand at the University of Rochester.

Dr. Pellegrini’s academic journey has spanned esteemed institutions, with faculty appointments at Stanford University and the University of Rochester, followed by 27 years as Professor and Chair of Orthopaedics across three major institutions:
• Penn State Hershey Medical Center (1992–2001),
• University of Maryland School of Medicine (2001–2013), and
• Medical University of South Carolina (2013–2019), where he also served as Associate Dean for Medical Education and Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at Clemson University.
In 2019, he returned to Dartmouth, his alma mater.

Dr. Pellegrini has held numerous prestigious leadership roles, including:
• President of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA), The Hip Society, the Maryland Orthopaedic Association, and the Medical Staff of the University of Maryland Medical Center.
• Chair of the Council of Faculty and Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and member of the AAMC Board of Directors.
Additionally, he served as Deputy Editor of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, a member of the ACGME Residency Review Committee in Orthopaedic Surgery, and an examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery for over 25 years. His contributions to the field have been recognized with accolades such as the Distinguished Clinician Educator Award and being named a Pillar of the Orthopaedic Profession by the AOA in 2022.

Dr. Pellegrini’s clinical expertise focuses on arthritis care, including total hip and knee arthroplasty and surgery of the hand. His related research interests include basal joint arthritis of the thumb, venous thromboembolism following total joint arthroplasty, heterotopic ossification, and the biology of fracture healing. His research has been funded by the Department of Defense, the US Army, and PCORI, where he currently serves as principal investigator of the PEPPER Trial – a 34-center randomized clinical trial of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after total hip and knee replacement. His work has resulted in over 200 peer-reviewed publications and recognition with major awards, including:
• Charnley and Stinchfield Awards from The Hip Society,
• Coventry Award from The Knee Society,
• Nicolas Andry Award from the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, and
• Emanuel B. Kaplan Award from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
Dr. Pellegrini has also been recognized with distinguished fellowships, serving as an AOA North American Traveling Fellow (1984–85), ASSH Sterling Bunnell Traveling Fellow (1991–92), and AAMC Council of Deans Fellow (2018–2019).

Beyond his clinical and research contributions, Dr. Pellegrini is a dedicated educator and mentor with a deep commitment to medical education. He has a passion for teaching and played a pivotal role in developing and co-directing the Clinical Correlates pre-clinical course in gross anatomy at Penn State, later implementing and directing the program both at the University of Maryland and MUSC. In the preclinical setting, he has taught Problem-Based Learning (PBL), On Doctoring (at Geisel), PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes), and has a particular enthusiasm for teaching the musculoskeletal physical exam. At MUSC, Dr. Pellegrini pioneered development of an early transition-to-residency program in orthopaedics, which was subsequently adopted across all clinical departments. Over his career, he has guided the training of more than 100 orthopaedic residents and 20 resident research fellows, taking great pride in mentoring and advising them through their careers. As a passionate advocate for diversity in orthopaedics, Dr. Pellegrini has been instrumental in recruiting women to the field and supporting their advancement in the profession. His work with the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reflects his dedication as a champion of the missions of academic medicine and fostering inclusive, innovative learning environments.

Dr. Pellegrini attributes his accomplishments to the unwavering support of his family—Lisa, Nancy, his parents, and his three daughters—who have been his inspiration and foundation throughout his career.