Specialty Specific Guidance: An Orthopedic Surgeon's Guide to Using GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Patients who are Obese or Overweight to Optimize Joint Health and Surgical Outcomes
Weight Management0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™
January 23, 2026
January 23, 2027
Primary Audience:
Orthopedic Surgeons
Relevant Terms:
Orthopedic medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, Obesity Management
Tiffany N. Lowe Clayton, DO, FOMA, DABOM, MHPE
Vice-Chair, Dept. Family Medicine
Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Bariatrician WakeMed Bariatric Surgery
and Medical Weight Loss
Cary, North Carolina
Tiffany N. Lowe Clayton, (a.k.a Dr. TLC), is an assistant professor and director of clinical education at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lillington, North Carolina. She is also an obesity medicine specialist at WakeMed Bariatric Surgery and Medical Weight Loss, with practices in both Cary and Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Additionally, she is the Founder and CEO of the Institute of Transformational Health and Wellness, Inc. in Wendell, North Carolina. She earned her medical degree in 2000 from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey, where she also completed an internship and residency in family medicine in 2003. A consummate teacher at heart, Dr. TLC is the author of the best-selling book, “A Woman’s Guide to De-Stress for Success: 10 Essential Tips to Conquer Stress and Live At Your Best.” In her personal life, Dr. TLC is a devoted wife, mother, and “Glamma.” She enjoys spending time with her family as well as traveling, singing and recreational boxing.
Carisa Tripi, DO
Medical Surgical Director
San Luis Valley Health - Alamosa, Colorado
Team Physician - Adams State University
Dr. Tripi is a practicing Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon. After completing her Sports Medicine Fellowship through Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI, she moved to southern Colorado where she has been actively practicing for 13 years. She became a Diplomate of the ABOM in 2020 after identifying a paucity in treatment options for her patients experiencing the musculoskeletal effects of obesity. She is passionate about providing Evidence Based education to her patients both from an orthopedic and obesity management standpoint.
Neil Skolnik, MD
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Thomas Jefferson University
Associate Director
Family Medicine Residency Program
Jefferson Health - Abington
Dr. Neil Skolnik, MD, is a Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and Associate Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Jefferson Health - Abington. Dr. Skolnik has written and edited 6 books and has published more than 500 articles, columns, poems, essays and webinars in both the medical and lay literature including publications in JAMA, JAMA Internal Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, Circulation, Medscape, Philadelphia Inquirer and USA Today. He has served on the Expert Panel Report 4 (EPR-4) Working Group, National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee, National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) – the committee that developed the 2020 NIH Asthma Guidelines. He hosts and produces “Diabetes Core Update,” the American Diabetes Association’s official monthly podcast that reviews the most important new articles to come out in the diabetes literature every month, as well as “Diabetes Day by Day”, the ADA’s podcast for people with diabetes. He tries to make sure that each day he spends at least 30 minutes playing the guitar and, to the chagrin of his wife, singing.
| 1. | UNDERSTAND the clinical benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and its related comorbidities. | 2. | IDENTIFY and MANAGE the adverse event profiles associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists using evidence-based strategies. |
| 3. | DEVELOP patient-centered strategies to educate patients about the benefits, risks, and expectations of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. | 4. | IMPLEMENT follow-up protocols to monitor patient progress, manage side effects, and improve adherence to GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. |
| 5. | DESCRIBE how GLP-1 receptor agonists align with orthopedic-specific care priorities, such as joint health. | 6. | INDIVIDUALIZE counseling and management approaches for GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy to address orthopedic-specific patient needs, such as joint-related comorbidities. |
| 1. | UNDERSTAND the clinical benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and its related comorbidities. |
| 2. | IDENTIFY and MANAGE the adverse event profiles associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists using evidence-based strategies. |
| 3. | DEVELOP patient-centered strategies to educate patients about the benefits, risks, and expectations of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. |
| 4. | IMPLEMENT follow-up protocols to monitor patient progress, manage side effects, and improve adherence to GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. |
| 5. | DESCRIBE how GLP-1 receptor agonists align with orthopedic-specific care priorities, such as joint health. |
| 6. | INDIVIDUALIZE counseling and management approaches for GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy to address orthopedic-specific patient needs, such as joint-related comorbidities. |
TITLE
Specialty Specific Guidance: An Orthopedic Surgeon's Guide to Using GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Patients who are Obese or Overweight to Optimize Joint Health and Surgical Outcomes
PROGRAM PARTNERS
This activity is jointly provided by Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical, the Obesity Medicine Association and RealCME
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Novo Nordisk
Release Date: January 23, 2026
Expiration Date: January 23, 2027
STATEMENT OF NEED
Obesity significantly impacts orthopedic health and surgical outcomes, with patients experiencing worse results following procedures such as total hip and knee arthroplasty. Weight loss interventions, including GLP-1 RAs, represent valuable tools for managing orthopedic patients with obesity. Historically, bariatric surgery was the primary weight loss option for morbidly obese patients before total joint arthroplasty, but GLP-1 RAs now offer an effective non-surgical alternative, with potential anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying effects for conditions like osteoarthritis.
