COTS began in 1990 in true orthopaedic fashion: three friends meeting over a beer to discuss a clinical problem. The orthopaedic surgeons were Robert McCormack, David Petrie, and Ross Leighton.

Leadership Team

  • Dr. Prism Schneider, COTS President

    Dr. Prism Schneider is an Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, and holds the positions of Orthopaedic Trauma Research Lead and Resident and Fellow Research Director for Orthopaedic Surgery.

    She obtained her MD from the University of Calgary, has a PhD in Biomechanics, and Orthopaedic Trauma fellowships at both McGill University and the University of Texas.

    Her research interests involve understanding the cellular and systemic inflammatory response to injury, clinical trials for optimizing surgical outcomes, and using advanced imaging to study the micro-architecture of fracture healing and dynamic imaging to evaluate post-surgical outcomes. She also has a particular interest in identifying and assisting patients who are injured due to violence in the home.

  • Dr. Aaron Nauth, COTS Vice-President

    Dr. Aaron Nauth is the Trauma Team Leader, Chair Fracture Care Research, St. Michael’s Hospital and Director, and a St. Michael’s Hospital/Sunnybrook Hospital Combined Trauma Fellow.

    He earned his Medical Degree at Queen’s University and completed his orthopaedic residency at the University of Toronto, followed by two fellowships: Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at the University of British Columbia and Trauma and Upper Extremity at the University of Toronto.

    Dr. Nauth’s clinical focus is orthopaedic trauma, soft tissue reconstruction and arthroscopy of the knee, shoulder and hip. His research focus is on the basic science of fracture and tendon healing with stem cell therapy in addition to conducting randomized clinical trials in orthopaedic trauma.