Despite these benefits, significant knowledge and practice gaps exist among orthopedic specialists regarding GLP-1 RAs. While some orthopedists collaborate with obesity medicine specialists to help patients meet BMI cutoffs for surgery, many lack comprehensive understanding of these medications' mechanisms, benefits, and role in orthopedic care. Emerging research suggests GLP-1 drugs could substantially improve joint replacement outcomes, with ongoing studies exploring the role of semaglutide in spine lumbar fusions and other orthopedic surgeries. Knowledge and practice gaps among orthopedic specialists limit their ability to appropriately counsel patients and integrate these medications into comprehensive treatment plans.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
- UNDERSTAND the clinical benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and its related comorbidities.
- IDENTIFY and MANAGE the adverse event profiles associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists using evidence-based strategies.
- DEVELOP patient-centered strategies to educate patients about the benefits, risks, and expectations of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy.
- IMPLEMENT follow-up protocols to monitor patient progress, manage side effects, and improve adherence to GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy.
- DESCRIBE how GLP-1 receptor agonists align with orthopedic-specific care priorities, such as joint health.
- INDIVIDUALIZE counseling and management approaches for GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy to address orthopedic-specific patient needs, such as joint-related comorbidities.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Orthopedic Surgeons
FACULTY
|
| Carissa J. Tripi, DO Medical Surgical Director San Luis Valley Health - Alamosa, Colorado Team Physician - Adams State University |
| Disclosure(s): | Carrissa J. Tripi, DO, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months. |
|
| Neil Skolnik, MD Professor of Family and Community Medicine |
| Disclosure(s): | Neil Skolnik, MD, received honoraria for serving as a researcher, consultant, speaker, and advisory committee member for AstraZeneca; as a researcher, speaker, and advisory committee member for GlaxoSmithKline; as an advisory board member for Abbott; as a consultant and speaker for Heartland Food Group; for consulting services from Sanofi and Sanofi Pasteur; as a speaker and advisory committee member for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk; and as a speaker for Teva and Takeda. The financial relationship with Astellas has ended. The business lines and/or products of AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Heartland Food Group are relevant to the content of Dr. Skolnik’s presentation. |
|
| Tiffany N. Lowe Clayton, DO, FOMA, DABOM, MHPE |
| Disclosure(s): | Tiffany N. Lowe Clayton, DO, DABOM, MHPE, received consultant fees for serving on the speakers’ bureaus of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. The business lines and/or products of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are relevant to the content of Dr. Clayton’s presentation. |
CONTENT REVIEWER
Sara Velayati, MD, DABOM
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology)
Montefiore Medical Center
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY
Sara Velayati, MD, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months.
PLANNERS
Steven Haimowitz, MD
RealCME
Steven Haimowitz, MD, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months.
Erin Ash, MD
RealCME
Erin Ash, MD, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months.
DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
The “Policy on Identification, Mitigation, and Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships” of Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center requires that any individual in control of content, including faculty, participating in CME activities disclose to the audience all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* in the past 24 months. Any individual in control of content who refuses to disclose, or whose disclosed relationships prove to create a conflict of interest, will be recused.
Individuals with the absence of relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies will be disclosed to the audience.
All financial relationships of individuals in a position to control the content of this CME activity are identified and mitigated prior to the educational activity.
*The ACCME defines an ineligible company as those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
PROVIDERSHIP
This educational activity is jointly provided by Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, the Obesity Medicine Association and RealCME.
ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center and RealCME, LLC. Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT
Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center designates this other/blended activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Other Credits
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Program accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.
American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 0.75 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE
This activity may or may not discuss investigational, unapproved, or off-label use of drugs. Participants are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this CME activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a clinician relative to diagnostic and treatment options for a specific patient’s medical condition.
DISCLAIMER
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, RealCME, and Takeda. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
METHOD OF PARTICIPATION/INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO RECEIVE CREDIT
Estimated time to complete this activity: 0.75 hours
To obtain credit, a score of 70% or better on the post-test is required. This activity is offered at no cost to participants. Please proceed with the activity until you have successfully answered all test questions, and have received a digital copy of your credit certificate.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions regarding CME credit, contact Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center at cme@montefiore.org.
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COURSE VIEWING REQUIREMENTS
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